Bourbon Barrel Aged Kingslayer Imperial Stout
Fairhope Brewing Company

 

Appearance - The beer was a modest gusher, pouring black with a spewing a fountain a tan bubbles.

Smell - Chocolate came to the front of the nose with dry malts.

Taste - My first impression was over-carbonated chocolate covered cherries. The chocolate goes dry in back with the carbonation sweeping away any sweetness. The bourbon never appeared.

Mouthfeel - The carbonation was like drink a Coke the was shaken vigorously for seversl minutes. It makes fully appreciated the taste impossible.

Overall - This could be a good beer if the carbonation was not so angry.

Poured from 22 oz bomber with no visible date.

A: Extremely dark brown that comes off almost black with smallish one finger mocha head. Decent retention and light lacing.

S: Roasted barley, chocolate, vanilla, and coffee with some light bourbon notes.

T: Rich roasted malts with dark bitter chocolate, vanilla, and espresso. Bits of bourbon coming through but not the dominant flavor.

M: Full bodied but not thick and coats the tongue nicely. Average to light carbonation.

O: Very nice stout although a bit pricy compared to other similar offerings.

 

1-5

I was very disappointed, especially after this bomber was priced at $17+. It was way overcarbed. Took me 15 minutes to pour a drinkable glass. The taste and mouthfeel was astringent like an infection had set in. I usually like fairhopes offerings and was really excited to get to try this but it fell flat...

Overall was a pleasant surprise, wife tasted the bourbon, coffee, and malts. I tasted more coffee than bourbon with small hits of vanilla.

Look - poured gently. Dark black, opaque with a 3 finger tan head that remained for several minutes. Not able to see alcohol lacing due to the head. Impressive.
Smell - Mild. I expected more on the nose. Some leather, molasses, and alcohol. I don't smell the bourbon. The roasted malt is not in the nose. No coffee/roast. No noticeable hop aroma.
Taste- Interesting. More taste than aroma which is a pleasant surprise. Starts with some bitterness (not heavy but in front of what is usually a sweet malt). It is from the hops rather than the malt I think. Bourbon comes second and is not over powering. I don't like bourbon and therefore not most bourbon barrel aged beers (the wife got this for me). It is noticeable and pleasant for me at this level. Has a bitter finish but does not hang for long.
Feel- this beer is over carbonated for the style. However, stays light due to this rather than syrupy. At a higher alcohol the sweetness might overpower the other elements. Thin but acceptable.
Overall - This is a good beer. Due to the mildness of the bourbon I could see myself going back if it was available and at a lower price. The wife paid $18.00 for it which is unreasonable for the bomber. I wish they had put some more complexity into it for a deeper more reflective experience. I don't think aging would help as it would loose the hop aroma and flavor leaving less for an already struggling to find itself beer. But, if you get one somehow I think you will enjoy it.

Poured into a snifter it has a pitch black body and a nice beige head of an inch. Smell of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, a touch of cinnamon, caramel, and a bit of bourbon. Taste is a smooth rich easy drinking stout with a hint of bourbon, nothing overwhelming, very balanced. A good amount of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt, no noticeable alcohol. Mouth feel is full and rich, carbonation is low to moderate, and body is full. A very balanced bba stout, that is very easy drinking for a russian imperial stout, normally I would have liked a more pronounced bourbon flavor, but this is extremely well done if you want something more balanced across the board.