Barrel-Aged Operation Breakfast
Flying Dog Brewery

Purchased at Wegmans, Warrington, PA. 4pk/12oz bottles

Pours a dark, totally opaque, deep brown color. Not jet black. A thin beige colored head quickly fades to a skin.

Aromas of coffee and booze.

A stout that is really enhanced by the barrel-aging. Flavors of deep roasted coffee, vanilla, caramel and roasted malts that really have really sucked up the bourbon barrel aging. Definitely on the boozy side. The ABV is noticeable. Slightly bitter aftertaste.

Thinner consistency, medium carbonation.

Overall, a tasty stout that borders on being great but falls just a bit short. I wish it had a little bit heavier, creamier consistency that was more on par with the top-north stouts….Cheers!

 

Bottle dated 11/09/23 - I assume a "best by" date, although that's odd for an Imperial Stout - into pint glass. Pours a very dark brown, with a surprisingly fizzy head that quickly resolves to a cap. Initial impression is coffee, vanilla, and bourbon. Alcohol is not terribly well hidden. Mouthfeel is fairly smooth, but a little thin for my preference. Finish fades to a lingering coffee sweetness. Overall, not bad but I've had better.

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a medium chestnut brown with a small fizzy head. Aroma and flavor feature sweet vanilla, maple, bourbon, and nutty malts with some boozy heat which integrates well. Flavor is slightly less complex than the aroma indicated. Mouthfeel is slick and on the thin side, but not too hot. Overall it's a decent but not top shelf BA stout and goes down smoothly.

A solid BA stout. The maple and vanilla definitely come through which is very nice. It is too carbonated for the style and it's crazy, but the mouthfeel is what is keeping a good beer from being a great beer. Worth a try though as everything else hits all the right marks.

(12 oz bottle, 11. 09. 23; purchased single off shelf... poured into my Trillium fat tulip)

L: clear, sort-of dark but not-so-dark brown liquid... foam on the pour collapses quick into a spongy collar... one stamp of lace, but not much visual spectacle... its dark crimson hue is really throwing me off

S: malt mounds, marginal toffee... whiskey barrel character takes a sec to bust out... now there's roasty cakey-ness and bourbon demerara syrup... vanilla and coffee... mocha coffee cake... booze intensity subdued under the weight of the malt muck; watery-muddy

T: espresso-light, bourbon cream, tiramisu... crazy malt-milky... just messy overall; jagged, disjointed... has no direction or goal; bold, bulbous background blotch

F: oily, greasy envelope to a round, slightly flabby, contourless body... booze-attenuated viscous malt concentrate; vague heat at the back of the teeth...

O: it's ok?; dumped half of it... tasty, but not something I'd grab again (2093)

 

 

Best By: 11-09-23

A - Pitch black pour with a dense, one fingered caramel colored, layer of creamy foam resting on top.

S - Dark chocolate roast and coffee bean dominates the nose with underlying delicate Bourbon and light caramel. After the first few sips the nose dies down substantially.

T - Coffee base dominates followed by some roasted chocolate malt char. After that? Bourbon, vanilla, and a tad bit of cream. Lingering coffee char with a little bit of chocolate roast and Bourbon.

M - Medium body that's a little thin around the edges.

O - Pretty solid and glad to have tried.