Question: Penrose BBA Spectral and Iteration 001

They were both pretty hot on tap at the release but the regular BBA was hotter. The Iteration was a bit more mellow from the adjuncts in it. I like a little bit of heat in my BA stouts though so I really enjoyed both of them.

 

I had Iteration 001 tonight on tap. I thought it was hot but I like to see the BBA beers mellow out a bit. To me, the cinnamon actually accentuated the heat of the bourbon. I still loved it but having had it fresh, I'd age it a bit to see how it develops.

 

I haven't cracked any bottles yet, but at the taproom I thought BBA Spectral was almost a vehicle for the 4 Roses barrel. It was a tad hotter than I expected but it could also have been that it isn't a big thick stout. I actually liked the heat because the bourbon and barrel character were my favorite parts of the beer. I haven't opened a bottle yet, but I'd say that compared to others on the market it was certainly more bourbon forward than most given the 10% ABV. Luckily at the allocation we were allowed and the $8 price point, aging is certainly an option.