12 Seasons of Slumber
Central Waters Brewing Co.

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. A 2023 release with a blue label. The 2024 release with a green label has a separate listing.

Pours a dark brown, opaque, with a half inch foamy head and no real lacing. Aromas of bourbon, roasted malt, oak, wheat, chocolate, some leather. Has a bit of a spicy aroma. The flavors are pretty much the same- bourbon, roasted malt, oak, wheat, chocolate, some leather, light tobacco, a little vanilla. Smooth, a very good fuller body, well carbonated.

The barrels are great- I really enjoy the wheated bourbon barrels. While there’s terrific aromas and flavors here, overall there’s just something missing that holds this back from a top rating. Plenty delicious, though.

I had written up a full review of this beer and a refresh just made it go away, so sorry, but I’m not writing it again.
It’s good, but it’s not the best beer to spend your money on.
Cheers

Cellared a year. Pitch black body with a tan ring. Great bourbon barrels with cola, bakers chocolate, mild toasted caramel, a hint of tootsie roll, and minor leather. Taste has licorice and leather dotting bourbon barrels, molasses, bakers chocolate, toasted caramel with a kiss of vanilla on the finish. Feels very warm with booze, thick but not too heavy, slightly sticky, and dry, a more classic approach that is appreciated

650ml bottle, 2023 release, poured into a stemless wine glass. Enjoyed on 12.25.2023, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a nice jet black color, thick, viscous with a fizzy tan head, poor retention and no lacing. The aroma is nice, huge barrel character, hot spirit, charred oak, toffee, chocolate, dark grains, toasted coconut and brown sugar. The flavors are good, tons of chocolate, rich, decadent, big barrel character, chewy and earthy oak, hot bourbon spirit, toasted grain, char, coconut, stone fruits, oxidized raisin, and leather. The mouthfeel is good, coating, heavier medium body, thick, smooth with a boozy finish.

Verdict: A nice barrel aged stout from Central Waters. The extended barrel aging brings out some oxidized flavors but the barrel character is very nice.

This beer is incredible. Pours a viscous body, something I don’t often see in CW BA stouts. At the nose is a ton of bourbon. In the mouth, plenty of bourbon with dark chocolates. Heavy warmth and full bodied. Of all the barrel aged stouts I have drank over the years, this is definitely one of the more bourbon forward beers. Some people might not appreciate this and others will absolutely love it. I for one loved this beer.

poured from a 22oz bomber (green label edition) into a CW snifter. pours dark brown but settles in the glass a shiny black with half a finger of dark mocha brown foam head. massive booze and wood on the nose. on the taste i get more chocolate but its impossible to cut through the on the nose with all the barrel notes this thing carries. as it hits room temp i do get some char and chewing tobacco aromas but it’s mostly bourbon and oak. full mouthfeel with a noticeable carb to it in the finish but honestly makes it seem a little easier to drink. this is intense but part of me also thinks that’s the point here. 3-year aged imperial stout with over-the-top oak and bourbon attributes. i liked it. maybe a year or so age would help calm things down but i also think some of these imperial stouts that age for so long in the barrel tend to not age all that well in the bottle. this is good now anyways.

 

Pours dark, a light remaining lacy head. Smell of dark malt, vanilla wood bourbon barrel. Taste is interesting - bourbon barrel seems to be the biggest flavor. Dark fruit tang is strong as well. A slight soy sauce to the feel, medium bodied, assertive booze. Pretty good.

 

 

Released 12/22/23; drank 1/1/24 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

An even pour yielded a nice, noisy tan head; decent lacing remained.

Big wood notes in the nose, plus mild dark chocolate & faint cream as well.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Big wood flavors up front, plus some dark chocolate; cream & strong bourbon heat notes on the finish.

A big, simple bruiser of a bourbon barrel aged stout; it's boozy, straight-ahead & not real nuanced. However, it's drinkable if this kind of beer is up your alley. I think they could have stuck to aging this for one year; as it is, the base beer is dominated by barrel and booze.