“The Rusty” Barrel Aged Cherry Stout
Big Block Brewing

Poured from waxed 22oz bomber into a tulip.

Appearance: entirely black hue with nothing let through when held up to the light; head is a thin finger of creamy tan foam. Looks really good.

Smell: cherry, brown sugar, perhaps a bit of chocolate, and a kind of acidity come through in the aroma. The acidity takes a little something away for me, but otherwise, a nice mélange.

Taste: cherry right up front, which seems to add a kind of tartness, that then fades into the more sweet and chocolatey aspect of the beer. I don’t get a ton of the barrel here (I believe it was aged in a bourbon barrel), and though the acidity lends itself to a certain astringency, I still rather like this beer.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a light carbonation and not a ton of creaminess. There’s a certain smoothness to the body, here, but not quite creaminess I prefer in the style.

Overall: I’m a sucker for cherry beers, so I’m kind of pre-wired to like this. It is a little rough in parts, but otherwise, I like this beer.