Bootlegger Barrel Series Imperial Oatmeal Stout (Chuckanut Bay Whiskey)
Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro

 

Poured a nice solid black color with over an inch of light brown head that had good retention and light lacing.

The aroma was led by oak and whiskey, with a solid roasty stout base.

Very similar on the tongue, with a bit of alcohol added to the profile.

The body was solid, but not overly full.

Drinkability was fine, my bottle was gone easily enough.

Overall, a solid example of a barrel aged stout. Worth a shot if you see it.

Pours a rich, dark brown with a fat, soupy finger of mocha-colored head. Minimal lacing.

Roasted malts, milk chocolate, red wine, light vanilla and berry notes show in the nose.

Much stronger berry and cherry cola show in the taste. I had assumed this was bourbon barrel aged before cracking it, but am now guessing rum — it’s stronger and less oaky than most wine barrel beers.

The roasted malts and chocolate from the nose continue. There is some molasses cookie mid-palate, and there is also a hint of bourbon-like vanilla and caramel far behind, as well as a light kiss of alcohol. The finish is semi-dry, sort of like what I imagine an Irish stout that had been barrel-aged would taste like.

It’s not the thickest beer on earth, but I would call it full bodied and there’s definitely some oatmeal stout smoothness with light carbonation cutting through.

The roasted malts in this one are just shy of leaving a nutty impression, and for such a large, complex beer, it comes across quite dry to me. It’s a fun sipper that’s an absolute pleasure to try.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a thin brown head that dissipates to slight patches and a ring around the glass with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, light whiskey, light molasses and chocolate. Flavor is similar, dark toasted malt with slight char, cocoa, light oaky vanilla, a faint fruity flavor (maybe rum barrel?). Medium bodied with light creaminess and good carbonation. A flavorful barrel aged stout with a great balance of malt, chocolate and barrel influence, which leans mostly to whiskey character. Body light for an oatmeal stout and a little heavier body would have helped the mouthfeel of this quite a bit. On the other hand, but flavor is so nicely put together and even handed on the barrel notes that it is still a fine stout offering. I guess this series has been around for a while, but this is the first bottle I've ever seen; I'll be looking for it again in the next iteration. This might need a new entry or name change, because this is not a Chuckanut Whiskey specific barreling this time.

Received this in a BIF, it pours a nearly black body with some leakage around the edges, tan head dissipated almost immediately. The aromas include some light chocolate, heavy vanilla and coconut, and some ripe fruit.

The taste is cocoa, vanilla and coconut from the barrel, and something like cherries that elevates this significantly. If it had a bit more body, this would be world-class. Excellent beer from Boundary Bay.