Eighteen
Central Waters Brewing Co.

3.9/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by jrc1093 from Connecticut

2016 vintage (released 1/2016); consumed on 4/9/2022

Pours a velvety, dense, ink-black body topped with two fingers of rich, creamy, khaki-hued foam; good head retention leaves a thin layer of frothy cap, an expansive collar, and minimal webs of lacing holding to the walls of the glass.

Aromas of stewed plums hint toward a dark chocolate umami as tinges of black raspberry meet subtle vanilla, while a drier bakers cocoa into the back end sees toffee and light oak accents along with clean, roasty malts closing.

Taste brings roasted cacao with milk chocolate undertones against an attenuated barrel char highlighting a robust oak profile over the mid-palate while hints of black raspberry and dark fruit esters linger through the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a silky medium body sporting minimal carbonation into a light char and ample drying over the mid-palate; a distant twang hinting toward the slightest suggestion of oxidation fades to a quasi-creamy lingering through back end for a delicately robust finish with mild heat.

Basic in its direct impressions of a roast-forward profile grazed by oak barrel undertones, the execution is clean and shows only a softening over time in the bottle; another example of an accomplished baseline set for the Central Waters stout portfolio.

Apr 10, 2022

4.27/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Pours a beautiful rich black color with a thin brown head on top. The smell of the beer has a bold boozy chocolate roast aroma to it. The taste of the beer is much like the nose but has some molasses in there too. The feel is smooth but has a boozy heat to it that is undeniable, yet pleasing based on the style of the beer. Overall it's a very good Imperial Stout and shows no sign of falling off even after a few years of age.

Sep 19, 2021

4/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by GuyFawkes from Illinois

Released January 2016; drank 12/2/16 @ Harvest Hop Haus.

Black/brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a small, noisy tan head; minimal lace.

Oak, bourbon, dark chocolate & black cherry notes in the nose.

Thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Oak, dark chocolate & bourbon heat flavors up front; sweet milk chocolate notes on the finish. Vanilla & black cherry notes emerged as this warmed.

It was boozy when chilled, but once warm this blossomed into a real treat. I bet it gets even better from here...

Mar 11, 2019

4.49/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by rodbeermunch from Nevada

Boy do I love me some CW barrel aged beers, the absolute best value in the world of barrel aged beers. This one pours like every other anniversary beer they've made: Black with a 1/2" brown head. Aroma of bourbon first and foremost. Then some roast and chocolate malt. Hops and wood stay off the nose for the most part.

Taste is where this beer excels. Deliciously layered bourbon, chocolate, roasted malt and oak to a lesser extent. Hides the alcohol amazingly well, not bitter or excessively hopped like some of those 100ibu imperial stouts out there. The chocolate feels are dark and fudgy. There is a mild current of earth, tobacco, wood, unsweetened caramel and leather in the mouth feel. Just when you think it is a simple straightforward barrel aged stout, it gives you those nuances as it warms on the back half of the course.

Carbonation appropriate. Only $15 a bottle is a steal, only bested by their $15/4 packs of barrel aged product.

Mar 19, 2018

4.75/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by cosmicevan from New York

Love these central waters anniversaries...obtained via trade some point not all that long ago. In a word....damn. I rarely use the terms leathery or tabacoo to describe a beer but if there's one, this is it. The barrel aging is refined and mature. Really great example of how great a BA stout can be. Mm mmm mmm.

Mar 19, 2018

4.29/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Slack from Virginia

22 oz
2016
$15?

Deep brown to black with minimal head and a thin but complete ring of head.

Nose is bourbon, oak, a bit of heat, and minor coffee.

Taste is mellow bourbon, oak, a bit of char, minor cocoa, minor leather, and caramel.

Mouthful is medium to heavy with the minorist bit of roughness. Carbonation is low. Finish is semi sweet.

A very nice Bourbon barrel stout. Nothing wrong here. Balanced and mellow with maybe a touch too much oak. At the same time, struggling to find this as highly rated as others. Would recommend nonetheless.

Sep 09, 2017