Smoking Musket Stout - Rye Barrel Aged
Cousins Ale Works

I dIdn't really know anything about this tiny brewery (still not opened to the public at time of this review), and didn't expect a whole lot when taking a flier on this bomber, but was pleasantly surprised - this is a really enjoyable, drinkable and flavorful stout in a modest 6% abv package.

An agressive pour yields a big frothy tan head with decent retention and a little lace here and there. Looks a little thin but to be expected at this strength. Aroma isn't a strong suit; I detected a very faint sour note which thankfully didn't manifest in the taste at all. You get a lot of barrel in the nose which also had me somewhat concerned, thinking the beer would be totally off balance and overwhelmed by whiskey flavor, but that's not the case. In fact, I thought it was just right for me; I like rye a lot and appreciated it's strong presence, but the base beer isn't lost, and comes through with a nice blend of roasted, lightly smoky malt, black coffee, bittersweet chocolate and so forth, bitterness and sweetness both present and balanced well, with a short and mostly dry finish.

Body as mentioned is medium to slightly light and it's just a little fizzy but still has an appealing feel.

All in all this was a fun beer to drink and one that I'd buy again and recommend for those looking for a middleweight dark beer that doesn't skimp on the rye whiskey character.