Sigil XIII
Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.

 

Cellared a year. Black oily pour, specs of oatmeal brown lazy lacing. Aromas of the barrels with rum sticking out, but all barrels present equally, thus lots of molasses, reason, dark, chocolate, barley, earth, leather. Taste has the barrels, being even more equal somehow, getting dark chocolate and vanilla right away, then waves of molasses, reason, brown sugar, with hints of earth, tobacco, leather, barley. Feel is thick and sticky without being too heavy, has a rustic edge to it with good barrel character. A great late night sipper in any season

 

Im sampling a cellar temp 500 ml bottle of this beer and pouring it into my snifter.
the beer pours a rich dark black coffee color with absolutely no light passing through my glass.
A fizzy yet dense tan to brown head foams up about 3 cm and fades pretty slowly to a sturdy surface covering. This covering yields dense, total lattice work when I swirl my glass or take a sip. This beer looks the part of an imperial stout.
The aroma is bold and robust malts. I get brown sugar, dark chocolate, raisin, a bit of vanilla, and very rich bourbon. I dont get any hop character but I do get a little fusol booziness on this big beer.
The first sip reveals a smooth textured, medium to full bodied beer. the carbonation is very fine and gentle as it rolls across my palate. There is a little warming on the finish of this beer, but the body also thins out a little on the finish too.
Flavor is as complex as the nose and features all malt notes. I get some dark chocolate, raisins and brown sugar with a good dose of bourbon and a little toasted caramel. No hop notes here. The booze is present, but more black peppery bite than warmth. I know there is higher ABV here, but it isnt a hot or "young" heat. Beer seems finished and well mixed.
This is a complex and interesting beer that is more imperial stout than barleywine for me, although those raisin notes area giveaway! :)
Im enjoying this one quite a bit. Very glad to have the opportunity.

Can: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a dark brown foamy head with some retention and some lacing notes. Aroma of chocolate notes with some caramelized malt notes, some vanilla notes, bourbon and residual sugar notes. Taste is also a mix of chocolate notes with some caramelized malt notes with some vanilla notes, some bourbon and rye barrel notes with some residual sugar notes. Body is full and oily for style and good carbonation with some discernible alcohol notes. Well brewed stout/barleywine mix.

 

Poured at fridge temp. Pours a thick black with almost no head. The nose is insanely good. In fact, it's efffing amazing! I quickly pick up on barleywine, but must say the stout is a bit in the background. Interesting as I often think the opposite when it comes to these blends. I definitely get rum and bourbon, with chocolate, toffee, figs, pie crust, prunes, slight pipe tobacco, dark roast coffee, and a nice layer of maple. Damn this smells good.

The taste hits it out of the park as well! Wow. Maple, bourbon, black licorice, sweet toffee soaked in rum, rye, oak, dark bread, fig newtons, tons of molasses, and some roasted malts. This is incredibly intense and VERY barrel forward. Mixes perfectly. This is now my favorite barleywine/stout blend by far.

The mouthfeel is thick and viscous. Aftertaste is toffee, bourbon, and rum.

 

 

500 ml bottle $17US at the brewery. Shared 4 ways….
Pours a viscous black with no head to speak of even with vigorous swirling only scant brown bubbles.
Nose of bourbon, brown sugar, raisins, dark fruit, chocolate and maple.
Rich and sweet on the palate, dark fruit, raisins, chocolate and brown sugar and good notes of the bourbon barrel - hints of the rum.
Rich, thick full mouthfeel - sweet and warming and pleasantly boozy. Superb barley wine/stout blend.

 

Oh my. Just a really nice beer to drink and share. When I drink a large ABV I look for how much alcohol taste there is. Bissell B’s hide this very well. Smooth, wonderful and won’t knock you socks off. Well done.