Grandpa Likes the Dark Stuff
Side A Brewing - Public House

aged several years in rye whiskey barrels, neat beer, didnt know these guys were making this kind of thing, and while its not perfect, its pretty darn solid, heavy barrel and rye character, not quite sold on the base stout without all that personality from the oak treatment, but its come together nicely, a slow sipper and a small doses thing at thins strength of course. nearly still on the draft pour, brown and shiny, but not quite as viscous as i expected given the stats, some legs to it, but also maybe a touch unrefined looking. the nose is cool, i get rum somehow too with the rye spice, like a raw cane sugar and booze aspect, hints of toasted coconut, raisin, and tobacco too, some light oxidation, strong fusel alcohol, and cocoa notes from the dark grain, not overly complex, the barrel leads for sure. the flavor is similar, and it doesnt taste tired. milk chocolate and chocolate malt at first, rye whiskey and some vanilla richness with it, toffee too maybe, trace smoke, black fig fruitiness, dark old leather, earthy, somewhat thin actually for what it is, long on the palate with late bitterness from the roast, fading coffee too, again the sort of brown sugar and molasses thing, really tasty, a firebreather for sure though, hot all the way through and especially so as it warms a bit. some carbonation would do a lot for this, i get it being light or nonexistent too, but some life feels needed in this one to me, it sags on the palate, feels overly intense, like somewhat of a work in progress still despite its maturity. love the long barrel time, the punchy rye, and the layers of grain in here though, and am glad to see these guys pushing like this. cool stuff, on tap at their new location.