[BANISHED] Tough Love
Crux Fermentation Project

[BANISHED] Tough Love[BANISHED] Tough Love
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From:
Crux Fermentation Project
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #136
ABV:
14%
Score:
94
Ranked #2,244
Avg:
4.24 | pDev: 9.43%
Reviews:
84
Ratings:
361
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 12, 2024
Added:
May 29, 2013
Wants:
  29
Gots:
  80
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by kemoarps:
Photo of kemoarps
Reviewed by kemoarps from New York

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Rich coffee black pour with a big ol' dark brown head that eventually settles down on its haunches but leaves more marks on the glass than my dog's nose.

Nose is thick rich and creamy and somehow ashy/smokey at the same time. Like cigarette ashy. But as someone who abhors the smell of cigarettes it somehow isn't like... bad. Bizarre. Molasses and coffee and vanilla and oak and the soft side of bourbon... delicious.

Favour comes in with the sweet bourbon and dark fruits. Molasses and vanilla, maybe some dark fruits (bourbon soaked... plums? prunes? ...cherry?) and a touch of stout chocolate. Layered and amazing.
Still a bit hot, I kind of wish I'd laid this one down for a while. It's great now but I feel like it has the build to be something special. Tiny pinpricks of carbonation break up a medium slick body with a lingering finish of wood and bitter alcohol aftertaste. A necessary and enjoyable end to a LOOOOOONG night at work.
Aug 04, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 500mL waxed bottle into my 8th Wonder chalice. This is the 2023 Tough Love, bottled 10/4/23.

Appearance: entirely black with a thick head of frothy dark-tan foam. The head has a nice retention and leaves a chunky lace on the glass as it dissipates. Pretty indeed!

Smell: dark and rich, I definitely get the molasses in this guy — it reminds me of Gosling’s Black Seal or another black-strap molasses rum. There is plenty woody oakiness from the barrel here, as well. I like it, but it’s booze-forward in a way that masks its complexity in a way; I wish more of the subtle aromas could come out.

Taste: wow, a lot more bitter and complex than the aroma. The astringency of the barrel and the bitterness of the molasses do battle with the massive sweetness of this beer. There’s a good chocolate character here, along with some dark fruits, and of course, plenty of booziness. Again, I think the booze could be pulled back a hair, but still this is a very good beer.

Mouthfeel: silky smooth with a good carbonation and a lovely creamy texture. I mean, this is what I expect from a 14% monstrosity.

Overall: a really solid beer. I’m enjoying this a lot, but like I said, maybe blended in a way to be a little less bourbon-forward would make this even better.
Jan 12, 2024
Photo of hreb
Reviewed by hreb from Washington

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500ml wax-topped bottle of 2022's [BANISHED] series Tough Love Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout from Crux. Bottled on 10/10/22 and served today in a curved glass. Jet black, completely opaque, and topped with a nice chestnut brown head. Roasty aroma with bourbon barrels. Flavor has a really playful fruitiness, like cherries, atop a seriously thick, heavy stout beer. It tastes like eating a big slice of black forrest cake with a glass of bourbon on the side, but at the same time it's not at all sweet. Mouthfeel is delightfully complex, simultaneously heavy and oily while fizzy enough to make it feel light on the tongue. There's clearly alcohol here but the label says 14% and that makes this dangerous -- because it barely tastes half that. One slightly disappointing note to this otherwise fantastic beer, the flavor just isn't that malt-oriented, despite the very interesting grain bill with oak smoked wheat and malted rye. The smoke is very subtle, and bourbon barrel flavors just dominate. But overall I AM a big fan of this beer.
May 30, 2023
Photo of mr-e
Reviewed by mr-e from Washington

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: it looks pretty yummy. Pours almost black. Opaque. The head is light mocha brown and lasts a while. Lotsa lacing.

Smell: smells like bourbon, coffee, and dark chocolate to me. I like it.

Taste: chocolatey and very bourbon-y. It leaves a fairly sudden, quite bitter aftertaste in my mouth that I don't necessarily adore.

Feel: i'm kind of new at reviewing beer. When I think of "feel," I think of carbonation. That's the only thing I really feel. This beer is a bit more carbonated than most, which I like. Tingly. Warming.

