The Wolf
3 Sheeps Brewing

The WolfThe Wolf
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From:
3 Sheeps Brewing
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #937
ABV:
13.5%
Score:
94
Ranked #2,707
Avg:
4.23 | pDev: 7.57%
Reviews:
59
Ratings:
142
Status:
Active
Rated:
Yesterday at 11:52 PM
Added:
Jun 05, 2016
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  19
*ABV varies by year*

This beer is a bit dangerous. It’s packed with flavor — rich bourbon, warm wood tannins, and notes of sweet caramel and chocolate. Yet it’s so easy-drinking that you won’t notice the 13.5% ABV. Yes, 13.5%. The Wolf is a simple beer at heart, a classic imperial stout with a robust malt bill, but has a science-y trick up its sleeve. We treated the alcohol sweetness as an ingredient instead of an afterthought, using it to to harness the strong bourbon notes and maintain the beer’s light body. The result? The liquid equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Radcpa:
Photo of Radcpa
Reviewed by Radcpa from Washington

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dark appearance with minimal tan head. Aroma is a sweet chocolate and caramel with a touch of bourbon. Taste is also a slightly sweet chocolate and caramel with some bourbon and a lot of alcohol bite even after months of aging. A little thin.
Jun 25, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of WunderLlama
Reviewed by WunderLlama from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Beer received in bif 18 from @victory_sabre1973

Canned 2.21.24 , abv is the wolf in sheep’s clothing at 13.4%

Brewers notes : This beer is a bit dangerous. It’s packed with flavor — rich bourbon, warm wood tannins, and notes of sweet caramel and chocolate. Yet it’s so easy-drinking that you won’t notice the 13.5% ABV. Yes, 13.5%. The Wolf is a simple beer at heart, a classic imperial stout with a robust malt bill, but has a science-y trick up its sleeve. We treated the alcohol sweetness as an ingredient instead of an afterthought, using it to to harness the strong bourbon notes and maintain the beer’s light body. The result? The liquid equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Room temperature beer poured into a pretentious beer glass produces a fizzy three finger taupe foam cap over a deep cola brown liquid. Good retention, settles to a ring with clinging laces

Aroma is bourbon, tobacco, roast malts, dark fruits, figs, raisins ,brown sugar

Taste is bourbon, dark fruits, figs, raisins, brown sugar

Mouthfeel is boozy, a little hot

Good beer, thanks victory_sabre1973 for sharing this beer with me
Yesterday at 11:52 PM
 
Rated: 4.25 by Hallertau from Wisconsin

Mar 08, 2024
Photo of vette2006c5r
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

4.77/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
The Wolf pours black, with a small, lacing tan head. The aroma is very strong, and very rich, with big notes of bourbon, caramel, chocolate, and a sweet finish. Very rich feel. Overall, big stout, very sweet, lots of bourbon on this one.
Sep 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Mar 27, 2023
Photo of Whyteboar
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan

4.19/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured Imperial stout dark (You know, black coffeeish) and was impenetrable black in the snifter, capped with a light brown head.
The aroma was largely lost on my chemically damaged nose, but I did get an almost sweet malt scent out. Interesting.
The taste was a solid foray into the now crowded arena or bourbon barrel aged stouts. There is no harsh edges to get in the way, it's almost sweet in presentation. Dark fruit, chocolate, a touch of tannin and bourbon. Quite pleasant.
The feel is just viscous enough for sipping, no slamming this one down. It really is sneaky in how high the ABV is.
Glad I got to try this tasty treat.
Jan 04, 2023
Photo of Braunmeister_1943
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Another Wisconsin offering I received from @Danmullens1!

L- Deep ebony amber color.

S- Strong bourbon aroma with a subtle
maple syrup note.

T- Bourbon heat upfront with a pleasant
maple aftertaste.

F- The mouthfeel is a little thin. The
carbonation is almost like soda.

O- I really enjoyed this. The only thing
that holds it back is the mouthfeel.
Dec 18, 2022
Photo of IMFletcher
Reviewed by IMFletcher from Kentucky

4.26/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2022 edition, poured from the can. Color is imperial brown ale, the label is way darker than the beer, head is practically white. Nose is a healthy barrel with a vanilla/marshmallow note. Flavor is excellent, but while there's plenty of barrel, there's a light vanilla/marshmallow note and some burn on the finish. However, the beer itself seems to be a serving tray for the barrel. Very enjoyable, but not show-stopping.
Oct 21, 2022
Photo of LunchMoney
Reviewed by LunchMoney from Minnesota

4.14/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From a can into a tulip.
Looks like a cola. Color is very dark, but thin. You can see through it.
Carbonation fades very fast. The head was gone in a few seconds.
Smell of figs and molasses is wonderful. I don’t get any bourbon or typical malt smell.
Taste is great. Matches the smell with its dark, dried fruit sweetness. But it also has a touch of bourbon warmth. Really good taste.
Feel is not as smooth as I like. I think the beer is not as thick and the carbonation also adds a sharp tingling that comes on strong in the thinner beer.
Overall, a pretty good beer. Above average BA imperial stout. I’m glad I was able to try it.
Sep 04, 2022
Photo of mwilbur
Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

