Bourbon Barrel Aged Double IPA
Big Bear Brewing Company

Poured from a 16-oz can simply stamped “WINTER 2024”. It was purchased at the Charlton location 3-days ago. Poured to a diagonally cut tumbler a little above 50 degrees F.
The pour stream is like a dark cola or rootbeer. Once in the glass it is opaque black. The head is an animated tan mix of large and small bubbles that settle to an extremely thin glass-hugging ring in about 1-minute.
The aroma is obviously Bourbon, but chocolate is there too.
The taste has the Bourbon in the front, but there is more. Chocolate is there of course but the finish is almost all candied fruit.
The body is medium but there is a sticky lip sensation. A bit more carbonation would help this beer.
Overall, a little thin, but very flavorful.

 

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a one-finger, head of off-white foam. It left sticky sheets of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled floral with notes of vanilla, citrus, oak and caramel.

T - Strong vanilla flavor with some floral flavors. There is a mild oak flavor with some sweet caramel. There is a subtle spicy/bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is an interesting oak aged IPA. It is a little unbalanced with too much vanilla flavor.

I have had Big Bear's servings at the Florida Brewer's Festival, but this little tastey treat is something they do not bring with them. Golden, yet cloudy. Grapefruit colred is a little too light for the color since it was closer to gold then the yellowish color. The smell was like a Double IPA, but there is a noticible hint of the Jack. The taste is a little harsh at the first hit of the taste buds, but it really opens up to a postive light after the beer hits one's more mature taste buds. The Jack hints dance with the natural flavor the beer. It was well worth the trip 250 miles for me to taste this beer. I liked it so much, I made the trip twice.

The reason for my travelling tonight to the brewpub, on recomendation by Josh Oakes. Cloudy grapefruit with a lttle bubbly head and some lace. A fruity aroma, marvellous, whiskey in the secondary. The use of a Jack Daniels cask makes this a most interesting concotion. The big bitterness, and then the bourbon mixing i the mouth. Above average mouthfeel. A dary aftertaste, and a residual sweetness there.