Barrel-Aged Sworn to the Dark
Calusa Brewing

 

 

 

Delicious barrel aged stout! The 2021 version was at 13.5% avb.

If this is what the dark side is like then by jolly, I'll swear by it too! Barrel-aged, imperial and inspired by the Russian style, Calusa Brewing's stout stands tall in the dark.

Very dark brown and slightly bleached by the barrels, Sworn to the Dark, Barrel-Aged crowns with a frothy but short-like froth before enticing the nose with a devilish bouquet of coffee, cocoa, port wine, whisky spice and charred barrel nuance. Sweeter and more decadent on the tongue, the sweetness of brown sugar, molasses and toffee set a malty tone on the early palate.

As the ale rolls along, the taste of coffee, dark chocolate and walnut seem all candied and latte-like with a sweeter nougat-like center. Hints of dark fruits from cherry to berry, raisin and grape seem grilled and condensed in their savory flavors. Toasty, roasty and robust, the beer's late palate brings about a smoother vanilla, coconut, caramel and cashew softness from the weathered and worn bourbon barrels.

Full, malty and richly textured, the beer's demeanor is of dessert or digestive, finishing malty-sweet and with a long sweet aftertaste of bourbon, madeira and coffee liquor. An absolutely masterful stout.

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Poured from the 22 oz. bottle, 2017 release purchased at the tasting room. Reviewed on 1/1/18. Poured into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass.

A: Very dark brown to black, and opaque. Minimum of visible carbonation. Forms a thin tan head with decent retention.

S: Heavily roasted malts with more dark chocolate than coffee but both present. A fair amount of whiskey and a bit of spiciness. Vanilla, caramel, and a touch of oak dryness. Some rich tobacco, mild char. A pretty nice aroma with the barrel staying in balance but still present.

T: Chocolate and roasted malts. Whiskey and barrel and a punch of vanilla. Caramel and coffee, tobacco and oak. Dark roasted malts with a modest roast bitterness, but the sweet flavors are more dominant. More whiskey with chocolate flavors near the swallow, and some dry oaken tannins show up at the swallow and linger for a few beats.

M: A really nice thick mouthfeel – chewy and smooth, a bit sticky. Not as thick and sticky as some more well-known Florida stouts, but this isn’t to its detriment at all. This is really nearly an ideal mouthfeel. Carbonation sensation is low but as expected for style, and the alcohol is quite well-hidden for the hefty listed ABV. The whiskey barrel strikes an excellent balance with the other flavors.

O: Wow – this is really good. I’m quite impressed. The mouthfeel is damn near perfect, the barrel is in the sweet zone, and the flavors are complex but balanced. Excellent.