Bourbon Barrel Porter
Big Timber Brewing

Canned 11/15/22. Poured at 56°. Black with some ruby see-through body; fizzy off white head, poor cap retention leaves small island of micro dots and solid ring; bands of lace with thin legs at best on swirl. Lots of bourbon on uncapping bottle (impressive) with chocolate following right behind nose; bourbon exhale. Semi boozy bourbon entry in conjunction with roast malt and bittersweet dark chocolate base; some coffee notes as beer warms. Medium minus body, light silky feel; moderate minus carbonation; no warmth from 8.9% abv. Overall, my favorite “go to” grocery store WV beer dialed up to 11 - a solid plus porter with lots of bourbon nose and flavor; yes, it drinks thin and the abv is 8.9%, but the base and barrel combine seamlessly to make for a boozy/not boozy BBA enhanced porter that still tastes like chocolate and roast malt…well done Elkins, WV!

16oz can poured into a tulip

A- pours black in color with a two-finger foamy khaki colored head that has great retention and leaves plenty of lacing behind

S- roasted malts and charred wood up front, followed by rich dark chocolate, earthy espresso, toasted coconut, vanilla, oaky bourbon and caramel, very complex once warmed up a bit

T- plenty of barrel notes up front gives barrel juice, wet oak, toasted coconut, vanilla and toffee. Mid-palate brings out the char notes of the base beer, adding roasted malts and anise. The finish gives more charred malt and barrel juice, lingers of coffee and vanilla

M- medium-thin body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly creamy mouthfeel that continues into the finish, high drinkability

O- super complex given the abv, the base beer works great with the barrel treatment

 

 

From a snifter on tap.

Great looking beer. Big foamy brown head on top of a black body with some ruby tint. It leaves some lacing.

It smells like whiskey and chocolate. The whiskey really dominates. Especially when colder. Light ashy barley in the background.

The whiskey is really prominent in the flavor too, and it really needs to warm up quite a bit to become more balanced/integrated with the beer. Honestly, my first impression was it tasted like pouring a shot glass into the beer at home. It also stikes me as a cheaper/younger bourbon. Like a white label Jim Beam. It really does seem to improve with time though. There is a lot of chocolate malt, and some charred barley too.

The body is very nice. It isn't too watery, or too heavy. Although the carbonation seems a bit high.

Pretty good beer overall.