Bison in the Barrel Room
Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room

 

 

 

Bottled with wax and purchased from Manchester craft bottle shop stalwarts Beermoth
Pours a jet black body with tan head
Aroma is big apple booze with liquorice undertones
Flavour is treacle tart and burned caramel apple

Pours a pitch-black coloration with a small, creamy, mocha-colored head. Smells of roasted, caramel malt, chocolate, red apples and hints of vanilla and oak. Taste is an excellent balance of roasted, caramel malt, distinct chocolate and apple brandy, with notes of red apples and oak, as well as lighter vanilla and cinnamon and hints of of tobacco, licorice, lavender and subtle tannins. Finishes with a light sweetness and some roasted malt, chocolate, apple brandy and vanilla lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a rich body and medium carbonation.

This is actually my first apple brandy barrel-aged stout and while I'm not sure how keen I am on that certain boozy cider character these barrels seem to impart, this is nonetheless a very rich, complex and well-balanced brew that actually begs the question if American or European apple brandy barrels were used here. My guess would be on European barrels because of those spicy and lightly tannic notes, while the vanilla presence is most likely from the bison grass, which also adds a certain, quite subtle and floral lavender note to this. After a few BA stouts that were just way too sweet and boozy for me , this was a really welcome change of pace, with a wonderful barrel character and good balance of sweet and roasted, spicy notes.