Street Corner Karate
Brink Brewing Co.

12 FL OZ bottle
Served in snifter
2019

This beer pours black and has no head.

It smells of cherry. Maybe some raspberry? Definitely a red berry flavor. No adjuncts listed on the bottle. Infected? It smells like a flavored stout. It smells like a chocolate covered cherry.

Lots of raspberry flavor up front. Raspberry carries throughout the taste. Slightly tart. Slightly sweet. There is some underlying chocolate. The raspberry is front and center.

Medium bodied with a flat mouthfeel

After originally thinking this was an infected beer I did some sleuthing and realized it was a raspberry and white chocolate version. I thought it was just a barrel aged stout which I would have preferred. But my decease friend gave me this beer in 2019. I loved it because he did. RIP Sean. FUCK als.

Collaboration with Party Source in Bellevue, KY and the Cincinnati Craft Beer Club. Russian Imperial Stout aged in Knob Creek Bourbon barrels. Poured from a bottle into a Taft's tulip. Very dark pour - not quite black - and seems to be of pretty average viscosity. Typical barrel-aged stout nose with the familiar notes of roasted malt, unsweetened cocoa, espresso, vanilla, and bourbon. I really get the bourbon on this one. It is quite strong compared to other barrel-aged stouts.

Full body with a velvety feel and a rich, fudgy flavor. Up front the first flavors I get are a sorgum-sweet molasses and roasted malt, then the roast starts to ramp up a bit and baker's chocolate and espresso creep in. Their entrance coincides with the bourbon and the toasted oak from the barrel. All of these flavors come in balanced and stay balanced. Additionally, there is a very pleasant booziness that adds richness and depth to all of the other flavors. There is no detectable oxidation or dark fruit or other offputting flavors that would detract from the experience. Just a really rich, easy to sip beer. Lingering flavors of molasses, vanilla, and bourbon remain with you.

I bought this bottle at the brewery when it was released. It was cold and rainy and the good folks at Brink really need to figure out a way to make that line move a little faster (hint: go to Listermann's for a release some time and do what they do). Still, I'm very glad I picked this up (and the other two that I still have to look forward to). When you've had as many of these barrel-aged beers as I have, you start to think they all taste the same. It's refreshing when you come across one that is a little bit unique. This one has all the characteristics, but that sorgum-like flavor (especially the way it lingers on the finish) just makes it something special. If it had a little bit more of a milk chocolate-like note, it might be one of those epic beers. I hope Brink makes this beer again. I would definitely like to revisit it.