Bodega - Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
West Coast Grocery Co.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a half finger dark khaki head with good retention and slippery lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, bourbon, chocolate, hints of dark stone fruit and vanilla. Flavor starts with dark toasted malt, bourbon, light chocolate and vanilla, but an astringent booziness develops into the finish with some lingering bitter oak. Medium bodied with light creaminess and sharp carbonation. Hmm. This smelled and started nicely, but there is a strange medicinal, almost metallic astringency in the finish that lingers as a woody, boozy flavor. Not sure if this is excessive oaking or whether something is off with this bottle. Promising start, but not what I expected.