Imperial Bernie - Barrel-Aged
Noon Whistle Brewing Co.

2018 release, bomber bottle, poured into a pint glass shows a lightless black body with a cocoa colored 1/4 head of mixed bubbles that sound like a belt of firecrackers draped over the corner street light as they disappear and leave the glass clean.

Aromas of peat, oak, cocoa, booze, and roasty malts are pleasing and flow smoothly into the taste.

Mouthfeel is smooth save for the booze spice on the tongue and finishes clean and warming.

Overall a fine use of barrel aging to highlight the roast.

 

Taste: woody, dark chocolate, malty, lactose, some sweet vanilla notes, thick boozy finish. Rich, semi sweet toasted malts, bourbon boozy nose. Black/Brown hue, mostly opaque, tan foamy head with lattice of lace. Full body. A sipper for sure.

750ml corked and caged bottle poured into a snifter. Dark black color, tan colored head. Overall, pretty good but not great compared to many other barrel aged imperial stouts. It’s a little thin for me and not “barrel heavy” like I tend to enjoy in most of my favorite barrel-aged stouts.

750 ml bottle into a snifter. Purchased at release 3/3/18, had 3/20/20.

Pours a dark brown, opaque, with a half inch foamy head and light, foamy cling. Aromas of bourbon, vanilla, malt, raisins, chocolate, some oak, light char. Flavors of bourbon, oak, vanilla, malt, some chocolate, light char and tobacco. Smooth, a good but thinner feeling body, appropriately carbonated.

Just like the 2018 BA vanilla, this seems like it could have used a fuller malt profile. The barrels are really good. Have already had the 2019 BA vanilla, and it was much, much better, so have high hopes for the 2019 of this.

 

 

 

 

Had on tap. Found this to be a malt bomb, but in a good way. Some nice booziness, vanilla and milky oatmeal flavors as well. Smells like barrel aged malt. Has a robust finish for the style, fit nicely with the character of the beer.