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:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #373
ABV:
11.7%
Score:
96
Ranked #817
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 5.98%
Reviews:
218
Ratings:
774
Status:
Active
Rated:
Monday at 02:03 AM
Added:
Aug 09, 2015
Wants:
  74
Gots:
  168
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 OnWisconsin:
Photo of OnWisconsin
Rated by OnWisconsin from Wisconsin

4.39/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

May 30, 2016
More User Ratings:
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.
Monday at 02:03 AM
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 Pennsylvania

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
Photo of 2beerdogs
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California

4.11/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2016 Bottle.
I wish I could remember which generous BA put this in my hands. I've had it for about 3-4 years.
Deep brown in color with a ruby to amber hue closer to the glass surface. Light khaki head rises and falls off pretty quickly.
Nose carries forth a pleasant mix of cinnamon, bark, mild caramel sweetness, charred barrel, and som coffee roast. A mild hint of date and stewed apples comes in also.
Flavor is more forward in the malt profile: baker's chocolate, toasty caramel, whiskey barrel, and some maple syrup. The cinnamon is light, and the barrel, coffee, and char only comes in after a bit. The hint of fruit that comes in is warm, almost like an apple brandy, but ever so light.
Mouthfeel is is full, lightly carbonated, with a warm finish. Pretty smooth.
Sep 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by gkrishnan704 from Connecticut

Jul 22, 2023
Photo of beergoot
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado

4.31/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dark brown body, clear pour; interesting two-tone head separated by colors and (apparently) density, light tan and thin head alongside a darker brown and thicker cluster foam. Great aroma; rich caramel and sweet chocolate with a boozy note; black coffee seeping into the nose. Big taste; brown sugar, maple syrup, coffee and bourbon; spicy. Heavy body; smooth and lightly syrupy; modest alcohol warmth throughout.

Overall a very good beer with a strange looking head. The vanilla beans and cinnamon used are somewhat hidden within the rest of the flavors, but the beer still drinks beautifully for a huge beer. The used bourbon barrel aging, I'm sure, really adds another dimension to the already high ABV. Potent and alluring.

Pouring temperature: 53.6 ℉; bottling info: 022253132573B
Source: @GreenBayBA
May 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by TCMike from Minnesota

May 06, 2023
Photo of Braunmeister_1943
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A very enjoyable imperial stout. Pronounced BA flavor with a subtle vanilla aroma. Slightly thin mouthfeel with a hint of cinnamon on the backend. Coffee flavor is present but not overpowering. The high abv is deceptively masked and not overwhelming. I’ll definitely be buying this again!
Mar 26, 2023
Photo of Mdog
Reviewed by Mdog from Minnesota

4.24/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Black, tight head.

Smell: Chocolate, then big barrel wood/vanilla.

Taste: The chocolate and barrel starts out strong, then big sweetened cinnamon note. Plenty of chocolate flavor throughout.

Overall: Tasty stuff, I'm not a big cinnamon fan but this had it in the right proportion. Not a lot of coffee to my taste buds. It did have some sludge—like undissolved cinnamon chunk or something?
Feb 25, 2023
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Alone by twilight, compounded with tears at midnight. No, I am not sad - just alive. To think and to breathe; and to breathe while I think… Could it be… Could I… Will I… And we…. What about “we”? But really, as I sit, as I sip, I wonder: What is it to be man? What is it to “be”?

If you can, rejoice in what is beautiful to you.
Feb 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by rare_bird from Michigan

Nov 09, 2022
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours dark brown with some lighter mahogany hues around the edges; the beige film quickly fades to a ringlet; leggy with a few spots

Smell: Cinnamon pastry with caramel, chocolate and Bourbon barrel tones

Taste: Cinnamon pastry forward with some caramel adding sweetness; chocolate flavors emerge and, after the swallow, the Bourbon envelops, bringing some vanilla and oak, as well

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with very low carbonation

Overall: A 2017 bottle so, after five years, much of the carbonation may have faded; I was surprised at how the cinnamon hung around; the coffee has disappeared and, while this was enjoyable, I suspect it would have been bigger, with more coffee and a better mouthfeel had I not been so neglectful to leave this bottle in my cellar for so long
Jul 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by MonkeyPilates from Minnesota

Apr 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4.31 by Ox8840bo from Illinois

Feb 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by TWStandley from Massachusetts

Nov 12, 2021
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle, fresh 2021 bottle

black, but some ruby highlights when held to the light. foamy head that quickly fades. aroma is complex - mild bourbon, espresso, mild cinnamon. similar flavor, deep roasty malt flavor without any booziness. fuller bodied, fairly slick mouthfeel
Sep 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by craigbelly from Iowa

Sep 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Aug 04, 2021
Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cassian Sunset from Central Waters Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 774 ratings