Washington's Reserve (Bourbon Barrel Aged Washington's Porter)
Yards Brewing Co.

Black color. Thin, beige head. Bourbon, molasses, and chocolate in the aroma. Taste follows with woody/roasted bitterness. Expect more from a barrel-aged beer.

On tap at the brewery poured into a 12 ounce snulip glass.

L---Deep dark brown. A frothy off-white head has good retention and left very good lacing.

S---Bourbon and oak are not really noticeable in the nose. Sweet malts, molasses & dried dark fruits are there.

T---The bourbon barrel shows up in the taste. Molasses & dark fruit persist from the nose. A bit of chocolate/cocoa is there as well.

F---Oily & slick. Carbonation isn't noticeable.

O---A very good BBA porter. Dark & luscious.

Cola brown color. Just above average body with medium light carbonation. Overall a nice feel, very easy to get down beer
Aroma is roasted malt,dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, maple syrup and some dark fruit. The barrel aging adds to the sweet maple aroma
Taste is mildly sweet, bitter roasted coffee, dark chocolate and the barrel aging definitely makes the flavor more complex.
Overall it was an excellent porter that is only made better with the added barrel element. Had it on tap but would buy it in a heartbeat if they decide to bottle it.

The beer pours a light off white head that dissipates quickly. The beer itself is a good dark chocolate black. The texture appears to have a bit more heft to it than normal. The smell is delicious. It has a good bourbon and vanilla note that while dominant works well with other notes. The molasses and chocolate come out still but are secondary. The taste is delicious. The porter notes come out more with the molasses upfront to balance it out from the barrel aged notes. The bourbon still comes out with a good bit of vanilla though and a slight chocolate in the finish. There is also a bit of coconut. The feel is good. It has a heavy but smooth body to it with some light carbonation. Delicious and well worth it.

Nice bold flavor and easy drinking porter. On draft at the brewery. As usual, another nice Yards offering. Mocha notes and some rosary malt flavors.

 

On tap at the brewery, where I was told it was exclusive to the brewery. I did not bother to ask anything specific about the barrels in question.

Tulip pour is deep black and fairly fizzy with a chocolate-colored head. The aroma is stouty with just a bit 'o booze burn: not nearly as intense as, say, KBS, but much more approachable.

The flavor is very nice: an older school American porter: raw and fruity, charred bitterness up front with a slightly rough and sour middle, with everything smooth out just a wee little bit by the oaky vanilla nodes of the barrel aging. It's super complex but still very smooth and drinkable.