Barrel Aged Bomb!
Prairie Artisan Ales

 

 

 

 

2021 vint 12 oz bottle into an oversized cognac snifter.
Pitch black. Low foam, leaves a lil ring of oily film instead.
Smells of dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel and bourbon.
Taste follows - cleans up with a zap of alcohol.
Feel is heavy - a stout Stout. Low to no carbonation.
Overall - if you an adjunct Stout fan, you’ll do cartwheels over this.
Meaty beaty big and bouncy.,

 

 

 

 

 

#104, solid but prefer the O.G.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opened with no hiss, completely still, no head. Jet black,
Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, some heat from the alcohol
Palate follows the nose, some hot peppers spice on the back end, lingering oak, bourbon
Relatively smooth but much thinner than expected.
The lack of carbonation isn't doing this any favors, guessing I'm missing out on the intended experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good runner up to the Original Prairie Bomb. Pours a very dark, opaque brown-black, with a thin tan head. This stout strikes with coffee first, then chocolate and boozy-vinalla. Less complex Taste than the original prairie bomb, with a thick full-bodied mouth feel. Disguise the booziness more and your Prairie Bombs will go straight to the top of the beer cult classic list

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottled 2016 (I think? It’s hard to read)
Consumed 4/12/20

I’ve been waiting to have this guy for awhile as Bomb is one of my first strong stouts that I’ve ever loved. Some other Prairie stouts can have too many adjuncts for me to really love, but I’m hoping BA Bomb hits the ride balance. First thing I notice is that it seems thinner than other Prairie stouts I’m used to. There’s very little carbonation too, even for a stout. I wonder if the age has something to do with that. Some lacing does stay though after the pour. On the nose I am not getting a lot of barrel but some spice like a regular bomb. I taste a bit of the pepper but not a lot. I think that’s usually what goes after aging. It’s sweet but not overly so. There’s barrel flavor too. Chocolate and vanilla notes a prominent. The beer is great but I wish I had it fresh. I think the aging has muted some of the best components of the beer. The barrel is perfect though. Great beer and worth seeking out!

 

 

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. No date on the bottle, but I know it is at least a few years old at this point.

A: Black pour. A little bit of a beige head struggles to form and ultimately fails. Little to no lacing. Not all that concerning for a barrel aged beer of its strength.

S: The chiles are much more forward on the nose than expected, and that’s the first whiff emanating from the glass. Heavy dose of roasty coffee next, followed by a fat fudgey chocolate smell. Chocolate sauce and German chocolate cake. Roasted malt. Oak and whiskey come out more as it warms.

T: In taste, it’s the massive tide of chocolate that hits first. Tons of hot fudge sauce, chocolate truffles, German chocolate cake, fatty nibs, etc. Lots of vanilla too, mingling for a malted milkshake impression. Nutty and roasty coffee brings in a mocha flavor. Lots of whole chile taste too. The heat is extremely mild, but the flavor is big and rides to the forefront for a bit. Oak and whiskey are actually the quietest component, surprisingly, but that sweet whiskey flavor does round things out nicely. Smokey coffee and a tingle of chile heat on the finish.

M: Rich in body with a bit of heft. Chewy and mouth-coating. Velvety. Low and gentle carbonation.

O: A bombastic beer overall, and a bit of a roller coaster ride. Rather than melding into a cohesive whole, each ingredient basically takes a turn reaching out and slapping you right in the palate. It’s big, sweet, and straightforward. Even a little busy, if I’m being honest. That’s not to say it isn’t good- on the contrary, I really did enjoy it. If you’re a person who likes a nice “pastry stout,” you’ll likely love it. I think it’s a solid enough beer, but its brutish approach and bold, hedonistic flavors that vie for attention rather than coalescing can’t touch the more carefully composed and elite barrel-aged stouts. Very good, but not great.