Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Cherry Stout
Central Waters Brewing Co.

Poured from 12-ounce bottle into a snifter and allowed to warm. Deep brown color, with a light tan head. Good retention. Like many of these CW Brewer's Reserve stouts, this one hits its stride at or near room temperature. That's where the vanilla and tart cherry notes start to pop. Mouthfeel is on the light side, with tart cherry notes lingering on the finish. Not too boozy, this is a pleasant sipper.

 

Barrel-aged? Could’ve fooled me.

3-4 years ago Central Waters was killing the barrel aged beers. Cassian Sunset, Peruvian Morning, Scotch Ale, and the original BA stout. Then they started getting cute. Cocktail and desert- inspired barrel-aged brews. Not good.

This one has way too much cherry flavor, barely any vanilla and absolute no booze/barrel hints. Just dirty, bitter cherry flavor. Not good. Bought a 4-pack when these were released and they weren’t good. Aged one hoping it would develop a bit. Nope. Still bad. Really bad. I hope Central Waters gets back to their old ways with their barrel-aged line.

 

From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This solid little imperial pours a
deep blackish brown with a nice head of tan foam that settles to a thick ring,
thin dusty layer, and shows off some nice lacing. Nose of cherry, light bourbon,
muted vanilla, and subtle char with cherry being the most pronounced element
to this brew. Flavors lightly exceed the nose with cherry, bourbon, earthy malts,
light vanilla, light char, dark bakers chocolate, and a hint of coffee. Nice mouth
feel; medium body verging on medium full, light carbonation with a touch of zip,
lightly warming, and finishing moderately dry and tart from the cherries.

Overall, usually dig the Central Waters stuff...this one is not as well balanced as some of the
other offerings in the series.

Cheers

12 ounce bottle into a snifter. Dated 9/8/20, had 12/9/20.

Pours a dark copper, semi opaque, with a quarter inch foamy head and light foamy lacing. Aromas of vanilla, chocolate, some cherry, light oak and char, a hint of bourbon and a little coconut (?). Flavors of tart cherry, malt, chocolate, some vanilla, a little bourbon and oak. For whatever reason, I get a little coconut here, too. Smooth, a little dry, a somewhat thin fuller body, well carbonated.

Not much here to hang your hat on. The cherries and vanilla come through ok, but the barrels are weak and it’s pretty thin feeling. It’s not bad, but it’s not all that good, either and not up to par for the Brewer’s Reserve series. Would not recommend at a higher price point for what you get. Buy one bottle, if possible.

Dissapointed by this one. Reminded of a vanilla Dr. Pepper. Not enough depth, too thin, not much aroma.

 

Very dark brown with highlighting up top with the beige collar. The triad of bourbon, cherry and vanilla interact so well in the nose, lifting up the toasty oak, molasses, and dark chocolate malt. Taste starts with sharp cherry and wood, with decent booze, fortunately the cool vanilla and malts come in to help reel in the extreme somewhat. It's out there with how bright it is, barely feels like a stout, light cutting, bright, and woody. And yet I keep sipping out of curiosity, but ultimately find myself wanting more depth

 

a rare miss for CW

 

 

 

 

 

2020 Vintage
Attractive looking but the head is on the smallish side. Aroma of cherry, vanilla, bourbon, and chocolate. Smells like an indulgent dessert. But a pastry stout this is not. It is not sweet despite the strong cherry flavoring. More tart. The vanilla is subtle and compliments the cherry nicely. The barrel is much stronger in the aroma than in the flavor. Not getting much of anything from it. Feels a bit thin considering its ABV but is nicely carbonated.

 

a lot of flavor in this beer great from the first sip