Maple & Whiskey Barrel-Aged Stout
Long Trail Brewing Co.

From a 12oz bottle gifted me by my old "Bro" Artied2....

Original review from 11DEC23 but somehow got lost.... found my notes!

Poured a deep chestnut/mahogany. Seemed to be clear but hard to tell as it was quite dark. Head was tan, wispy and thin, with light lacing. Had aromas of roasted malts, dark choco, coffee, and some light whiskey and maple. Body was medium but could have been fuller. Prickle was light making it fairly smooth on the tongue.

Taste followed the nose, with more roasty notes, caramel, toffee, some choco and subtle whiskey and maple. Pretty solid overall! Prost!!

4.17/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2428

Ebony with a 1/4" tan head which fades to a wisp. Light lacing.

Aroma of maple, caramel, toffee, coffee, chocolate.

Taste is maple, caramel, toffee, coffee, chocolate, vanilla. Bourbon comes through as it warms.

Full body, light carbonatio. Dry, astringent finish.

This is a very good Barrel Aged Stout.

Drank out of a small goblet.
Poured an almost black with a thin tan head.
Smells of dark malts, some chocolate
Some whiskey.
Nice smooth silky mouth feel.
Full taste dominated by dark malts, hints of whisky, maple

Great pour with dark color. Smell is not strong when opened and not much head. Taste was perfect if you like the whiskey flavor. I would recommend this beer and drink it again

 

Nice pour, great dark color, not much head.

Not getting much in the smell.

Very nice flavor. Hint of maple. Smooth flavor.

Very delicious beer.

 

 

 

Poured from the 12 oz bottle into the test glass
A - Dark mahagony color, thin cap quickly exits. a tilt of the glass has some oily cling.
Shows me to anticpate sweetness
S - Maple , bourbon, vanilla, espresso, dark malt
T - All those aromatics and some spicey rye notes, some dark chocolate
M - Medium body, with a sweet thread thats omnipresent, without offending, nice linger
O - A very good offering, with excellent flavor

 

Pours a very deep dark brown, nice head considering barrel and abv; light brown settles to a nice film, swirling brings it right back, crystal clear when backlit.

Nose is light maple, some char, oak tannin heavy bourbon, nice chocolatey coffee presence as it warms.

The taste is first bourbon, again very oaky; followed by a pleasantly light and balanced maple presence; after which comes a distinct hit of coffee, rich in flavor strong black medium roast, just how I love to drink it, again, little bit of chocolate…the aftertaste is wonderfully balanced mix of dark malt and light maple.

Medium body, on the lighter side; medium to low carb, no heat or burn but there does come some sinus clearing and throat warming from the bourbon on the finish…as it goes down there is a little hint of bitter roast; very easy to drink, a light residual maple presence lingers on the tongue and lips.

 

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Very dark mahogany brown- as close to black as it gets. Khaki-colored head rises to a solid inch and settles after a while. Thin, broken rings of lacing.

S: Rich and sugary notes up front. Maple sugar candy and brown sugar. Figgy and almost candi sugar-esque as the malt aromas begin to blend. Blackstrap molasses and whispers of dark fudge sauce. Whiffs of blackberry syrup and concord grape. Very faint and subtle rye whiskey, with very subdued woody barrel notes that can very easily be missed if one does not know to look for them.

T: In taste it is a whole different ball game. Big flavors of tootsie roll and chocolate caramel chews up front. A dose of leathery/jerky notes. Smoke and medium roast coffee beans. Maple syrup is quite prominent and focal on the mid-palate. Those candi sugar-like and figgy/blackberry notes come into focus sharply but briefly, and then give way to a rye-focused whiskey barrel with golden raisins in tow. The finish is all wood and Canadian rye with a fat chewy caramel note and some brown cocoa powder lingering.

M: Full and chewy in the mouth. Plenty of residual sugars that have a mild coating effect, but stop short of being sticky. Carbonation is more than adequate, and adds a bit of lift and a slight prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue. Bit of carbonic bite. Just the softest expression of wood tannin. Just a hint of syrupy lip stickiness.

O: This is one of those beers that I think will be overlooked by the uber geek crowd, but it's solid for what it is and stands out for being different. The Whistlepig barrel is unique, but softer and more rye-focused; certainly not as brawny and bold as bourbon would be. The maple flavor is more nuanced with more of a raw feel rather than being straight maple syrup. In body and mouthfeel it is great in its balance and not too sticky but not dry. It does feel very "Vermont," and reminds me of how Lawson's incorporates maple into its brews. Maybe not earth-shattering and attention grabbing, but quietly confident and great in its own right. Well worth a drink.

Not bad for what I think is an early barrel aged venture from Long Trail / Harpoon / Whistle Pig…whatever the ownership structure is. Poured cool to a small snifter. Color is a dark sienna (YMMV). Tight tiny cell mocha head burns away quickly. Leaves some spotty islands on the side, but otherwise a clean glass. Aroma is pleasant light maple and stronger Whistle Pig whiskey. The first sip is a little disappointing, mostly because of my expected tastes. It starts less sweet than I imagined, and has a strong bitter finish. The actual stout foundation is solid: dark, clean, no strange flavors. After it aerates a bit, the bitterness is fading, opening up more barrel tannin traits, which works better for the overall taste profile. I am good with a sweeter stout as much as a drier stout, so Inwouldnt mind a smidge more maple flavor. It’s there toward the back, if you focus on finding it. Alcohol doesn’t bite, and has subtle warming. It’s worth trying. I get the impression aging won’t help it, so fresh is probably best. Be sure to let it breathe a few minutes before you jump into it.

 

 

Bottle. Near black with ring. Boozy molasses maple syrup and wood smoke aroma. Sweet per style but the whisky and the herbal woodiness clean it all up. Full body slick low carbo per style. Excellent.

 

12 ounce bottle packaged 10/25/23.

Moderate pour yields a 1/2 inch light tan head over a near black body with lacing.

Nose of roasted malt, chocolate malt, maple, and slight whiskey.
As it warms the whiskey aromas come forward.

Taste is maple and chocolate with whiskey.
As it warms all the flavors become more pronounced.

Mouthfeel is thinner than I had hoped with light to medium carbonation.

Overall, a pretty nice example of the style and would recommend giving it a try.
Cheers!