Old Man Shaggy's Rye Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Double Tap Brewing

Reviewed 3 days after bottle release. Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a stout glass at 52°. It pours a dark walnut color with cola hues at the bottom of the glass. The frothy, medium-mocha head fizzled away very quickly leaving no discernible lacing. Its smell includes roasted malt, char, tobacco ash, burnt coffee grounds, and just a whiff of chocolate. The effect of the rye barrel is quite strong; it's dry and somewhat bitter. Initially, it overwhelms the base Stout but the balance improves as it warms and breathes in the glass. Beneath are notes of acidic coffee and burnt nuts. Only as it warms do I detect some sweeter notes of chocolate and caramel. There is a dry, slight bitterness throughout. The mouth feel is rather thin with moderate carbonation, and while the 8.6% ABV is modest for an Imperial Stout, you can feel it. Overall, I commend Double Tap for its first bottled, barrel-aged offering. There is lots of upside for this recipe. One definite issue is the price point. While I understand the production cost - I cannot justify paying more for this than for a bottle of BCBS.