Double Barrel V.S.O.R.
Revolution Brewing

4/20/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Received from Revolution Brewery as part of the Deep Woods Season ticket package on November 15, 2024, refrigerated where it remained until opening this morning. 12 oz, canned 11/1/24 @ 6:44:31 AM, 16.3% ABV. Rye Ale aged in Rye & Bourbon Barrels. Ethereal Elegance and Astral Spirit. Revolution Beer LLC, 3340 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, IL.

Appearance: Poured full can into a Deep Woods handheld snifter, yielding a very dark brown near black base and very brief tan bubbly head leaving no trace. 4.0

Aroma: Let this sit for 15 minutes to warm to proper temperature, with mild bourbon aroma, some plums and raisins, and not much else. Much lighter in strength and depth than anticipated. 3.5

Taste: Fuller flavor than the aroma, a very strong smooth bourbon and nice rye competing for attention. The base is relegated to the background as this deep aging has the barrel front and center, with nowhere else to turn. Very strong, perhaps too, though consistent with marketing / labeling. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Bourbon and rye continue to emerge, and the strength grows near harsh, drinking above the high 16.3% ABV. This is the double version, but I'm longing for the base that can't be found. Strong barrels restrain sweetness to a minimal malt sensation, coupled with Bourbon and the Silver Medal Rye from start to finish. 3.75

Overall: I typically enjoy the to me much more balanced treatment of the standard great Deep Woods offerings vs. adjuncts or extra barrel time, and this is no exception. Overall, I'm glad I'm trying today, but if I didn't have a season ticket and just tried this at a preview party, I would likely be happy with the one pour and forego the $50 + tax retail four pack price. If you like a very strong barrel presence, this is one to try to score. Solid, but not a favorite from this season. 3.75

 

Pours a lovely dark amber color, with a much homelier, overly-large, airy, khaki head that eventually settles into a soupy crown that leaves very modest lacing.

Sticky-sweet aroma of honey, maple, caramel, berries and fig with strong leather, light forest floor and flashes of alcohol behind.

Vanilla and lingering rye spiciness are added to the taste. Moderate-to-strong heat as well.

Creamy, slick feel with restrained carbonation.

Great rye and nice barrel presence make a valiant effort against the sweetness in this one, but the sweetness still dominates.

12 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 11/1/24, had 2/14/25.

Pours a semi opaque darker amber color, with a quarter inch foamy head and light foamy cling. Aromas of rye whiskey, bourbon, fig, caramel, raisin, brown sugar, some oak. The flavors are mostly the same: rye whiskey, caramel, malt, fig, bourbon, oak, raisin. Smooth, a solid medium body, well carbonated.

Wow. The rye barrels are prominent, many distinct and vibrant aromas and flavors, a true delight to work through. Delicious and impressive.

 

Unusually turbid brown, it almost looks like coffee with a dash of cream in it, under a thin tan blanket that quickly recedes to a flat, unevenly fuzzy ring.

The nose is exceptionally potent, oaky, and even piney with roasted nuts, caramel, spicy rye whiskey and molasses.

Taste seems tempered compared to that, round, almost viscous, but certainly warm on the exhale, especially coming back up the ears. Flavors of darker caramels near Riesen, verging into gooey vanilla marshmallow, but it's definitely on another plane from Ryeway. A bit tougher to dig in to on that front, it's as if tinged by a sort of date liqueur, and accented by blackberry syrup.

I can't believe how almost thick this is, much more than I expected, softening some of the harsher qualities in many ways. As I chose to nurse this for a couple of hours, the more I sat with it, the more I loved it. While certainly woodier, (duh), it's also so silky smooth (absurdly so) in contrast to its almost imposing maturity.

 

 

 

Yields a noticeable IS of rye and aroma. Knock out punch of alcohol, pretty good tasting and put together ya'all in a small can. Latest version it was.

 

Smooth sipper

 

 

 

 

Canned 11/01/24

A: Pours a dark raisin brown. Small 1/2 finger dark khaki colored head quickly (and loudly) recedes to a razor thin line around the circumference of the glass.
S: Loads of wood with caramel, rye and a hint of vanilla
T: A caramel thread mixed with rye spiciness and a bourbon kiss.
M: Medium body. Medium carbonation.
O: Another DW winner from Rev. I do think VSOR Select keeps the VSOR crown but this is really picking nits as this is a stellar beer. Would love a VSOR variant every DW season if it were possible.

 

12/31/24 can @ home