High River Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Platform Beer Co.

06/08/20 can @ home

Pours black with a small dark brown head that disappears quickly. Smells high quality, like passion was poured into it. But namely, rich bourbon and cocoa. Tastes heavenly! Malt, chocolate, bourbon, smoked wood flavors all linger. Leaves a hint of alcohol. Thick and smooth, a dynamic duo. Conglomerating those qualities(dot dot dot) this stuff is great. Expensive, as to be expected with barrel aged craft brews, but worth every penny if you like stouts.

From the tall boy can in a snifter. This mighty fine blessing of an
imperial pours a dark blackish brown with a nice thick bubbled head
of tan foam that settles to a thick ring, tin dusty layer, and sports excellent lacing.
Nose of dark chocolate, dark coffee, and rich bourbon with some spicy hop
notes. Flavors excel with presentation over the nose with a bourbon drenched
cocoa and coffee concoction with light vanilla and dark brown sugars
with warming booze and spicy hop notes mingling nicely with the
warmth of this brew. Very nice mouth feel; full body, smooth, medium light
carbonation, and a medium dry warming finish.

Overall, a SOLID brew from a solid brewery!

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

This is a really enjoyable and terrifically balanced barrel aged stout in a can - what's not to love? It's middle weight in body with decent but not over the top viscocity and an appealing presentation - nice fluffy dark brown head on a black body and a bit of sticky lacing. The aroma is fairly standard with bittersweet chocolate, roast malts, faint boozy esters and so forth - I was prepared for a workday stout without a lot of barrel character.

However, the flavor presents a beautiful interplay of elements - the barrel is definitely there in moderation but neither oversteps its bounds nor fails to make its presence known, and there are traditional notes of black licorice, char, bitter hops, coffee and so forth. There is a light sugary sweetness that brings everything into harmony and keeps the bitter ashy aspects from taking over, but doesn't approach flabby under attenuated levels.

Really impressive. In an ideal world I'd like about 10% more barrel influence but that's splitting hairs. Hope to find this one again in the future. This beer is firmly in the classic RIS traditional while deftly integrating barrel aging and restrained sweetness to appeal to contemporary palettes.

 

 

 

Pours brown-black with no head and some slight lacing into flight glass. Smells of chocolate mousse; bourbon, and dark cream notes. Taste is bourbon notes, chocolate, and butter. Feel is remarkably smooth for ABV. Overall, very good. Well done again, Platform!

16oz can poured into a tulip. Pours almost black with a creamy khaki head that falls leaving really nice retention and nice lacing. The aromas have hints of bourbon, chocolate and caramel. Some dark fruits, especially raisins. Everything is balanced. The flavors follow the nose. More chocolate and caramel along with some bourbon and oak. Dark fruits are there. It finishes with a subtle spiciness to it. Possibly some rye or black pepper in the mix. Malts do their thing. Everything is balanced. Alcohol is ultimately well hidden. Mouthfeel is full-bodied with moderate carbonation. It's fluffy and slightly velvety. It's pretty smooth and dangerously drinkable.

This is a pretty good barrel-aged stout. It might not be one that'll "blow you away", but it's still very enjoyable. It's balanced, but bold. They did a nice job. I really like it. Well done.

From memory...
Poured very black with small tan head. Notes of chocolate, barrel, vanilla. Lots of chocolate, nice barrel presents, a little on the sweet side. Quite creamy. I really enjoyed this beer.

11/15/17
On draft at Rattle & Hum West, NYC
4.25 rating

Definite bourbon taste on the front! Caramel, licorice, syrupy, strong, but drinks smoothly...