Bourbon Barrel Ale
Goodwood Brewing Co.

I am trying this beer off the tapper at the brewery in Indanapolis as part of a four sample flight. It poured a clear golden with very little head that did not leave any lace. The scent had common bourbon and malt notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bourbon malt base with grain and subtle whiskey presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.

Taster at brewery. Dark, clear amber, ring of head. Aroma is brown sugar, malty, bourbon. Taste is sweet, brown sugar, dry. Not overly boozy, but barrels accent the right elements.

 

Subtle... which is uncommon once bourbon barrels get involved. While amped-up alcohol also is common, it is not here.

Looks offer a clear copper-tone, but more foam would be nice. Smells are mostly malt with the faint bourbon. Tastes introduce the wood and a touch of vanilla; but basically is a malt drink that has contained sweetness. The after-taste encourages my imagination into how limestone water is different. At 6%, this ale has a full mouth.

My first from Goodwood, I went on their website and see that not only do most of their ales touch wood, but they also offer a bourbon that has been in their stout barrels. While still a young brewery, they have found a unique niche.

If you like the taste of bourbon, I think I found your craft beer to drink...

As far as its other attributes go - look and smell - this is a very good beer. Great dark caramel coloration with thin, foamy head makes for a great presentation to the eyes. The smell was sweet bourbon forward with hints of some spices, all of it blending quite well. But that's about it for the exceptional nature of the beer - the rest is just solid enough. The mouthfeel is more carbonated than anything else and the taste follows along with that bourbon scent noted through the nose. So much so I can't really pull out anything else distinctive about the brew. Again, solid enough and something I wouldn't mind trying again.

Hazy, dark amber to chestnut with two finger plus head. Light smell of cheap sweet whiskey with a little caramel, wood, and malt. Flavor is pretty strong in general booze, with a little borboun and not much else. There's a grassy hippiness as well. Unlike every other bad spirit barrel aged beer I've had, it doesn't suffer from excessive sweetness, in fact it's pretty dry. Medium mouthfeel. Moderate carbonation.

12 oz bottle purchased from Blue Mound Liquor in Luverne, MN
Boiler brandy snifter

A sienna brown color with a finger of head receding to 1/4 finger. Some lace and alcohol legs.

Aroma of dry wood, spruce, caramel/amber malt, and very slight nuttiness.

Flavor brings caramel malt, faint dark fruit, very faint nuttiness, slight suggestions of apricot, and some spruce and oak on the back end. Very very slight bourbon character.

Feel is sticky and slick, with a good amount of bourbon burn and alcohol burn. Dry scathing finish.

Overall, a bit disappointing but no surprise there. No real desire to buy it again or really even finish my glass.

 

Comes up flat but smooth. Unlike other burbon ales its not over alcoholic. Great flavors of bourbon!

 

 

A: The beer is quite hazy brownish amber in color. It poured with a half finger high dark beige head that died down a bit but never completely faded away.
S: Light to moderate aromas of caramel malts, oak, and bourbon are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell, except that the caramel malts take a back seat to the flavors of oak and bourbon. Except for the bourbon flavors, no other alcohol is detectable.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a nice ale if you are looking for something that has bourbon aromas and flavors without having a heavy body.

Serving type: bottle

 

 

 

 

Deep brown with copper tinting. There's a fingernail of brown around the rim and covering three-quarters of the top. The aroma is of faint pear and green apple from the white ash. I'm tasting very sweet bourbon with some juicy green apple from the white ash and then you get just a touch of boozy bourbon in the back of the palate. The mouth is a bit watery and thin. Not my bag.

This has a good balance. Not too much bourbon flavor, good malt character