Overall: This beer is perfect for a sipper on a cold winter day. It's got a very bold, very intense flavor that I like. My only complaint is the aftertaste.
Feb 22, 2023
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

3.83/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1841
Name: Banished Tough Love
Brewery: Crux Fermentation
Style: RIS
ABV: 14%
Date: 10/10/2022
I am not sure what to expect from this beer. I picked this up last year and kept it in the fridge. Using a tulip glass, I served it at 50 degrees. A frothy and creamy two-fingered head was created from the pour. The somewhat quick dissipation left lots of lacing on the glass. Charting the color of the beer around SRM 32, dark brown nearly black with a rusty brown hue. The appearance overall is above average for this style.
Nosing the glass, I smell bourbon, oak, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, char, smokiness, raisins, figs, toasted bread crumbs, bready, alcohol, floral esters, and earthiness.
I taste bourbon, oak, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, burnt sugar, leather, molasses, char, smokiness, soy sauce, Maillard, raisins, figs, bready, toasted bread crumbs, floral esters, and earthiness with a touch herbal.
The mouthfeel is dry and somewhat astringent, and hot. The body is heavy, light carbonation, and a lingering finish.
This beer has a lot of Maillard and soy sauce. The dark roasted malts is a bit too much for my palate. Hoppiness in the beer is a bit firmer then I would prefer. I am not a huge fan of this beer.
Jan 15, 2023
Photo of Ant-B
Reviewed by Ant-B

4.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2021 vintage in 500ml bottle. Poured into a Libbey glass. Fridge temp.

Nose - strong bourbon and chocolate, mild toffee and caramel. Faint brown sugar and anise.

Palate - spun sugar and molasses, relaxes to a nice gingersnap or browned butter note. Long finish

Negative note - at 13.5% ABV I felt this was a bit heavy on carbonation. Next tasting I'll leave it in the glass for an hour to settle. Much too spritzy out of the bottle.
Good stuff! I'll be stocking up in this one.
Aug 28, 2022
 
Rated: 4.14 by smithj4 from New York

Jan 24, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

3.9/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured at fridge temp. Pours black with a good amount of light brown head. Sticks around for a while. Nose is chocolate, bourbon, fudge, dark fruit, and a bit of vanilla. Taste is nice. Lots of roasted malts (bitter) that really wasn't there on the nose. That's definitely the dominant taste here. A bit of pepper spice, dark chocolate, burnt toffee, and leather. Dark cherries, raisins, and an earthy note. Not my favorite, but quite good. Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Overall, a good beer.
Dec 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.2 by Scotchboy from Idaho

Sep 08, 2021
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

4.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
500mL bottle (2020) into a tulip. Pours a deep brownish black with a nice khaki head that settles to a respectable layer of film, leaving behind some patchy lace.

Aroma is a blend of dark roasted malt and bitter chocolate/cocoa. A touch of booze.

Taste is likewise chocolatey with some espresso and a more pronounced barrel presence. Some caramel and stone fruits in there too. Nice balance between bitter and sweet. As it warms it becomes increasingly clear what a solid, well-built beer this is.

Mouthfeel is about right—beer has good presence without being heavy. Smooth and creamy on the palate. Warming as it goes down.

Overall a excellent, understated BA imperial stout from a brewery I don’t tend to associate with bigger beers. Very nice.
May 20, 2021
Photo of erickc
Rated by erickc from Washington

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap while socially distant at Special Brews Lynnwood, WA
Mar 26, 2021
Photo of Captain69
Reviewed by Captain69 from Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
this is listed as retired but the one i had was listed as 2020 banished series bottled 10/30/20= great barre; aged stout rich malty taste - drink slow to appreciate (14%)
Mar 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.27 by wisegreensoul from Idaho

Mar 06, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by AshBlackstone from Florida

Dec 18, 2020
Photo of DefenCorps
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.26/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Crowler from Uptown Market. 2016 rye barrel release.

Jet black with a dense, dark brown head that falls off to a ring leaving little lacing, this looks solid. The nose is immediately rich with dark fruit, raisins, brandy, dark chocolate,a warming heat,vanilla, a touch of coconut. Excellent balance and integration here. The palate opens with a great blend of rich yet prominent bitterness, dark chocolate and burnt caramel like, with vanilla and a little coconut. Lots of dark fruit, with dark raisins and a touch of prune on the mid-palate. The rye barrel character really comes thru here, spicy and warm with that distinct rye whiskey flavor. Pleasantly warming boozy heat. Full in body, softly carbonated. This beer finishes bittersweet with lingering cocoa, rye and vanilla.
Dec 12, 2020
Photo of Limazulu
Reviewed by Limazulu from Idaho

4.55/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2019 vintage in a Belgian tulip, first at fridge temp and then allowed to warm to room temp
A-dark mahogany to matte black, no light penetration, cappuccino foam-like head
S-molasses-forward, a little barrel, dark fruits
T-still molasses-forward, figs, vanilla, brown sugar, some boozy heat. Became richer and sweeter as it warmed. Still below average sweet and above-average bitter.
M-Medium body, easier drinking than your average RIS. Finishes dry.
O-The few BA ratings since the 2019 release are higher than prior years. I think the 2019 when allowed to cellar for a year will get even higher ratings.
Nov 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4.33 by jmh21 from Minnesota

Jun 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.41 by JamieDuncan from Maryland

Mar 31, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Mar 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by mmilyko from Nevada

Mar 20, 2020
[BANISHED] Tough Love from Crux Fermentation Project
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 361 ratings