Bourbon Barrel Okie Weekend
Prairie Artisan Ales

12 ounce bottle, bottling date of 10/17/2023 stamped on the glass. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan cola-like head that didn't stick around for long. Not much lacing, either. I like the aroma, the brew smells like chocolate fudge, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, coconut, cream, and marshmallows. I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some dark bread, brownies, toffee, burnt/charred malt and some earthiness. I think it's a sweeter tasting brew, but all the flavors seem well balanced to me. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's rich and slick with a moderate amount of carbonation. I thought this was a pretty good overall brew, definitely worth picking up if you like sweeter tasting imperial stouts!

 

 

 

 

Ours an effervescent mahogany/ebony with fast falling tan head. Plenty viscous, zero head retention & lacing, coconut residue is present

S: Vanilla, Chocolate, coconut & Bourbon late, want more assertiveness from the nose

T: Follows the nose some coconut, marshmallow & barrel up front. Bourbon starts to subtly surface once this beer warms, along with more coconut, marshmallow & dark chocolate. Finishes with a little Bourbon bite, cola, marshmallow & dark chocolate

MF: Chewy, low carbonation, warming & sticky on the teeth

Great drinkability & blend of flavors, really appeals to my sweet tooth

 

 

 

 

Look - Pours a nice dark black color with a really nice head that quickly disappears in about 10 seconds.

Smell - Cacao, coconut, marshmallow, bourbon, and oak.

Taste - Cacao, marshmallow, bourbon, and a tiny hint of coconut.

Feel - A bit thinner and less creamy than similar stouts. Smooth for a 14.6%ABV stout.

Overall - Another good stout from Prairie.

**
08/04/2025

Bottle to snifter.

LOOK: Dark Black. Expected a more brown/black mix, but this is straight stout colored. minimal head, no retention-head fades immediately and struggles to return; although it should be noted the beer is almost 2 years aged.

AROMA: coconut first, lighter notes of cocoa, coffee, vanilla and caramel. Some bourbon barrel character as well, but masked pretty well.

TASTE: coconut and cocoa, bourbon, cola, molasses, oak.

FEEL: Full body, syrupy, a touch lighter than most other prairie stouts, but the brown ale component expects some thinning. Very smooth. no carbonation.

Very Tasty stout. Great Dessert option.

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is epic, i was curious because its prairie and i still have a soft spot for them, but i expected a sugary adjunct bomb here as has been the trend lately, but this is beer drinkers beer, something quite special and tastefully done, desserty still, but unexpectedly adult, i was floored by it! a bourbon barrel stout blended with strong brown ale, which i think alone would be cool beer, the brown takes the edge off the roast, brings a real cool chocolate element into it even before the nibs are considered, and adds some real depth, more interest to the base beer than the standard stout. this also has coconut, cacao nibs, vanilla, and interestingly marshmallow in it, but it really works, nothing is overdone, and the overall flavor combination is incredible. still dark and viscous in the glass without very much head from the tap, glossy looking and thick, more brown than black. the aroma is roasty and cocoa forward, with warm vanilla and quite a lot of alcohol, loads of rich high end bourbon too, this seems very mature, woody, and decadent with the added ingredients, coconut quite subtle really in the grand scheme. the striking thing in the flavor is the marshmallow, it comes on in the middle and lasts through the finish, tastes like actual marshmallows, enhanced by the vanilla, but its more than just sugar in this, it has that straight up jet puffed thing going on, and with all the chocolate character swirling, it does have a bit of a smore thing going on which i really like. some depth in the stout part too, light licorice character along with an almost burnt coffee thing which brings up the barrel, and possible even a trace smoke thing. a little raisin and cola nuance in the brown ale portion, pretty hefty vanilla overall, a toasted aspect to the coconut i reckon, and a not quite hot whiskey exhale at the end. this warms up super well, has a big cozy body, and overall is downright impressive. i didnt expect to like this anywhere near as much as i did, wonderful complexity, barrel treatment, and i think the blend is key. still sweet and heavy to drink, very little carbonation, but amazing all up. just fabulous.