Pieces
Prairie Artisan Ales

 

 

 

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 2-5-25 into a snifter at 54 degrees.

Look- Black, opaque, dark brown sudsy head, small amount of visible particulate at the margins, almost zero head retention and lacing, moderate alcohol legs on the glass wall.

Smell- Bourbon, oak, peanut, cocoa, very high strength of scent.

Taste- Bourbon, cacao, peanut (especially at finish), highly sweet, highly boozy, very high strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, below average carbonation, highly boozy, highly sweet, mildly bitter, mildly creamy, highly mouth warming, mildly mouth coating.

Overall- The appearance was below average due to the almost total lack of head retention and lacing. The bouquet and flavor were vibrant and wonderful. They absolutely delivered on the labels promise of bourbon, chocolate and peanut. It felt like I was eating Reese‘s Pieces while sipping on bourbon. The mouthfeel was slightly above average with the medium body and high mouth warming properties as the highlights. Overall this was a delicious beer that was a nice mix of booziness and complexity.

 

 

This is the ninth different imperial stout I’ve sampled from Prairie. Yet again, it felt like a high-quality, high-end experience. These beers are not cheap, but I feel like they’re worth the investment of time and $. This beer is dark and almost oily, almost no head, almost no carbonation. Very sweet right off the bat, with some chocolate and coffee. I tentatively tried to search for the peanut butter — the concept still seems a little nauseating tbh — but only discerned it near the end. Definitely smooth and boozy. Heaven help you if you do anything other than sip and savor this beer.

 

10 oz draft pour at Frisco Taphouse in Gambrills, MD. Pours pitch black with a small head. Pretty much exactly as advertised. A bit lighter on the peanut and bourbon than I expected. Very smooth and easy to drink, impressive (dangerous?) for the high abv.

 

Bottled 02.05.2025, it poured as a barrel-aged stout but no head, foam or film.
The nose is nutty and boozy.
The flavor is nutty and boozy. It’s on the sweet peanut butter side but not cloying. The mouthfeel is on the sticky side with at little heat on the back end. Pretty good balance of stout and peanut butter.

Poured a black body with minimal tan head that quickly died. Aroma basically is chocolate with hints of peanut butter and booze. Beer is thick, slightly sticky, and a mix of chocolate sweetness and peanut butter dryness, although the booze and nuttiness seem to take over on end. All in all, an enjoyable stout that is a tad dry and boozy.

12oz bottle. Stamp on barrel neck is 'PIECES 02.05.2025 BBT1 JAAM'.
Black colored body. Dark tan head quickly dissipates, but a very thin ring persists. No lacing.
Aroma reveals the two main aspects - a barrel aged roasted malt stout and sweet peanut candy.
Taste continues the contrast between the abrupt and slightly sour barrel aged stout with its roasted malts and flavors of chocolate, oak, and dark fruit, and the sweet and light peanut butter candy with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and graham cracker. Vanilla comes from both. Lingering aftertaste of reduced main ingredients.
More than medium mouthfeel. Sticky on the lips. Higher ABV% is smothered by the sweetness but still has expression. Good carbonation.
Not memorable but presents true to its ingredient list.

 

12oz bottle. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left sudsy lacing. It smelled of peanut butter, chocolate, caramel and bourbon. It tasted of creamy peanut butter, chocolate, bourbon and oak.

Look - Pours a nice black color with almost no head.

Smell - Not sure what I'm smelling, but it's hardly Reese's Pieces. Maybe some bourbon and a little chocolate.

Taste - I'm getting some nice bourbon, and on the taste I might be getting some Reese's Pieces.

Feel - Nicely carbonated and smooth for a 13%ABV stout. Nicely creamy as well.

Overall - Not a bad stout, though I prefer some of Prairie's other Peanut Butter attempts more.

04/06/25 bottle @ home

Pours an effervescent ebony with rapidly falling mocha colored head. Viscous as can be, traces of lacing & head retention

S: Barrel aplenty, molasses, chocolate, figs & dark cherries, fades a bit once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, some dark chocolate notes, a little bit of leafy hops up front. Plenty of Bourbon, a touch of maple syrup, a little bit of peanut & chocolate as this beer warms through, some cola notes. Finishes with a flourish of dark chocolate, Bourbon, faint nuttyness, & dark cherries

MF: Fairly chewy, low carbonation, pretty warming. Carbonation picks up once warm

I just buy singles now, but this one is 4 pack worthy, one of the better offerings I've had from them in a while. I am happy they are committed to big beer releases year-round. Nice drinkability, not getting a ton of Reese's but I ain't mad about that, peanut butter has ruined more of these types of beers as opposed to pleasing me

 

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a SP stemless snifter. Pours a shiny black with a thin mocha brown foam cap that quickly fades away. Chocolate, peanut butter, bourbon, subtle vanilla and light oak on the nose. Taste follows. It’s rich and creamy peanut butter paired with chocolate and finished on with bourbon. So damn good. Sweet for sure but expected. Full mouthfeel. Really enjoyed this one.