Double Barrel Sleepy Bear
Werk Force Brewing Co

Look - black and thick with nice rimming
Smell and taste - chocoalte vanilla with lots of barrel
Feel - thick creamy light carb
Overall - really great chocolate BA Stout

 

I'm a bit down on all of the 2022 variants of Sleepy Bear when compared to previous editions. This in particular seems to be swinging for the fences on flavor, but the end result to my palate is a dominating note of raw cacao nib bitterness, dark chocolate gone wild. The barrel notes also lean further in this direction, contributing some oak astringency. It's still enjoyable and good, but it comes across as pretty one-note, lacking the complexity that should be there from the multiple ingredients.

 

 

 

 

Had on tap. Shimmer pitch black with a light brown ring. Glad to see the sleepy bear series getting love, and this entry is absolutely fantastic. Amazing barrel character anchors the whole beer. In the smell I get baker's chocolate, molasses, vanilla, and char in that order of intensity. In the taste the chocolate is firmly dark, oak in particular is toasty and bright with vanilla accents, molasses, bourbon and smoky earth round out. Feel is warm, thick, barrel forward, and smooth.

2023 edition: Still really good! Easily the best of 23! Emphases include: big barrels, bakers chocolate, vanilla, and caramel with hints of molasses, coconut, wet earth, and brown sugar. Feel is smooth and full but not heavy, pretty warm verging on boozy

Glossy black with the shortest bubbly tan blanket dispersing to a softly mounded ring.

While its marshmallow viscosity comes to a surprisingly powder dry swallow, it's all kinds of pastry either way. There are some characteristics of mixed nuts to break up the decadence, but at least it's not an Other Half, Modern Times, or Phase Three type of monstrosity, although Werk Force are well on their way.

This is one of those medal winners that has me scratching my head. It was fine to good, but I don't know about Gold.

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In 2024, I don't think I'm finding the 2023 can substantially better or worse than the FOBAB draft we had in 2021. Though perhaps a little more mature at first, as vanilla and oak amp each other up, the viscous, chocolatey body comes to a stingingly sticky finish that's tough to quaff.

 

 

Excellent- at room temp the flavors are a bourbon and vanilla bomb with thick, rich chocolate and oak to balance it out. Very drinkable for a double barrel. Thick body with med to thick mouthfeel, pours jet black with a small head and medium lacing.

Werk Force is quietly putting out home runs on their BA program.

2020 vintage from a can, drank fresh.

 

16 ounce can into a snifter. Had 12/4/20.

Pours near black and opaque, with no head and no lacing. Aromas of chocolate, vanilla, malt, bourbon, some oak, light char. The flavors are pretty much the same- strong chocolate, bourbon- which really comes through when fully warmed, medium roast malt, vanilla, light oak. Smooth, a very good full body, well carbonated.

The chocolate is delicious and shines the brightest here, but the barrels and vanilla are close behind. Fairly straightforward, but a solid effort. Very enjoyable.