Triple Digit Series: Chickow! Vanilla (Heaven Hill)
Listermann Brewing Company

12 FL OZ bottle
Served in a snifter

This is the darkest Chickow! that I have had. Most allow at least a little light through. None is permitted with this one. It is topped with a fleeting tan head that leaves no trace of its presence.

The barrel aging really mutes the hazelnut. Caramel and vanilla shine. There are hints of hazelnut and coffee.

The taste is amazing. I get caramel, vanilla, and hazelnut all on a level playing field.

Full bodied with a smooth and syrupy mouthfeel

This is a fantastic beer. I love the hazelnut of Chickow!, but the aging of it lessens the hazelnuts and allows others flavor and aromas to come through a knock this beer out of the ballpark.

 

 

Had on tap. I think this is the pinnacle of the chickow series, because the hazenut, hefty dose of vanilla, and bourbon are made for each other, plus they serve as a rising tide, raising all boats, bringing up the intensity of the brown sugar, slight wood, molasses, cocoa, toffee and nutmeg. Body is thinned out a bit by the vanilla, but still falls into medium range for a nice brown ale. Smell is a more virbant version of the taste. Sweet, full and intense, a wonderful dessert when you don't want a stout

 

 

 

Double brown ale brewed with hazelnuts and aged in Bourbon barrels with vanilla and natural flavors added. Poured from a bottle into a Fibonacci tulip. The beer is dark brown in appearance, clear, and has little carbonation. The nose is rich and sweet. I get big notes of molasses, bourbon, vanilla, hazelnut, and cocoa. It kind of smells like BCBS.

Full body with a creamy feel and a rich flavor. Up front I get toffee and vanilla, then the bourbon rushes in and adds richness and a little heat. The hazelnut isn't nearly as prominent here as in regular Chickow! I guess it's hiding behind all the other flavors. Near the back of the palate, I get some sarsaparilla too. None of the flavors die out. All of them seem to reach the finish, which is sticky and lingering.

This beer is a dessert in a bottle. Pricey, but worth it for a nice treat. I would buy this again.