Weekend - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Prairie Artisan Ales

01/02/25 bottle @ home

This is the eighth different stout from Prairie that I’ve tried. They’ve all been amazing, and I wish could taste them side by side to discern the differences. Of course, in doing so I’d probably be incapacitated by the cumulative ABV, but might as well go out a winner.

It was super dark and almost a bit oily. The taste is sublime, with mostly chocolate, coffee, sweetness… the vanilla and coconut and marshmallow were harder for me to find. It’s boozy enough that you’re going to ride the wave as you sip this — and quite frankly, at this price point, this is NOT a beer to be guzzled —but it is not a punch-you-in-the-face ABV.

I’ve enjoyed this the way I would a glass of port. (I actually have a big dog lying nearby as I type this!) It’s a lovely, tasty, indulgent beer. And I love the fact that Prairie brews these stouts with a little personality.

Look - drank straight from bottle. I hold no pretension about the look of beer. I drink beer for the taste, not the way it looks poured in a glass. Judging by the taste and thickness, probably looks like used motor oil. Personally, I like the look of lagers better than these fancy beers.

Smell - chocolate and vanilla maltiness, with a bit of bourbon. Outstanding.

Taste - wowza. Follows the nose for the most part, with the addition of a slight coffee bitterness you often get with the style.

Feel - it’s a little thick for my liking, but honestly it’s still great. I prefer more carbonation, but since this tastes like a chocolate malt with bourbon, the thickness works.

Overall - outstanding. ‘Nough said.

 

I think I have finally convinced myself that Prairie Artisan is my favorite brewer...

...I've been fighting it for years. Simply because I wanted to be very loyal to my local brewers, but I can't deny it any longer. Oh, I still have my favorite local brewers - but in terms of *the* favorite - these guys and gals are the best in my eyes. Take for instance this beauty - gorgeously black brew that pours out like motor oil, though it has no head it doesn't detract from it's overall beauty. The smell is almost perfectly balanced between the sting of booze on your nose and the sweet scent of cocoa and vanilla that emenates from it. Mouthfeel is just a tad light but still creamy, and that taste is something I enjoyed for hours. Truly a sipping beer for the weekend - I'll be keeping an eye out for this moving forward...

 

Pours black with hardly any carbonation. Leaves "legs" around the glass like liquor or wine.
Smell has coconut up front. Coffee chocolate vanilla.
Taste is very good with coconut up front followed by everything else. The type of coconut flavoring used is not my favorite so I taste it more than anything else. However, it tastes really good.
Feel is very creamy. Fizzy on the finish.
Overall it's a very good pastry stout. I've seen this at the store for 12.99 a bottle. I've passed it several times but curiosity finally got the best of me. Pleasantly surprised by how strong the 14.5 is without tasting it. Definitely worth trying.

 

 

L: Pours near-black chocolate, forming a thin tawny head, quick to fade. There is a barely any retention beyond a faint swirl of bubbles. There is a thin ring of effervescence around the edge of the snifter hinting at carbonation. Held to the light, this beer has a near-black, dark carob hue, completely opaque and tarry.

S: Chocolate, cacao nibs, almonds, and vanilla all feature prominently. The coconut is slightly fainter. It is sweet and decadent - there is some marshmallow and caramel, yet also some traditional barrel influence that imparts light oak. Very faint malt.

T: Rich chocolate/cacao nibs and caramel, followed by coconut, vanilla, and marshmallow. There is a shot of bourbon and a smattering of malt, followed by a thick, rich chocolate cake flavor. Finishes sweet. Liquified dessert, but not cloying. Outstanding.

F: Full-bodied. Thick yet smooth, rich, creamy mouthfeel. Coating. Light carbonation.

O: Fantastic all-around AIS. There are no weak spots. For a 14.2% ABV, this beer is insanely smooth and approachable for even the uninitiated imperial stout drinker. Prairie is known for some eclectic stout variations, but they absolutely nailed this.

Jet black pour with no head to speak of. The nose and the fumes released into your sinuses at first sip are amazing. Certainly sweet, with cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate airs rising into the nasal rafters. The flavor is complex, and about all the ingredients come out to take a bow through tasting. Chocolate might be most prominent, but vanilla, coconut, sweet but not cloying marshmallow and caramel are all there in support. Savor every sip, this one's a beauty.

 

 

A - Pours pitch black with a very thin then head.

S - Aroma is dark chocolate, coconut, black coffee and bourbon barrel.

T - The taste is marshmallow, coconut, vanilla, dark chocolate and finish with a nice hit of bourbon.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a slick oily finish.

O - Top notch.

 

 

 

 

Pours like motor oil with a soda-like head that dissipates quickly. Smells like S'mores, tastes like S'mores. Extremely sweet and not as boozy as you'd think considering the ABV. I don't really get coconut, and the bourbon influence is subtle. Overall this is S'mores in a glass, and I absolutely love it.