Weathered Scythe (Bourbon Barrel Aged)
Burial Beer Co.

 

 

 

Poured from bottle into tulip. Dull copper and orange. Big soapy bubbled head that leaves great lacing in the glass. Bright citrus, mandarin oranges and vanilla. Taste is orange, more citrus, some oak. I don't get any bourbon notes. The beer taste great but for a bourbon barrel beer without any bourbon, it just doesn't hit it out of the park for me. Crisp, dry finish and very drinkable.

This one-off bourbon-barrel-aged Imperial IPA pours to a brief-lived giant, pebbly, off-white head on a crystal-clear, finely effervescent pale amber body; lacing is very good, consisting of very rotten bands. The nose is medium-large, leading with bourbon and grapefruit; the bourbon notes quickly overtake the fruit, and are joined by a more subtle oaky character and hints of cannabis, vanilla and coconut. Up front, the palate is a moderately bitter, thinnish bourbon flavor backed by oak notes; the bourbon flavor feels flat as it lacks the typical sweet, rounded low end. Mid-palate, the bourbon character broadens a bit and remains dominant, although the bready malt foundation shows a bit, as does a slight caramel flavor. Perceived bitterness remains moderate. The finish is a modest hit of oaky booze, followed by the onset of a modest oaky bitterness that is redolent of bourbon. Mouthfeel is significantly astringent, warming, and thinnish for the medium body; the texture is medium-creamy and slightly peppery from the restrained carbonation. While not overpowering by any means, the bourbon character dominates the base beer, and honestly doesn't do it any favors in terms of synergistic enhancement. (16.9 oz bottle, no code date)

500ml brown bottle, sample from the brewery.

A great looking brew, lot of lacing action down the glass. The clarity of this amber hued brew is amazing. Slight juiciness within the barrel aged flavors, mild booziness, and a solid malt base. Very smooth, hints of vanilla and wood tannin is surrounded by a pleasant blanket of hop flavor. Undertones of Bourbon, wood, biscuity grain, citrus pith, and vanilla linger on the palate. Yet another barrel-aged IPA out of Burial Beer Co. that works ... not that I had any doubts.

 

Appearance - Pours semi transparent copper color with thick white foamy head with aggressive pour, the head is much thicker on this one than the RBA version with same pour. sticky all around the glass.


Aroma - Sweet caramel, hints of grapefruit and orange peel, spicy rye/wheat, bourbon and a hint of oak.

Taste - The taste is again slightly sweet, oak and bourbon spicy rye with hints of orange peel and grapefruit and some malts. Just like the Rye barrel version the 9% is very well hidden.

Feel - Low side of medium slightly bitter and a little dryer than the RBA version. Smooth and slightly slick.

Overall - Again a well done beer I think the Rye aged version fits this beer just a little better but still a very well done beer.

16.9 fl oz poured. Into a tulip glass. Heavy peach, mango, faint wood and bourbon on the nose. The taste is boubon and mango, with rye. Carbonation is low, a touch watery, but easily drinkable. Not much hop presence. Will need to try the base beer to see how that holds up.

Look - a slightly hazy golden orange with a thin ring of off-white bubbles and spotty lacing.
Smell - pretty mellow, but I get bourbon, spicy rye, citrus, brown sugar, caramel malts, and floral hops.
Taste - mellow like the nose, but there's sweet bourbon, spicy rye, caramel malts, and citrus blending together for a very drinkable beer.
Feel - low carbonation, medium body, slightly chewy actually, and super smooth.
Overall, the bourbon barrel character blends really well with rye, hoppy citrus, and caramel malts. Yet, the nose and flavor profile are somewhat weak. I was hoping for more depth with every sip.

Poured into a Wicked Weed snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a reddish light brown color with a 1/2 inch off-white head that retains well before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a large bubbly side patch of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing leaves small clots behind.

S- Interesting aroma of oak, booze and herbal hops. Also a hint of rye spiciness.

T- Pretty well-balanced with no one element sticking out farther than the other. You've got your malt, you've got the barrel character which isn't very heavy and just a bit of hop character. Very low bitterness. On the dryer side. The booze is extremely well-hidden.

M- Slightly creamy with medium carbonation and a body leaning toward the fuller side.

O- The best part about this beer is how well the alcohol is hidden but there's really not a whole lot going on here. Good but I prefer the rye barrel version.