Silk City - Bourbon Barrel-Aged With Vanilla Beans
Brix City Brewing

Beautiful beer, which manages a decent head despite the high ABV and barrel aging.

Nose is super strong and, frankly, wonderful, with tones of vanilla, chocolate, molasses, and an entirely complementary bourbon aspect.

On the palate, the only thing I can say is: WOW! If you've ever had BCBVS, and wondered if it would rear its head in the original presentation (instead of the still delicious rye variant released later), wonder no more: THIS. IS. IT. Tons of vanilla, and an understated bourbon character that still brings plenty to the table, along with a delicious and rich malt base.

This thing has legs for days (nice beaver!); it's just as impressive on the 20th sip as it was on the 1st. Fantastic, period.

 

2019 Release. Poured into a Silk City commemorative glass. I took it out of the fridge approximately two hours before pouring so it is slightly cooler than room temperature. It pours a very dark mahogany with a large, foamy, medium khaki-colored head and thick, creamy lacing. The first thing I smell is the bourbon, along with roasted malt, vanilla, cocoa, brown sugar, and a whiff of molasses. The taste is bourbon-forward and the taste isn't as sweet as the smell would indicate. There is chocolate and vanilla bean but also significant earthy char. It's quite bitter throughout. However, when I swished it in my mouth I began to notice the vanilla bean. It has a rich, silky, creamy mouth feel with low/moderate carbonation. I'm glad the ABV is 10%; if it were higher, then I think it would be distracting. Overall, this is a well-crafted and tasty Imperial Stout that grew on me as I sipped it. I've enjoyed all the Silk City variants and this one's no exception.