5 Year Anniversary - Whiskey Barrel Aged
Aardwolf Brewing Company

Decent head production for the style, ABV, barrel aging, and age, and OK retention. Body is thick, and while it's dark brown during the pour, it's almost purplish-black in the glass.

Boozy, strong, intimidating nose. Tons of whiskey, along with caramel and brown sugar, and piney, earthy hops. Roughly 45% sweet, 35% strong and boozy, and 20% hoppy (along with a sprinkle of happiness). Dark fruit and molasses round out the individual notes. Rather barleywine-like in character.

Flavor matches almost exactly the nose, with a staggeringly rich blend of stout, barleywine, strong ale, and barrel characteristics. Reminds be of The Bruery, in all the right ways.

Semi-sweet, incredibly deep and rich, warm and boozy. A long, slow sipper, to be sure. Raisin, red grape, molasses, chocolate, whiskey, caramel, leather, pine, toffee, tannins, oak, a kiss of orange peel, maple. Each sip is very rewarding.

Not the kind of beer where you can entirely hide the booze, but it wears it proudly and easily; it's bold and boozy, but it's assertive, not aggressive - full of character, not sting.