Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Arcadia Brewing Company

Poured from a wax-sealed 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Nearly black pour with a finger of tannish head. Nice ring of lacing.

S: Booze and bourbon... coffee and cocoa.

T.F: Strong roast presence... burned sugars and malts. Espresso,dark chocolate, with a bit of bourbon and vanilla. Almost a bit of tartness. Not enough sweetness for balance, but still very drinkable. Medium bodied... lighter than expected and oily on the tongue. Smooth and warming. Hides its big ABV,

O: A solid Bourbon Barrel aged Russian Imperial. A step down from the best, but still very nicely done.

 

2015 edition. I get the feeling this is not consistent year to year.

Poured from the bottle into a glass.

Black liquid.

Khaki head; no lace.

Bourbon & oak nose.

Thick mouthfeel.

Huge bourbon & oak nose; hint of dark chocolate. Way too boozy to be enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Received as an extra in a trade a while back. Bottled on 10/08/2012.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a darker brown hue that was quite clear initially but darkened up as the glass was filled. There was a half finger darker head that faded quickly to leave mostly wisps.

S - Aromas of sweeter bourbon, darker fruits, booze, malts, super faint vanilla.

T - Taste is quite balanced. Not much chocolate notes, mostly sweeter bourbon, faint vanilla, absurdly faint darker fruits, malt sweetness. Fair amount of booze, that actually gets a bit harsher as it warms. Its not very Russian Imperial Stout like, not sure what to make of this.

M - Mouthfeel is alright, nicely carbonated, as boozy as it is it doesnt really sit like that in the mouth. Probably the best aspect of this beer.

O - Overall, this isnt a bad beer I'm just completely confused by it. If you'd blindfolded me and had me drink it I would think its maybe a barleywine, but that's about it. Not much in the way of dark fruits, chocolate, char, anything. Just sweet bourbon and sweet malts are the dominant qualities. Really odd.

Serving Type: Bottle

 

 

 

 

Poured from a 12 oz glass into a snifter. Thanks Keith for this one.

Pours a deep brown, nearly black body with a small head that reduces quickly to a ring of foam.

Smells of.. Jack Daniels. Straight whiskey at first. Tons of whiskey. Upon further evaluation, I get some vanilla extract and cocoa mixed with.. Jack Daniels. I've never smelled a more whiskey forward beer.

Taste has a little less whiskey but not much less.. Whiskey upfront, chocolate, vanilla, and toffee on the follow through, then more whiskey on the finish.

Mouthfeel is lacking.. Over carbonated and too light for a 12% stout. Not rich

If I wanted a stout that tasted like this one, I would have found mediocre stout and threw a shot of whiskey in it. Not complex or balanced. Pretty bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Deep black body. Small khaki head. The thinnest of collars as it settles.

Smell - Bourbon. Oak. Some dark chocolate. Booze.

Taste - Very oaky. Bourbon behind the oak. Sharp boozy bourbon. Dark chocolate. No sweetness. Oak lingers in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium low carbonation. A little boozy. Medium heavy body.

Overall - Excellent beer all around. Never overpowering, except maybe the oak.

 

 

 

 

Black body, head that's thin and temporary.

The smell's all bourbon.

Sweet. Tempted to say bourbon's stronger on the nose but that's not right. Vanilla-ish flavor, roasted malts that don't quite resemble chocolate and booze that forms a thin dark fruit and a semi-coconut.

Approachable and awfully smooth. Carbonation's particularly light. Not all that heavy, even if it were a porter. Could stand to be sturdier.