Barrel Aged Chocolate Vanilla Eclair Bear
Werk Force Brewing Co

Midnight black body, brown head, thick lacing layers on the glass. Bourbon and caramel forward in a decadent way in the taste, the oak is weak, more booze enters in, but the vanilla, chocolate and molasses tones are amazing here, dessert excellence. The nose is mostly bourbon booze and caramel meeting chocolate malt and vanilla, simpler but plesant. The feel though is where I want some improvement, as it is quite boozy and thinner for the style, never breaks but not deep as a result. Much better than the cheesecake variant

 

A: Pours a near pitch black color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap

S: Roasted malt, milk chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, dark chocolate, and a touch of coffee

T: Starts off with a mix of cocoa, roasted malt, and caramel. Quickly picks up the bourbon, light oak, and vanilla. Some dark fruit emerges towards the end. Finishes with lingering bourbon, chocolate, and vanilla

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate, lively carbonation

O: A very good BBA stout that is well balanced and dangerously drinkable. The sweetness from the chocolate and vanilla and alcohol from the barrels off-set and help each other out nicely. Definitely on the mark with the bourbon doughnut/eclair. Worth checking out

Look- jet black pour into a 8 ounce snifter with little to no head
Smell- heavy notes molasses and milder notes of vanilla and hints of chocolate
Taste- same as smell. Heavy molasses, very little presence of alcohol
Even though 11% abv. Well hidden!
Feel- slight carbonation and is welcome otherwise close to being flat.
Overall - for me the flavor notes are great and very good beer! For it to be a 5 I would want more carbonation.

 

Dark mahoghany pour, black in the glass with a momentary head of mocha foam. Glassy surface with occasional bubbles surfacing like a sticky pond.

Chocolate and vanilla aromas as advertised, a fruity note as well as some bourbon heat. Not super aromatic, but pleasant enough.

Yes it tastes like doughnuts, with chocolate frosting and bourbon glaze. The heat and bitterness counters the sweetness which lingers for a bit. Boozy on the back end with some light astringency. Medium bodied, low carb, a bit syrupy. Too sweet for me, but in line with the chocolate eclair concept, which they pretty much nailed. If it were creamier and less sweet i’d be more enamored, but it’s very good. Thanks to Bill for this one!

 

2020 vintage. Pours a deep brown/black with low dark brown head that dissipated quickly.

Heavy bourbon nose, can pick up the WL Weller from across the room, chocolate and custardy vanilla also present. Chocolate and a bit creamy vanilla on the open, finishes with oak, char and more bourbon. Dark fruits, brown sugar undertones on the finish- deep and complex despite the big hitting barrel and chocolate vanilla. Medium body with low to medium carbonation and is more drinkable than syrupy because of it.

I’m a WL Weller sucker so this one was just excellent.

 

16 ounce can into a snifter. Had 11/20/20.

Pours an opaque dark brown, with a brief flash of a head and some soapy cling. Aromas of bourbon, roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, some char and oak, some cocoa and raisins, light caramel. Flavors of bourbon, strong chocolate, vanilla, light roast malt, cocoa, raisins, milk sugar, some oak, light char. Smooth, a very good full body, well carbonated.

Great barrels and so much good chocolate, it slaps you in the face. The eclair thing is a stretch for me, but this is really well done and really enjoyable.