Keyser Soze - Barrel-Aged
Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse

 

 

 

 

On Tap

2012 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest
Paso Robles, CA

Black throughout with a small brown head. This looks oily and menacing as I swirl it. This leaves the glass with an oily sheen.

Very sweet and bourbon-forward aroma. It makes for quite the combination. The sweetness comes in layers of brown sugar, maple syrup, and burnt chocolate, with the bourbon sting of alcohol adding some (harsh) depth.

The aroma is slightly more successful than the flavor, as this is incredibly sweet. The burnt sugars, charred chocolate, and maple flavors emerge, making this one of the sweetest big stouts I've tried. The bourbon character is nice, though not as complementary as it is in the aroma.

Medium bodied with low-moderate carbonation.

Good, but very, very sweet.

 

This beer took me by surprise and quickly rose to the top of my list!

Poured into a snifter from a growler.

A: Deep inky black color. Very minimal carbonation, quick dispersing head but what appears is espresso/tan colored.

S: Huge aroma. Bourbon/oak, vanilla, chocolate/dark roasty-ness. Alcohol is present but not as strong as expected.

T: Big chocolate and bourbon, vanilla and wood, nice thick body, low carbonation. Very well balanced, alcohol appears on the way down. A sipper indeed!

O: Unbelievable treasure. I would definitely seek this out again, back to the brewery! One cup is more than enough. Can't believe how well it held up in a growler riding 3K miles back with me! If you ever see it, get you some.

Draft @ Triple Rock, served in a wine glass. 2010 vintage bourbon barrel aged for 10 months.

Appearance: Pours a near opaque dark brown with little carbonation or head.

Smell: Really nice rich bourbon aroma, somewhat warming but not particularly harsh. Brownies, caramel, faint soy sauce. Sturdy oak backbone.

Palate: Bourbon-infused chocolates. Big caramel presence balanced by moderate oak tannins, light soy sauce, mild heat. Pretty big body, and pretty sweet, too, but it doesn't come across as cloying. Clean, almost mild finish with reigned-in heat and a bit of lingering cocoa.

Overall: A very enjoyable barrel aged RIS with impressively well hidden alcohol. Not quite world class, but not far from it.

 

Everything about this beer is good. Had on tap at the Toronado SF two days ago. Served in a tulip.

Sipper for sure, took a good 40 min for me to put this Soze back. Pitch black pour, no real head to speak of. Good.

S - Best aspect of this beer. Huge Vanilla upfront followed by equal amounts of Bourbon, then a fudgy chocolate and roast to top it off. Reminded me a bit of BCBS.

T - Much of the same as the nose but still pretty hot. A few years would do this beer good.

M - Full body but a little lacking in the finish. Carbonation was a bit low but actually very suiting for the style.

0 - Very good beer. I read a previous review describe best beer no one will ever hear of. Pretty spot on I'd agree. Not quite on par with the KBSs, BCBSs, and Parabolas of the overly discussed heavy hitters here on BA but a fantastic specimen nevertheless...

On tap at Blue Palms. Went back the next day for more! Pours with a glass coating black body. Insane legs, and a small, quickly fading tan head. Aromas are HUGE! Wood, brown sugar and a TON of maple! Chocolate, oak, pencil shavings, alcohol and vanilla. Big bourbon and oak flavors. Maple, brown sugar, fudge, cola. Very smooth all things considered. Some light oxidation. Huge, malty, vanilla, aged bourbon. Very complex malt, alcohol and barrel interactions. Big, syrupy, chocolate syrup. Tannic, light bubbles, creamy. Mellow, but you can certainly feel the alcohol after a few minutes. Very warming. Excellent beer!

On-tap at Blue Palms for Drakes/Triple Rock Tap Takeover

A: The beer pours thick and black with a finger of tan head that fades away after a few minutes.

S: An intensely rich aroma of whiskey and vanilla, and a little bit of oak, too. Maybe a hint of soy sauce, but it's drowned out by all the good smells. Some roast and dark chocolate are also there, along with a hint of maple syrup.

T: The roast is slightly more prominent on the palate, but the sweetness is where this beer shines. Whiskey, vanilla, caramel, and maple syrup combine to provide a truly pleasurable drinking experience.

M: Full in body with a somewhat low, but intensely smooth carbonation and mouthfeel.

O: One of the best beers that no one will ever hear of. I love this stuff.

Served in a snifter at Blue Palm's Drake's/Triple Rock tap take over.

Pitch black with a very tiny head that disappears almost immediately. Big ol oily legs.

Smells of ripe dark fruits that are quickly over powered by vanilla, bourbon, brown sugar, and toffee notes. Some estery alcohol, but surprisingly mellow on the booze notes considering the abv.

Big ripe fruits up front. A bit wine like at first, but just as in the nose the -bals takeover. Lucious notes of bourbon, vanilla, smoothe woody notes, some brown sugar, and some light woody sherry notes on the finish.

Heavy, rich, lucious, and surprisingly smooth. The heat is really only noticeable going down.

Some straight ballered out shit right here. Big and powerful, but it hides it's power rather than flaunting it. Until you finish your glass and you wonder what the crap just happened to you, and you look up at Blue Palms' Boob Tube and realize what was just in your glass was 15% abv. Seriously impressed at how well hidden/integrated the alcohol is.

On tap @ Beachwood BBQ (12/23/10) - from notes:

Pours basic black with just a few bubbles swimming on the surface. Nose is dominated by bourbon, then molasses and brown/maple sugar notes. Tastes of sweet stone fruits, like a very good Quad. Complex blend. A tad boozy. Mouthfeel is ginormous, thick and chewy. Barrel aged 1.5 years. Holy smokes - make sure this is the last one of the night and go slow.

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours dark as a black hole, with a very mild smattering of bubbles, though it can be expected at this high an ABV.

S: Heavy thick bourbon, brown sugar, and maple syrup nose. Dark chocolate, robust and powerful.

T: Maple and vanilla soaked wood. Whiskey barrel character takes over the malt, very tasty.

M: Extremely full-bodied, up there with Dark Lord and Black Tuesday. Thick, a bit boozy but with a smooth finish.

D: Reminds me of an imaginary blend of Canadian Breakfast Stout and Old Viscosity. Delicious, but the huge body makes it a very slow sipper.