Not Subtle
Prairie Artisan Ales

 

Black liquid with the slightest mocha head rimming the glass. The nose is decidedly bourbon, but the flavor reveals additional complexity. First, this imperial stout is silky and drinks easily--a little dangerous considering its 14.4% ABV. But it's really crafted well. Primary flavors are chocolate, bourbon and dark fruit (dates). As your taste buds move on to the finish, the bourbon flavor comes up and creates a bit of a burn on your palate. But it is--contrary to the beer's name--never so much that it becomes a negative. Just tiptoes up to that line, and stops. Brilliant brewing!

 

Look: It is black with a thin mocca colored head

Aroma: Dark fruits, bourbon

Flavor: burned sugar, dark fruits, chocolate and lots of bourbon. The warming alcohol is subtle.

Body/Overall: Full body, I think it is very good and easy drinking.

The beer is black with no head and no lace.
Aroma of booze, vanilla, chocolate, roasted malt.
Strong bourbon taste, some vanilla, chocolate, char.
Oily mouthfeel,, slight burn in the aftertaste.

12 ounce bottle, bottled 04.03.2024, big thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with maybe a half inch tan head that didn't stick around for long. There's a small amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like vanilla, bourbon, chocolate fudge, roasted malt and some caramel. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some dark bread, oak and burnt/charred malt flavors. Has a little more kick compared to the aroma. Also, I think the bourbon comes out more in the taste. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's slick and a bit syrupy with a low/moderate amount of carbonation. I thought this was a good overall brew, definitely worth picking up especially if you like bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts!

 

From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This interesting little imperial pours a
true oil slick black with a modest head of khaki foam that fizzles to nothing
but has substantial legs. Nose of bourbon, vanilla, char, and heavy fudge.
Flavors lightly exceed the nose with bourbon, damp oak, vanilla, almost gin
nuances, soy, chocolate fudge, and char. Mouth feel is full, slick, coating,
warming, faint carbonation, and a bourbon forward moderately dry finish.

Overall, a decent little brew that is "not subtle" but also not balanced
which I look for in a Prairie brew.

Cheers

Appearance: Pitch black, strong backlight shows a ruby edge. No head, lots of legs.

Aroma: As stated on the label, it's a not subtle amount of bourbon, bourbon barrel, soy sauce, stewed plum, and treacle.

Taste: Cherry sour, barrel char, soy sauce, maple syrup, hint of roasted barley, all followed by a stiff pour of bourbon. Not a lot of "beer" flavors here, the malt is carrying a lot of flavors.

Mouthfeel: Heavy body triggers a chew, flat carbonation, slick oily texture, alcoholic warming into a slow burn finish.

Overall: Like bourbon barrel aged beers? If so, give this a shot. It's a monster, in a good way. Almost Sam Adams Triple Bock range of deep malt funk, but with the full bourbon experience. When Prairie says it's Not Subtle, believe them.

 

 

Not Subtle from Prairie Artisan. One 12 fl oz bottle, picked up at Spec’s on DeZavala, SAT, 06/11/24, $ 14.97 (Including tax), $ 1.25/fl oz. Reviewed 08/11/24 (Review 3388). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on shoulder in yellow ink “04.02.2024”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 56.3 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 57.7 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Ruby Brown (SRM 24), light barely penetrates but shows up ruby.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same except at the edges where light barely penetrates, again: ruby.
Head: Tiny (Maximum 0.4 cm, aggressive center pour), bronze, high density. Quickly collapsing to a 0.5 mm thin bubble ring and no cap.
Lacing – None: as expected at 14.4% ABV.
Aroma – 3.5 – No yeast, no hops, mostly molasses and fudge. No ethanol (14.4 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 3 .5– Follows the nose; slightly sweet. No yeast, no hops. Distinctly moderate whiskey taste but not bourbon. No oak barrel. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Moderate gastric warming occurs.
Palate – 3 – Medium; short of syrupy but distinctly not creamy; moderate carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines, as loosely condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 I was expecting, after the fudge-like aroma, to follow this with an insulin chaser; however, the sweetness of the drink thankfully doesn’t live up to the nose. Otherwise, a very average Murican Impy Stout at a premium price.

 

 

 

 

Pours black with a finger of mocha foam atop that dissipates quickly after a reluctant formation. Thick oily legs cling to the glass after the smallest of swirls. Aroma is roasty and toasty malts with thick brownie batter, molasses, fudge, and toffee behind. Really rich and decadent in aroma. Flavor profile is along the same lines, delivering brownie batter, fudge, molasses, and caramel with supporting roasty and toasty malts. Mild vanilla bean comes out later. Barrel is integrated subtly, adding a swell of bitterness that is just enough to playfully contrast the opening (mild) sweetness. Mouth feel is thick with a light effervescence. Texture features a very mild silt, but it's light and inconsistently appearing. Overall, a heck of a plain BA imperial stout. While Prairie Artisan Ales tends to dive head first into adjunct-heavy stouts, this beer performs well without adding flavor, which typically act as a curtain to obscure a bad brewer.

Served in a 15.5oz Spiegelau tulip from a 12oz bottle.