Bourbon Bock
Maisel & Friends

Pours a clear, reddish amber coloration with a medium, frothy head. Smells of caramel malt, dark/red fruit, with notes of fig and cranberry and a certain bourbon barrel presence, with hints of vanilla and oak. Taste is a decent balance of bready, slightly toasted, caramel malt and hints of floral hops, as well as toffee, dark/red fruits, with notes of fig, dates and cranberry, and lighter vanilla, marzipan and honey accents, as well as hints of bourbon-soaked oak. Finishes rather sweet, with very little discernible bitterness and some toffee, red/dark fruit and marzipan lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

While this does have some distinct bourbon accents to it, the base beer seems to be somewhat lacking in complexity, without the proper richness to support the barrel treatment, resulting in an overly sweet brew that piles on notes of toffee, vanilla, marzipan and honey while the lightly dry and earthy oak notes don't quite manage to provide enough of a counterpoint here, with this also feeling just a tad too thin and boozy. For the price, I think this still makes for a reasonably enjoyable and interesting barrel-aged Bock with some distinct bourbon notes, although I would have hoped for a little more rich and nuanced balance and complexity.