Barrel Warfare
Magnify Brewing Company

 

Little hot but in a good way, a really excellent no frills BBA stout.

10 oz. pour at the brewery. Served in a plastic cup due to COVID restrictions. I drank it in the outdoor beer garden on a hot, muggy day and let it warm before indulging. It pours a very dark walnut color and the light mocha head dissipated quickly due to the high alcohol content. The smell is terrific: bourbon and vanilla up front with milk chocolate, fresh coffee, and a whiff of tobacco. Wow, this is good! The taste follows the nose. It opens with vanilla/caramel, roasted malt, dark chocolate, burnt char, and coffee. The bourbon barrel is as strong as it can be without overpowering the other flavors. There is pronounced bitterness at the finish. This Stout has a sensational mouth feel: It's super rich, thick, and creamy; really chewy. The level of carbonation is lite/moderate. You can feel the 12.7% ABV but it seems appropriate for such a big, flavorful Imperial Stout. Overall, I'm very impressed. I've had many Stouts from Magnify and Barrel Warfare may be the best yet! It's big, strong, and flavorful but without gimmicky adjuncts. I hope Magnify brews another batch and bottles it.