Double Barrel Here Be Monsters
Cerebral Brewing

Bottle at sharecourtesy of Torrey. Black pour with a thin beige head. Strong bourbon aroma, chocolate, coffee. Taste is roasty malts, coffee, chocolate, mild sweetness, woody, bourbon, pit fruit.Thick, warm. Nice

Bottled in 4/2020; consumed on 7/15/21

Pours a dense, motor-oil black body capped with around a finger of thick, mocha foam; decent head retention leaves a few spotty islands of cap along with a larger, creamy collar encircling the surface and no lasting lacing clinging to the walls of the glass.

Aroma opens with massive whiskey paired with a huge and rounded barrel and sly, nutty port undertones; raw cacao bursts forth into butterscotch subtleties and roast engaging burnt cinnamon; intermittent touches of caramel meet charry oak on the back end as barrel spice and distant accents of aromatic, raw cedar proceed unencumbered.

Taste starts off with oaky milk chocolate and a weighty barrel undertone; silky port is interwoven against earthy vanilla and rich bourbon, imparting caramel and burnt cinnamon over the mid-palate, while Rolo candies, dates, and dusty oak nod toward the port influence on the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium-full body paired with minimal perceptible carbonation protruding from the weighty slickness; charry barrel spice through mid-palate preemptively engages a spiky warmth, eventually easing to a slick back end along with a rounded, oily swallow.

Simply massive and pulling no punches, the spirit is at the forefront of pervading influences, washing over an already robust stout base with added layers of fresh bourbon and woody nuance; ultimately, these unabashed, ultra-oaked edges are both its most expressive asset and untamed weakness; a quality double-barreled stout, and a sometimes mercurial exercise in the give-and-take nature of balancing beer and barrel.

two years, two different barrels, an abv this high, definitely a beastly brew, nicely named and gorgeously packaged with the purple wax. 2020 vintage, really super good, one of the better of the big dark cerebral beers we cut into this weekend and there were a fair few! this is super cool because its less adjuncty, more barrel forward than some of the others, the stout base is colossal, but there is room for the nuances of the barrels to shine, specifically the port element of the first bourbon barrel, its like deeply grapey and nutty to me, absurdly woody, but the fruit sweetness comes through even in front of the whiskey sweetness, i taste that aspect of it the whole way but more so as it comes up to temperature, a raspberry note to it. lots of dark chocolate in this lathery rich malt base, but this isnt overly sweet as i drink it, palate coating yes, but more due to body than residual sugar, much appreciated. big vanilla notes from all the bourbon, major wooden richness too, super mature but also not oxidized or anything, about as dense in texture as they come, but more satin than chewy. an english element to the grain is evident in the depths as well, toasted and bready and hearty and almost healthful tasting to me, not much carbonation but i dont really need any, and i like the way this sits, warms, lingers, not even all that boozy for how big it comes in. a heck of a late night sipper with the boys, feeling like i got to drink some pretty special stuff this them this weekend, lots of it from cerebral, and this one stands out, total slayer! i know these are rare as heck too so i am especially thankful i have friends who are so keen to share, wonderful beer!

Type: 500-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. brandy snifter glass
Price: n/a
From: A trade
Purchased: n/a; Received Dec. 20, 2020
Consumed: Dec. 25, 2020
Misc.: Bottled in April 2020; Purple waxed neck

Got this and two other Cerebral BA stouts in a trade for North Park Triple Vanilla Hazelunut Macaroons Before Dying. This one was labeled on their website as “Aged 12 months in Breckenridge Tawny Port finished Bourbon barrels followed by another 12 months in Willett Bourbon barrels. You’ve encountered the colossus before, but this time it emerges double-headed from the depths. Displaying the nuances of the grape and the boldness of the grain, both barrels leave their mark upon the waters. Leather Tobacco Pouch, Danish Cherry Wine, French Roast Coffee.” If it’s close to as good as BBA Working Vacation, which I gave a 4.48 two days prior, I’ll be happy.

Poured an almost pitch-black color with two fingers of frothy tan head. Could see some bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass and there was a nice healthy streams coming up the middle. Excellent foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.25)

First thought on the nose was how complex it was. Seemed to be super boozy, too, getting almost all of that 15.5 pct. ABV. Port wine heavy up front with dark cherry, plum, purple grape, raisin and leathery tobacco, followed by the mentioned French roast coffee. Also boozy bourbon, oak, caramel, toffee, honey, toasted brown sugar, hints of maple syrup and dates. Not quite as good out of the bottle with dark fruit, French roast coffee and toasted brown sugar standing out. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted a little better than the smell. Still pretty boozy initially but settled down after a few tastes. Much better balance than the nose. Port wine still heavy up front, but not as dominant as the nose. Also got dark cherry, plum, purple grape, raisin, date, French roast coffee, leathery tobacco, toasted oak, toasted brown sugar, caramel, toffee, honey, milk chocolate, hints of red apple and faint maple syrup. (Taste - 4.25)

Full body. Sticky-to-slick texture. Average-to-soft carbonation. Long, warming finish. (Feel - 4.75)

So complex and so good. Just a world-class double barrel-aged imperial stout. (Overall - 4.50)

4.35 | 97 | A