Brewer's Reserve: El Ganador
Central Waters Brewing Co.

Poured from a twelve ounce can, the body is black with light tan head. Light lacing.

Aroma has a light tequila and a wee bit of roasted coffee. Taste follows nose with the tequila barrel more prominent. A bit boozy but no barrel heat. More coffee flavor than in aroma helps to balance the tequila a bit. I don’t pick up the nibs at all.

Mouthfeel is a little thin with light carbonation.

Here's a beer first tasted courtesy of Nik U in the backyard, 2017. Thanks buddy. Four packs subsequently acquired in 2025. Yet another helluva deal from Central Waters. Literally my favorite barrel aged brewery.

Pours black. Beige head, 1/3" deep. Really dig the aroma on this, legitimate tequila sweetness is very complimentary to the roasted malt. The coffee aspect of the nose makes it like that coffee tequila and kahlua like spirit. Booker T can dig it sucka!

The taste is likewise, exceptional, and unique. Chocolate, coffee, tequila, roasted malt, vanilla, in a lower carbonation body that is suited just right. The mouthfeel is both smooth and light despite this being a big ol barrel aged stout. Its insane to me that these are less than $5 a bottle/can. They're easy to drink despite all the stuff going on. Its one of my favorite stouts ever. I'm not even a tequila fan, but the nuance and mere suggestibility of it here is top notch.

12 oz can canned 4/17/25 into a snifter.
L: Pours very dark brown with a 1/4" khaki head that recedes quickly to edge foam, low carbo, no lacing.
S: Tequila, caramelized malts, molasses, an oak barrel note, dark fruits.
T: Woody, a light note of tequila, it is pale, brown bread, overripe dark fruits, fig, prune, sea salt, light char, it is gently sweet overall. A distant coffee note blends with dark cocoa esp towards the finish. It is lightly rich.
F: Smooth medium bodied mouthfeel with a medium length lightly drying finish.
O: A beautifully balanced Stout. Barrel, coffee, cocoa, and caramelized malts here are of a superior blend. No extreme dynamics and quite easy to drink. Gently rich but not overly complex. It is smooth and is excellent in its style.

 

Pours clear, dark brown in color with minimal head. Taste is big coffee, barrel, with coconut shard.shards. Heavy bodied, low carbonation, slightly bitter. Really good for a coffee stout. I am not a coffee drinker but I would drink this.