Belladonna
Abandoned Building Brewery

2021 version, aged for 8 months in Heaven Hill barrels. 11.6% ABV.

First thing I notice about this is a robust, roasty cocoa note getting stronger towards the finish that I'm liking a lot. There is a nice lingering oaky coconut tingle as well. Up front I taste semi-sweet chocolate and just a hint of whiskey. As a straight up imperial stout this works extremely well. For spending eight months in the barrel though, I get a disappointing amount of barrel character. Worth trying for sure.

Very good. Rich, delicious flavor.

Canned 2020/12/22
Pours a large frothy creamy 1.5 finger tan head with great retention and layered lacing, jet black color

Nose brings a lot of wood, toasted dusty oak, some bourbon, vanilla, into dark chocolate, cocoa and fudge, a bit of roast and baking spice and touch of anise, earthy spicy hops

Taste rich dark chocolate, cocoa, fudge, roasted malt, nougat, little char and spice, baking spices again, hint of anise and earthy spicy hops with med lighter bitterness, plenty of oak again, toasted oak and vanilla, spices, little bourbon, vanilla nougat, turning very spicy bitter on the finish, touch of alcohol

Mouth is med to fuller bod, creamy rich almost chewy, med frothy foamy carb, touch of alcohol warmth

Overall nice bourbon barrel imp stout, could use a bit more barrel and age, but still good

Poured into a 20 oz giant tulip glass bottled 5/10/17. Pours a very attractive near pitch black with a solid finger sticky light brown head that leaves some thin streaks of lace, with solid retention. 4

Smell oaked bourbon, roasty coffee, vanilla beans, and dark chocolate. 3.75

Taste follows oaky, dark chocolate, vanilla, dry black coffee, and some boozyness. 3.75

Mouthfeel is maybe a touch above medium, gentle carbonation, a touch dry for sure, and at 12.8% ABV it is a sipper and goes down slowly. 4

Overall this was a gift and a solid imperial BA Stout, but a tad thin and a bit boozy. 2500 beer on BA and I trust I have had more like 3000. A solid milestone beer, but wouldn’t seek it out again. 3.75

A- 16oz can pours into a goblet with a midnight black body and a dark cocoa tan head. The cap arrives at a finger with fairly good retention and a foamy texture. Head retention is fair. A small belt at the edges leaves spotty lacing.

S- Vanilla from the barrel is rather large and the barrel is the dominant factor here but the malts are still quite strong and there is a hint of booze as well. Peppery bourbon whiskey, vanilla oak, brownie desserts, dark chocolate bars, slight milk chocolate, a medium sweetness, slight fudge and espresso. Just downright smooth here.

T- The barrel is once again bold and the spicy Bourbon really leads the way here. Slightly boozy but in the end it is balanced out by a bitter roastiness and light sweetness. Overall flavor is Bourbon with plenty of vanilla coming along from the barrel, cocoa powder, slight dark fruits, fresh oak wood, dark roast coffee, caramel and burnt grains. The barrel is the driving force.

MF- Moderately thick but the alcohol cuts into that and overall the texture is slightly lacking with some oily and frothy feels on the palate. Moderately low level of carbonation and a warm finish.

Really nice barrel character on this local BA stout. Would definitely get this can again without hesitation. A bit more body might be really nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottled 5.10.2017; cut the wax off the bomber and the brew poured pitch black color with a creamy 1-2 finger mocha colored head that faded slowly and left very good foamy lacing rings as it went down.

Smells of bourbon, charred wood, oak, vanilla, toasted grains, dark chocolate, herbs or piney notes and burnt coffee grinds. Surprisingly strong bourbon notes for such a well balanced stout.

Tastes like it smells with the bourbon dominating the flavor, mixed with roasted notes, smoked malts, charred wood, oak, vanilla, toasted grains, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, herbs or piney notes, light soy sauce, syrup, toffee and burnt coffee grinds. A low sweetness level, a mild bitterness level and a sharp spicy bite like rye balance out the char, smoke, bourbon and chocolate notes while keeping the sweetness in check.

This bold, complex flavor completely hides the 12% ABV. An absolute bargain at $13 per bottle (bomber), this was an impressive barrel aged imperial stout.

 

 

 

Review from notes, Sample at The Microbrew Invitational 6/3/2017
Solid black Roasty earthy chocolate and light apple. Faint vanilla and light oak tannin.