Part VIII
Rushing Duck Brewing Company

Excellent head production and retention for a blended, barrel-aged brew of this potency. Darker hue but relatively clear body is suggestive of a stout/barleywine blend.

Very expressive and potent nose, plainly revealing the high ABV and the barrels in play. A little bit of sweetness from the stout base, although it blends well with what I suspect is bourbon. Rich caramel and toffee malt notes. Banana, prune, red grape, chocolate, molasses, walnut, and light leather round out the profile.

Quite sweet on the palate, with notes of cherry, white chocolate, red grape, and banana up front. The booze quickly brings the heat, alongside notes of oak, vanilla, chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, and leather. As the alcohol evaporates, it leads to a back third similar to the middle, but with notes of neutral grain alcohol, leather, toffee, rye, oak, molasses, raisin, and more cherry and red grape.

Full bodied and a bit hot, but very drinkable. I'm sipping relatively slowly more due to the sweetness than out of any booze-imposed restraint.

This is a lovely blend, a big and bold beer perhaps not quite up there with Kane or Barreled Souls, but easily the next tier down.

Reviewed one week after bottle release. Poured from 500 ML bottle into a stout glass at 57°. It pours a dark cola-mahogany with a half finger of creamy, khaki-colored head and lacing. The fragrant nose offers roasted malt, buttery caramel, toffee, brown sugar, raisin, fig, milk chocolate, and freshly-brewed coffee. This is luscious. It opens like a Barleywine with with lots of oak, caramel, raisin, and date. It then takes on the flavor and feel of a Stout with abundant bakers chocolate, burnt coffee, and nutty char. At one week in the bottle the bourbon notes are strong and add sweetness. It will be interesting to see how it mellows over time. The mouth feel is thick and sticky with moderate carbonation, and it drinks big at 15% ABV. Overall, Part VIII is another superb blend of BA Barleywine and BA Stout. Rushing Duck excels at these American Strong Ales.