Early Bird Special - Tennessee Whiskey Barrel Aged
Aardwolf Brewing Company
- From:
- Aardwolf Brewing Company
- Florida, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 11.2%
- Score:
- +7 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.47 | pDev: 5.15%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 14, 2019
- Added:
- Apr 04, 2019
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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Released for the inaugural Early Bird Beer Fest. Imperial stout with coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla, and aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.26/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Good head production for the style, and decent retention. Dark brown head sits atop a dark, nutty, ebony body.
Aroma features everything you would expect: cinnamon (along with a touch of heat), coffee, vanilla, and whiskey, the latter definitely present but not overpowering. Chocolate and roast from the malt are also present, not quite getting washed out by the adjuncts and barrel aging.
Flavor profile nails it: whiskey and roasted barley up front, but by the second third, smooth vanilla adds a sweet, decadent layer, accompanied by tones of brown sugar. The cinnamon comes on primarily in the back third along with coffee, replacing the vanilla, and adding some heat, which is accentuated by the alcoholic heat of the whiskey barrels. Finish is moderately dry but surprisingly long, with both dry spice and an evaporating alcohol heat from the tongue and palate. Checks every box, although it's perhaps a touch too sweet.
Smooth and thick mouthfeel. Heat is mostly from the barrel, vice the ABV, and it drinks very smooth for a big stout.
The extra ABV and slightly different barrel treatment hasn't elevated this brew significantly above the previous whiskey barrel aged Early Bird Special. It certainly doesn't stand out as impressively as the rye whiskey barrel aged variant. It is, however, a very good beer all around.
Apr 04, 2019Aroma features everything you would expect: cinnamon (along with a touch of heat), coffee, vanilla, and whiskey, the latter definitely present but not overpowering. Chocolate and roast from the malt are also present, not quite getting washed out by the adjuncts and barrel aging.
Flavor profile nails it: whiskey and roasted barley up front, but by the second third, smooth vanilla adds a sweet, decadent layer, accompanied by tones of brown sugar. The cinnamon comes on primarily in the back third along with coffee, replacing the vanilla, and adding some heat, which is accentuated by the alcoholic heat of the whiskey barrels. Finish is moderately dry but surprisingly long, with both dry spice and an evaporating alcohol heat from the tongue and palate. Checks every box, although it's perhaps a touch too sweet.
Smooth and thick mouthfeel. Heat is mostly from the barrel, vice the ABV, and it drinks very smooth for a big stout.
The extra ABV and slightly different barrel treatment hasn't elevated this brew significantly above the previous whiskey barrel aged Early Bird Special. It certainly doesn't stand out as impressively as the rye whiskey barrel aged variant. It is, however, a very good beer all around.
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