Rum Barrel Double Brown
Country Boy Brewing

 

 

 

What's a guy to do when you run out of bourbon barrels? Why, use rum barrels instead. And who's to say that only big bad imperial stouts qualify? These stalwart assumptions are challenged by the good 'ole Country Boys.

Like cask ale, the beer pours with modest carbonation and a dainty, short-lived ivory creme. Light in head formation, retention, and lace, the beer prefers a sill look of tawny brown hues. Light haze and deep dark saturation gives the beer a manly look.

Bold rum aromas lead the nose with sweet spice, booze, oak, and maple. Behind the barrel character resides ale notes of toast, chocolate, light coffee, and caramel. A twangy scent of cider and white grape must allows a sharper contrast to the bold sweetness to provide its modest balance.

Strong rum also dominates the early taste. Dried oak, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper dissolves into the port-like nutty sweetness. But the taste turns decidedly dry short after its early palate and exposes the spicy woods and introduces vinous taste of under ripened fruit and sour grape.

Surprisingly light in body, the taste of rum and barrel is so pronounced that the palate expects a bigger ale. But the brown ale underneath is remarkably dry, crisp, and dare I say- refreshing? Its finish is quick, powdery, and astringently tannin-like. This replaces hop character and once again puts the rum character in the driver's seat.

I applaude the experimentation and boldness of these guys taking on this style and barrel-aged technique, but the results tell me that this beer has been in the barrel far too long. The balance shifts heavily toward the barrel and dries the beer out to the point where malt support is lacking. Its a tasty beer, its just hard to find in within the barrel.