Bo And Luke - Tequila Barrel
Against The Grain Brewery

750ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours deep brown in color with a one-finger creamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- plenty of smoke still on the nose, adding aromas of smoked meat, campfire and smoked wood. Undertones of chocolate, charred malt, maybe a hint of tequila if you really look for it

T- big blast of smoke up front gives some meaty notes, as well as smoked wood and anise. Mid-palate gives some dark fruit notes of fig and prune, as well as some chocolate. The tequila barrel pops up at the finish, although subtle, but adds a nice compliment to the smoke

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns creamy into a warming finish

O- I wasn't sure about the smoke and tequila combo, but it almost gives it a mezcal vibe, well done

A gold waxed 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date, but should be 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a one finger tanned head that had decent retention, and left spotty lacing.

Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, oak, soft sweet notes of tequila, and a touch of smoke.

Taste: Light roast, chocolate, cocoa, oak, and subtle notes of tequila and smoke.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: Not as good as the other 2106 variants (red wine barrel and Islay scotch barrel) as the smoke and tequila were rather subtle, and the body was for some reason, lighter than I’d hope for.

750 mL bottle from the original October 2016 release. I was hoping that a few years' time would mellow out the tequila barrel without unduly affecting the rest of the beer, given how robust and smoky the base Bo and Luke is. That's turned out to be the case, with still a gorgeous pour, big smoke, subtle meatiness, oak, and dark-roasted grains on the nose. Very flavorful, with pronounced tequila character in comparison to other variants, but not a blast of tequila to the face. The corn also provides a touch of sweetness for balance.