Dark Charge - Bourbon Barrel-Aged With Cherry And Vanilla
Braxton Brewing Company - Braxton Covington

 

 

The yearly charge that make Ohio Valley area beer enthusiasts flock to the their taproom; the release of the Dark Charge series of stout allows the brewers at Braxton Brewing to bring out bourbon barrels that once housed vanilla and a why not spirit of cherries to delight the tastebuds.

Intimidatingly dark, the cherry and vanilla version of the famed imperial stout comes ominously black and crowned with a loose tan froth. Intense roast invites a bold complement of burnt and smoke aromas to the softer and tangier melange of vanilla and cherry that seem almost cookie-like. Its taste picks up on the cookie character and chases it with richer flavors of blackstrap molasses, maple and scorched toffee.

Sweetness soon takes a backseat to the roast as the ale rolls across the middle palate. Succulent, roasty and rich, the taste of turkish coffee add a soilish earth flavor with black walnut and burnt toast beckoning. Baker's chocolate and cherry intertwine for a roasted dessert taste and texture as the late palate brings a broad and earthen bitterness with the softness of heavy cream from vanilla in support.

Grilled fruit, stone fruit and dehydrated fruits seem fruitcake-like albeit on the charred side. Bourbon and brandy-like spice tingles the tongue as the finish is long, slightly smoky and slightly ashy. The taste of cherries and vanilla bring a welcomed distraction and a mild balance to the acrid roast of the base beer's roasty toasty personality.