4.06/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 12 oz can into snifter. Canned on 06/08/22. 13.8% ABV.
A: Pours a very dark brown with 1 inch bubbly tan head with decent retention.
S: Smooth dark chocolate, sweet bourbon, almond nuttiness, caramel, oak, and a hint of vanilla.
T: Super smooth dark chocolate, almond, caramel, sweet bourbon, oak, and vanilla.
M: Medium feel…lighter than expected. Caramel and malty sweetness with mild bourbon burn.
D: A very easy drinking beast at 13.8%. Nice bourbon barrel elements. Good fall sipper.
Aug 27, 2022
Photo of Resistance88
Reviewed by Resistance88 from California

4.39/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to @basaywhat for this one
Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Well made stout with perfect balance of Barrel and a base stout. What everyone would call a good complex BA Stout and what i would call "Gimme more of this now!"
The finish on this is excellent .
Aug 17, 2022
Photo of Brimstonebaritone
Rated by Brimstonebaritone

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is a phenomenal beer and should win awards. Top notch in every regard.
Aug 07, 2022
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.21/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz can, with 6/8/22 dating.

Pour near black, minor cap and leaving some ringed low lacing.

Fudge brownie sniff. With some rum soaked raisins and milk chocolate qualities.

Mighty tasty offering, sniff Carrie’s onto the palate. More chocolate, more fudge brownies, more imply stout goodness …. Well crafted with the 12% well concealed,,,,dangerous and delicious
Jul 07, 2022
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

3.84/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look - Black and thick with a great tan head and great lasting rimming
Smell - earthy leather chocolate caramel woody barrel
Taste - chocolate caramel wood barrel, slight black licorice cola in there as well
Feel - medium full body with a medium light carb
Overall - ton of different flovors and smells but all and all not a fan of the cola black licorice and the lighter body than expected
Apr 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 08, 2022
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Canned 6/21.
Jet black with a halo of drippy lacing and compact head of mocha tinged foam. Faint barrel aroma and toasty brownie crust sweetness. Barrel heat, bourbon, vanilla, malted milk balls, aftertaste of carob. Not especially malty or chocolatey, the barrel seems to steamroll it. Medium bodied, boozy and astringent. Could be a little smoother and creamier. Thanks to Tom for this one!
Jan 16, 2022
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Canned on 6/9/21; consumed on 9/27/21

Pours a stark cola-brown body capped with a finger and a half of bubby, pale beige foam; the head fades quickly to a spotty few islands of paper-thin cap, a chunky, frothy collar, and the occasional splotching of firm, webby lacing clinging to the walls of the glass.

Aroma shows spotty cacao husks slowly developing into more defined milk chocolate upfront; caramel meets sarsaparilla and a more barnyard-forward oak over the middle, while toffee candies, burnt maple, and barrel char establish a slightly more defined bittersweetness into the close.

Taste offers light cocoa upfront, overshadowed by wispier tones of sarsaparilla, brown bread, and tinges of caramel over the mid-palate; smoked toffee details, though weaker notes of cola into the back end are cut with a delicate char and wisps of bourbon lingering in the background and a vanilla fade through the finish.

Mouthfeel features a thinner body, deftly silky in texture with a mild-moderate carbonation; intermittent grit us sparse over the mid-palate, becoming almost watery in spots, though largely consistent through the back end; the finish follows suit and is similarly mild, with a clean, indistinct gritty sensation through the swallow.

Comprehensively underdeveloped, from overall thinness to weak barrel, this stout rides the unique line between being too passive to enjoy and unassuming easy-drinking; ultimately, at least the bance of those qualities there can be appreciated.
Sep 28, 2021
Photo of thebeers
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -22%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Plum-tinted dark mahogany with two fingers of fizzy tan head. It quickly settles into a thick wisp and sloppy crown. Decent lacing.

Dry-ish aroma with leather, cola and a little poop.

Leather, cola and a little chocolate in the taste. A hint of walnut. Almost gives a watered-down barleywine vibe.

Thing feel with some very slight creaminess and lively carbonation.

Probably shouldn’t have tried this after a BCBS. Pales in comparison. Far below average for a BBA stout these days. Not sure what people see in this.
Aug 03, 2021
Photo of PhilboBaggins59
Reviewed by PhilboBaggins59

3.56/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Thin and "unbourbony" this year. More like a Wolf in Sheep's clothing. A 16-oz. can of Narwahl BBA Stout exceeds in both mouthfeel and Bourbon flavor for the same price.
Jul 20, 2021
Photo of ZebulonXZogg
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark brown small khaki head that fades quickly, moderate lacing.
Coffee, leather, toffee, chocolate maybe some ash. Taste matches the aroma on this one. This is a bit thin for the style, carbonation is moderate. Easy drinking, at 13.5%, that makes this dangerous. My first beer from them, damn good!
Jul 18, 2021
The Wolf from 3 Sheeps Brewing
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 142 ratings