Speedway Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
AleSmith Brewing Company

2023 can consumed in April 2026

A - Pour is dense, black, opaque with just a hint of brown warmth, a light tan head that fades to a persistent partial cap and ring, and very fine line lacing that runs in ragged rings down the glass.

S - The nose is pretty sedate, given the nature of the brew. The alcohol is present and out front, with vanilla and wood notes, over a strong, bright roasted malt blast of chocolate and dark bread, a touch of earthiness beneath.

T - This is where this brew stands up and differentiates itself from the pack of big RISs, with a tight, full chocolate and bourbon open, vanilla and a touch of toasted char bounce happily off one another, the alcohol presents in the middle, as the barrel starts to turn more textural, drying into the finish with subtle bitterness that lingers.

M - The ABV is present throughout, but is surprisingly well-managed and balanced. Mild carbonation and a slick, full mouth-feel that drinks easily. Honestly, it could be dangerous if I were inclined to drink more than one.

O - Delicious and inviting, this is one of my favorite big RISs that I've tried. It really deserves all the love.

 

Tried a can from 2023 in 2026.
Pours black as can be with a dark tan head. Nose is bourbon and chocolate. Taste is bourbon and coconut. Mild warmth from ABV.

 

 

A - Pours jet black with a thin tan head. Nice amount of cascading lacing.

S - Aroma is dark chocolate, molasses, roasted malts and some faint barrel.

T - The taste is dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, vanilla, charred oak and a nice bourbon heat.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a soft drying finish.

O - This is top notch.

2024 Variant:

L - motor oil black with a creamy tan head that sticks around, leaving behind some lacing
S - Deep rich bourbon, roasted dark malt, dark chocolate, charred oak, vanilla, molasses
T - follows the nose and complex: dark roasted malts and rich bourbon and charred oak, molasses, dark chocolate, slight vanilla, some dark fruit notes
F - medium to full bodied with light carbonation. Soft, smooth.
O - a beast of a BBA stout. Harsher than most, but in a good way. Heavy barrel and dark flavors.

Look - Pours a super dark black color with a very nice head that lasts for several minutes.

Smell - Coffee, bourbon, vanilla, and some charred barrel. I'm not generally a big fan of coffee.

Taste - Coffee, bourbon, malt, and oak.

Feel - Decently carbonated (possibly even too carbonated), easy drinking at 'only' 13.3%ABV, but not as smooth to me as similar rated stouts.

Overall - This is a nice stout. Not my favorite, but it's up there.

 

 

 

 

 

Review: 2389
Name: Speedway Stout Barrel Aged
Brewery: Alesmith Brewing
Location: San Diego, CA
Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 13.3%
Canned: 2023
Date: 8 May 2025.
I tried the original stout, and it was delicious. I am serving the beer at 50 degrees in a tulip glass. The pour created a half-fingered, dark tan head with poor retention. The quick dissipation left no lacing on the glass. The color is inky black with dark rusty brown hues. It is semi-transparent and charting at SRM 36. Overall, it is a below-average showing for a high-ABV stout.
Nosing the glass, I detect toffee, dark-roasted coffee, a hint of char, Maillard, whiskey, dark chocolate, dark-roasted malts, wood resin, treacle, caramel, tobacco, earthiness, and a malty sweetness.
Sipping the glass, I taste dark chocolate, char, toffee, medium coffee, molasses, caramel, leather, dates, whiskey, wood resin, earthiness, malty sweetness, and tobacco.
The mouthfeel is chewy and coating, finishing silky-soft with a slight warming sensation. The body is heavy and low in carbonation.
A solid example of a barrel-aged stout is a standard that many brewers have difficulty recreating—no frills, yet well-crafted, with typical flavors.

L: Pours a dark chocolate brown, forming a very thin tan head that is quick to fade. A trace of bubbles on the surface and hugging the edge of the snifter. Near-black in appearance, with a very heavy chocolate brown hue.

S: Fresh coffee, roasted malts, oak, vanilla, and roasted malts. Some baker's chocolate and a light char.

T: Starts off with a strong dose of bourbon, oak, coffee roast. As the beer warms, the dark chocolate, roasted malts, and a light char emerge. There is a trace of burnt sugar and vanilla.

F: Medium- to full-bodied, biased towards full. Silky smooth mouthfeel, and the beer sits slightly heavy on the tongue. Faint carbonation.

O: No-frills or anything fancy, just an extremely competent base BBA Imperial stout. Simple and effective. Outstanding.

2023 Vintage: 13.3% ABV

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 10-10-23 into a snifter at 57 degrees.

Look- Black, opaque, large visible particulate at margins, medium brown frothy head, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Coffee, bourbon, cacao, vanilla, oak, high strength of scent.

Taste- Coffee, cacao, bourbon, vanilla, very high strength of flavor.

Feel- Full body, average carbonation, highly bitter, highly mouth warming, moderately mouth coating, silky, moderately creamy.

Overall- Black and opaque with large visible particulate at the margins. Bouquet was a wonderful mix of coffee, bourbon, cacao, vanilla and oak. The flavor was a perfectly balanced vivid mix of coffee, cacao, bourbon and vanilla. This beer had a full body and high mouth warming properties. It felt silky with a moderate amount of creaminess and mouth coating ability. Overall this beer was very close to flawless and one of the best I’ve ever had. It provided a highly memorable drinking experience.

2024 can dated 11/21/24, labeled with an ABV listed of 14.78%, courtesy of @JayORear

Pours jet black with half a finger of bubbly light brown head. Head dissipates into a nice ring of tiny bubbles and leaves pockets of lacing. Smells of dark chocolate, barrel, coffee, vanilla. Taste is very barrel-forward, both in presence of whiskey spirit and oak, followed by coffee and hints of vanilla and dark chocolate (last two required some digging given the other dominating flavors). Drinks hotter than I would have expected but anything that has coffee, I generally prefer to tackle before it mutes out; I think this would benefit with 12-24 months of age on it. Some light gastric warming but probably more to do with an empty stomach. Mouthfeel is thin with prickly carbonation. Finish is charred wood, oak tannins, whiskey, and bitter coffee.