Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cassian Sunset
Central Waters Brewing Co.

Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cassian SunsetBrewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cassian Sunset
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From:
Central Waters Brewing Co.
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Imperial Pastry Stout
Ranked #338
ABV:
11.7%
Score:
96
Ranked #854
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 5.98%
Ratings:
790 | reviews: 225
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 21, 2026
Added:
Aug 09, 2015
Wants:
  74
Gots:
  169
A bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with local Emy J's coffee, whole vanilla beans, and cinnamon. The flavor profile of this wonderful beer boasts a lush mouthfeel, with just the right amount of creamy spice character to meld with the rich malt and barrel-aged profile.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Bishop:
Photo of Bishop
Rated by Bishop from Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Feb 22, 2025
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.95 by Taybeh from Minnesota

Mar 21, 2026
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.24/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce bottle, notch on label says 2021 vintage. Big thanks to Brutaltruth for this! Served in a chalice, the beer pours dark brown/black with not quite an inch tan head that stuck around for a little while. Small amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, roasted malt, and some bourbon. I think the taste is pretty much like the aroma, but there's also the addition of some burnt/charred malt and dark chocolate flavors. No one flavor overpowered the others here, and there's a good amount of barrel character even with the age. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and a bit creamy with a lot of carbonation. I liked this one a lot, would like to try this one again in the future!
Feb 13, 2026
Photo of jrmills20
Rated by jrmills20 from Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Excellent stout! The cinnamon and vanilla are amazing together.
Nov 16, 2025
Photo of Nash39
Reviewed by Nash39 from Florida

4.49/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
The pour is motor oil black with a tan & frothy head of foam that dissipates quicker than expected. The taste is rich roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, bourbon barrel, vanilla beans, & cinnamon. Additionally, the 11.6% abv drinks more like a 9% abv beer. Cheers! A-
May 27, 2025
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

4.37/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Solid black appearance
Light carbonation with an above average body,slightly slick and oily
Aroma is cinnamon hovering over malt,roasted malt, coffee, rich fudge like chocolate
Taste is very identical to aroma with it being more dry than expected
Apr 27, 2025
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.02/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Received a 12 oz bottle as part of the Barleywine/Stout BIF#1 on 11-4-23 courtesy of mikexw. Bottled presumably in 2023; consumed for review 4-11-25.

Beer poured black with a decent sized fizzy tan head that dissipated quickly.

Nose is cinnamon forward along with some mocha and a touch of vanilla.

Taste is a large malt base that immediately yields to the cinnamon with a touch of coffee in the background. Barrel lends a touch of wood and vanilla while bringing a nice warmth and balancing character.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and is smooth.

Overall, a nice beer but a too much cinnamon. Probably best had when fresh when coffee is fresh and not faded.
Apr 11, 2025
 
Rated: 4.2 by Roguer from Connecticut

Apr 06, 2025
 
Rated: 4.5 by doctorgary from New York

Mar 31, 2025
 
Rated: 4.44 by BeerLover99 from Illinois

Mar 07, 2025
Photo of FRANKHAZE
Rated by FRANKHAZE from Florida

3.92/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Nice cinnamon stout.
Mar 04, 2025
Photo of WunderLlama
Reviewed by WunderLlama from Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Brewers notes: A bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with local Emy J's coffee, whole vanilla beans, and cinnamon. The flavor profile of this wonderful beer boasts a lush mouthfeel, with just the right amount of creamy spice character to meld with the rich malt and barrel-aged profile.

Can received from Bishop in stouts and barley wines 2 bif

Canned 12.19.24 / opened 2.22.24, poured into an Ozark beer co snifter

Dark brown cola liquid produced a creamy taupe one finger foam layer, reduces to a thick layer , spotty lacings

Aroma is sweet bourbon, whiff of cinnamon, whiff of vanilla

Taste is sweet bourbon , cinnamon , vanilla

Mouthfeel is smooth and relaxed , slight bourbon heat , medium mouthfeel , not light, not syrupy

This is a fine beer
Feb 22, 2025
Photo of keithmurray
Reviewed by keithmurray from Connecticut

4.06/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance - Dark mahogany body with tan head

Smell - cinnamon, coffee, dark chocolate, oak

Taste - coffee, dark chocolate, oak, cinnamon, vanilla

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, coffee and cinnamon dominate followed by dark chocolate and vanilla

Overall - pretty good barrel aged mexican style stout. Worth a try.

Price Point - $19.99/4 pack 12 oz cans
Feb 22, 2025
 
Rated: 4.21 by snowmageddon from Massachusetts

Nov 27, 2024
Photo of tradershmulie
Rated by tradershmulie from Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Good pour, no real head.

Smell was nice, but not very strong.

Very smooth and easy to drink, thin in a good way.

Delicious. Very good beer.
Aug 27, 2024
Photo of moysauce
Rated by moysauce from Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
"A bit more vanilla and this is A+" -my Untappd on Jun 15, 2018
Apr 02, 2024
Photo of Blogjackets
Reviewed by Blogjackets from Ohio

4.11/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a twelve ounce bottle, the beer is a deep brown with almost zero head. Light, sparse lacing.

Aroma is bourbon barrel and coffee with a light cinnamon.

Taste follows nose with vanilla appearing and balancing the cinnamon. The barrel is assertive, but not overwhelming, and is met with a sugary sweetness which nicely balances the two strong flavors but masks (for me) the coffee flavor carried in aroma.

Mouthfeel is good, a coating of a bourbony goodness and tingly carbonation.

An excellent stout that kept getting better as it warmed. This morning the uncapped beer, despite being flat, was fantastic. Enough cinnamon had faded to bring the taste into my wheelhouse. Another winning stout by Central Waters.
Mar 25, 2024
Photo of krh
Rated by krh from Illinois

3.89/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Too syrupy. A nice sipper, but nothing feels world class. 2022 version and I'm missing the nuanced flavors.
Jan 14, 2024
Photo of Ushouldbeworkinh
Reviewed by Ushouldbeworkinh from England

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2022 version, smell is vanilla bourbon, taste is much more coffee, with a slight hint of cinnamon at the end. A bit too thin feel, but very smooth. Little carbonation and bitterness
Dec 31, 2023
Photo of The_Kriek_Freak
Reviewed by The_Kriek_Freak from Greenland

4.31/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A lovely bourbon barrel aged imperial stout that showcases nicely all of the extra ingredients (bourbon barrel, coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon but also offers a subtle spiciness at the end (as if it contained some sort of chilli pepper). Very complex and utterly delicious.
Nov 13, 2023