Olde Hickory Bardstown Brand Ale Aged In Bourbon Barrels
Amos Howard's Brew Pub

Olde Hickory Bardstown Brand Ale Aged In Bourbon BarrelsOlde Hickory Bardstown Brand Ale Aged In Bourbon Barrels
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From:
Amos Howard's Brew Pub
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
10%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.95 | pDev: 11.14%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
16
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 26, 2015
Added:
May 06, 2008
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JAXSON:
Photo of JAXSON
Reviewed by JAXSON from Pennsylvania

3.12/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
From a 2007 bottle, thanks Chris. Garnet pour, white ring of head. Nose is a nice punch of malt, my notes say "round bourbon" which was quite sweet. Impressive thus far. It fell apart in the mouth -- watery, empty, strange lingering bitterness, very little malt coming through as in the nose. Some chocolate and caramel fight for attention. This seemed like it was going to be quite good, but either it's just over the hill or never really was there, because the flavor profile has been reduced to nothing.
Feb 06, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25
Number 3 in my "cellar killer" series.

Cracked this baby open on 12/26/15, which means it has about 8-8.5 years on it, so she's got some on her. Surprisingly, this one has held up well. The beer pours a ruddy red orange brown color with little carbonation, little foam and retention, and little lacing, all of which are fine with me considering the age.

Aroma is really nice. Bourbon is noticeable without being overbearing. The beer underneath seems like it may be a double brown ale or something. Light tea aromas with some oak and vanilla.

Flavor held up well. Bourbon, tobacco, oak, figs. Mouthfeel is my only real complaint as it is light and watery, not much body or thickness or chewiness. As the beer warms, it becomes hit in the mouth and tongue. Undesirable for such a large beer.

Overall, a really nice bourbon aged beer. Glad I had it in the cellar.
Dec 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by kris_n from North Carolina

Nov 24, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Mantooth from North Carolina

Sep 08, 2013
Photo of cpetrone84
Reviewed by cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A-pours a dark red, slightly cloudy liquid with a light tan head, very little of it and somewhat thin.

S-nice nose, caramel malts, notes of candied sugars, oak, and vanilla towards the back.

T-the oak and caramel dominate the flavor, it starts to fall apart as burnt sugars seem to flutter around. there is a light note of sweet dark fruits towards the back with a more concetrated approach but messy and oak dominated.

M-medium body with a messy grainy feel, overly carbonated and a messy finish.

D-rough messy malts and non integrated barrel flavors. the nose outshined the flavor and got my hopes up for a let down.
Feb 17, 2011
Photo of Avagadro
Reviewed by Avagadro from New Jersey

4.54/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Special thanks to Kevin for this treat!

A: Bardstown Brand pours like motor oil into my tulip, delivering a cream colored head and a mahogany body.

S: This has a strong Bourbon character, rounded out by cinnamon, brown sugar, and coconut.

T: Semi-sweet, with heavy expressions of maple and coconut, backed up by a touch of bourbon and creme brulee.

M: Full body, low carbonation, and slightly oily.

D: This brew is at least 3 years old, and is drinking quite well. I imagine that this had a much sharper booziness to it when first released, but it is a delightful character now. This is definitely worth grabbing if any stores have a vintage section.
Jan 25, 2011
Photo of Stoneyrok
Reviewed by Stoneyrok from North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle with the top being red waxed dipped a few inches down the long neck with a unique design on the top of the lid in wax.

Poured with little head, ruby color, beautiful bubbles rising from the bottle of the pilsner glass.

smelled like bourbon and hops with sweet and strong ETOH nose feel

taste reminded me of a bourbon mixed drink. the bourbon flavor and barrel aged beer took front stage. I did not notice coconut, but did find the floral hops and malt, but I had to search for the malt since the bourbon flavor was so apparent. The heat from the alcohol is obvious and 10 minutes after finishing the beer, I still feel a warmness in my chest.

mouthfeel was very smooth, moderately carbonated. This was the first barley wine I have had, so being the strength of wine with 10% abv, but barley malt being used, so it is a beer, and aged in barrels made it taste like a bourbon. There was a lot going on, which made this a very interesting drink. This was bottled in 2007, today is 11-9-2010, and the label says it gets better with age.

drinkability: if you are a barley wine, bourbon fan, then drinkability is great. Otherwise, this is a one beer experience in one night. the 22oz 10abv is plenty for me, so I'll stop at one. The fact that it is retired was made it more pleasing to drink. I will keep my last bottle I have or trade for something else later so someone who cannot get this beer can experience it for themselves. A bourbon fan would LOVE this beer, and probably rank it as one of the best or the best!
Nov 10, 2010
Photo of craytonic
Reviewed by craytonic from District of Columbia

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: pour is a semi-clear ruby-amber-mahogany, decent head, nice bubbles from below

Smell: Bourbon, vanilla, toffee, caramel, and rich malts

Taste: Bourbon again, but perhaps a bit malty; could use a touch more depth; bourbon is more of a rough bourbon (Rebel Yell) than a refined one (Pappy Van Winkle)

Mouthfeel: A touch thin

Drinkability: First sip is a bit too boozy, after that very drinkable
Aug 19, 2010
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle from Bruisin' Ales. Light brown coloured body with a small head, and it is lacey. Averge mouthfeel, there is lots of malt, some bourbon, and loads of coconut. Bourbon also in aroma. Decent barleywine, but was mildly disapointed in it and its drinkability.
Jul 13, 2010
Photo of rye726
Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a rich mahogany with a silky beige head. Nice lace and retention.

