Bourbon Barrel Aged Double Oaked Cherry Rye Smash Tun
Alter Brewing Company

Pours pitch black, shiny, and completely opaque. Lackluster head - so lackluster it almost appears still. Aroma has notes of oak, rye, bourbon, cherry, roasted malt, vanilla, and cocoa.

Taste follows the nose with notes of bourbon, spicy rye, some light cherry notes. It's quite hoppy giving it this moderately bitter, almost astringent note. There is quite a bit of ash and roast coming through as well. The finish on this is what is best - that roast and ash along with the barrel and slight cherry notes just provide this really pleasant finish that lingers. Feel is light, smooth, but thinner. Moderate, but appropriate carbonation. Semi-dry finish.

Overall a very nice barrel aged stout. Enjoyable beer that is more old school in presentation.

500 ml bottle into a snifter. 2018 edition, had 10/26/19.

Pours a dark mahogany, somewhat opaque, with no real head and no lacing. Aromas of bourbon, malt, oak, chocolate, vanilla, some cherries- more as it warms, light char. Similar flavors- bourbon, oak, cherries, chocolate, vanilla, malt. Smooth, a good but thinner body, appropriately carbonated.

The cherries come through well, but didn’t pick up any rye notes from the barrels or the stout. Great flavor. Very enjoyable.

Taste: dark chocolate, semi sweet, oats rye, cherry, like a Red velvet or Black Forest cake. Dark chocolate cake nose. Black brown hue mostly opaque, smaller tan head and thin lace. Full but not heavy body. Great with dessert

Jet black body with no bubbles and brown tinges on the edges. Smell has a sturdy wood musk, with dark cocoa, bourbon, cherry, sawdust and dried fruit. Taste has nice balance between the wood tannins/rye and the dried dark fruit/cherry. Bit astringent as it warms up, perhaps some again would help.

Had this at the brewery. This is their Smash Tun imperial stout that is bourbon barrel aged in double oaked barrels with cherry. The balance on this beer is very nice. The cherry plays well with the bourbon and though the bourbon is most noticeable the cherry is still makes an appearance. Good balance and very well done.