Nose has bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, toffee and bready malts.

Taste is a nice blend of whiskey barrel and a nice malty barleywine with a decent amount of floral hops.

Body a bit thin in the finish, but drinks well.
May 31, 2010
Photo of BigMcLargeHuge
Reviewed by BigMcLargeHuge from Arizona

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Courtesy of RB's own kp. Pours clear striking amber with thin white head. The aroma is oak, bourbon, vanilla and booze. It starts with a short pulse of sweet malts and ends with nose searing heat. The taste is full and smooth. I get oak mixing with vanilla and then moving toward bourbon notes. There doesn't appear to be much more going on here than that. Certainly this is an example of barrel aging that nearly covers up all the notes from the beer that went in the barrel. Still enjoyable though. I love how smooth it is.
Oct 07, 2009
Photo of mntlover
Reviewed by mntlover from Tennessee

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep rich mahogany color, sports small head that vanishes quickly.

Aroma is loads of malt, fruit notes, vanilla, loads of woody bourbon notes.

Taste is like the nose big rich loads of malts, lots of oaked bourbon notes. Rich enjoyable sipper vanilla, piny hops sweet almost to point of cloying but not quite.

Mouthfeel is good approaching full carbonation is good enough to be enjoyable but not over done.

Drinkability is good big barley wine with lots of bourbon notes, big beer for sipping.
Jul 07, 2009
Photo of merlin48
Reviewed by merlin48 from Kentucky

4.27/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle, as pictured here, pours a slightly hazed copper amber body with a small beige head that quickly fades to a wisp.

Lovely aroma of charred wood, bourbon, nuttiness, vanilla, and flaked coconut.

Mouthfeel reveals a medium body with some bourbon heat. Seems to have a bit more carbonation than it needs.

Taste is interesting and complex. Nutty, bourbon, charred oak, coconut, caramel, vanilla, and a subtle pine hoppiness. Alcohol heat is noticed but is not a distraction here.

Wow! Nicely put together. Thanks to mntlover for bringing this interesting rarity to sample.
Jun 05, 2009
Photo of Bung
Reviewed by Bung from Michigan

4.34/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap. Orange/amber pour with a creamish head. Quite a bit of vanilla and oak araomas, some sweet malt, raisin molasses. Mouthfeel is quite sticky, but not real thick. A sipper for sure. Loads of malt, caramel and vanilla barrel in the flavors. If you want a west coast barleywine, you will not like this. Luckliy I did not, so I found this to be excellent. An under-rated Enlgish barleywine. Slight char finish. This is the first item bottled by OHB, so I bought a couple as well.

I heard Bruisin Ales selling this for $17?? Got it for $10 at the brewery.
Apr 19, 2009
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

4.32/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
An American barleywine aged in Kentucky oak bourbon barrels. A special offering from Olde Hickory Brewing. Thanks to fellow NC BA Kilgoretrout for the gift!

A-Clear, dark copper with a thin ring of white. Too viscous to leave any lace.

S-Strong notes of mellow bourbon up front. Rich caramel, toasted oak, a wafting of apple/pear and a hint of spicy hops.

T-Mellow, aged. toasted caramel malt and lots of smooth bourbon. The heavy malt content melds exceptionally with the bourbon. I am sure the 18 months of aging has been kind to this one. For some reason I expected something a bit less robust and hotter....but no! Notes of toasted oak, mild pear and vanilla notes.

M-Medium-bodied and SUPER smooth. Pleasant, lingering bourbon notes and a bit of dryness in the finish.

D-Wonderful job! A very well done BBA barleywine. Nothing out of place, solid flavours with super smoothness. A most impressive brew considering this was the first bottled offering that OHBC has ever released.
Mar 24, 2009
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"This barleywine is a special ale aged in oak bourbon barrels from the heart of Kentucky's Bourbon Country. The long maturation of the beer in the bourbon barrels makes for a uniquely American Ale, offering robust and rich flavors."

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark amberish body with a small, thin ring of white bubbles.

Smell: Ah, sweet-smelling bourbon at the fore. Toasty caramel, some hints of fruits, and then it's back to bourbon! Gee, they ain't fucking around.

Taste: As you'd expect from the nose, it's all at once bourbon in the flavor. Warming, yes, but not grotesquely hot. Toasted caramel maltiness and, again, there's that fruit. Medium sweetness. Tastes of toasted oak and vanilla. A tannic pinch leads you to the increasingly warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonatin.

Drinkability: A solid bourbony barleywine. Word on the street is that this is their very first bottle release. If so, congrats, as this isn't a bad way to start things off.
May 06, 2008
Olde Hickory Bardstown Brand Ale Aged In Bourbon Barrels from Amos Howard's Brew Pub
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 16 ratings