Its my 33rd birthday today so I've decided to crack open something that I've been sitting on for a little while. Everything about this beer is appealing to me, the strength, the style, the rye and of course the whiskey barrel aging. When its your birthday don't be shy about cracking open one of those beers that you're saving for the right occasion!  

From the  bottle:

"Imperial Rye Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. Statement of Composition: 40% Malt Beverage aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. 60% Malt Beverage. The Dirty Old Man on the label is saying, "Gimme a sponge bath."

Here we go...

Pour - almost jet black in appearance but when the light hits it there is some nice auburn hues. The thin white head goes quickly and leaves a halo of off-white film around the liquid level. 

Aroma - lots of chocolate and fudge up front with vanilla and bourbon in the back.  The chocolate aroma is quite formidable which was a bit of surprise really. This does however smell incredible with some nice alcoholic heat tickling the nose. 

Taste - oh man is that good. Big chocolate malt sweetness on the tongue is followed by some slightly acidic bourbon flavors, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. The finish is very much like red wine, its dry and vinous. There is some nice spiciness to this as well that comes out more as it warms. Absolutely delicious beer with multiple layers of awesomeness. 

Overall - this really impressed me. So much flavor and velvety smooth on the tongue. The bourbon barrel aging was just right for the style, not too overpowering and it let the sweet maltiness of this porter shine as well as the subtle rye spice. Outstanding work from the folks at Tyranena. What I wouldn't do to try their most recent offering from their "Brewers Gone Wild" line which is a "Chipotle Smoked Imperial Porter". Wow!

Would I buy more of it? - again, I wish I could. I'd love to have a few more bottles of this in the cellar. 

Note - Tyranena's "Brewers Gone Wild" line is "a series of big, bold, ballsy beers". So far the lineup has included:

• Who's Your Daddy? Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter
• Bitter Woman from Hell Extra India Pale Ale
• Spank Me Baby! Barley Wine-Style Ale
• The Devil Made Me Do It! Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Porter
• High Class Broad Imperial Brown Ale Aged in Brandy Barrels
• Stickin' It To The Man Extra India Pale Ale
• Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter Aged in Rye Barrels
• Devil Over A Barrel Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels
• Scurvy IPA brewed with Orange Peel 
• Paradise by the Dash Board Lights Doubly Blessed Cherry Porter
• Bitter Woman In The Rye... an India Pale Ale brewed with rye malt
• Hop Whore Imperial India Pale Ale

Here it is! The one and only Kentucky Breakfast Stout (a.k.a KBS) from Founders. This is a beer a lot of us beer geeks look forward to spotting on the shelves and then buying as many bottles as we can. As far as bourbon-barrel aged stouts go this is definitely one of the very best. If you see it, buy it!

From the Founders site:

"What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year, to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Make your taste buds squeal with delight."

Here we go...

Pour - motor oil. Very dense, very dark and very rich looking as it fills the glass. Pretty thin tan-colored head that spreads and dissipates. Looks ominous and inviting all at once.

Aroma - where do I begin? Rich, strongly brewed dark-roast coffee mixed with vanilla extract, classy bourbon, burnt sugar, molasses and the type of strong alcohol that tickles your nose as it warms your sinuses. Incredible.

Taste - a flood of warming bourbon, vanilla, dark-roast coffee, bitter dark chocolate and burnt sugars overwhelms the senses. Strong malty flavors and quite strong yet oh so smooth as it finds its way to the back of the throat. Bittersweet, strong, soft, smooth and amazing. 

Overall - When it comes to blending strong flavors and complex tastes this has to be one of the best examples of a job well done. Everything comes together so well and it not only warms your stomach but also any beer lover's soul. 

Would I buy more of it? - Are you kidding me? Absolutely. This is some incredible stuff that has very few equals.

Note - This is NOT the Founders' Breakfast Stout aged in bourbon barrels. Founders' Breakfast Stout weighs in at "only" 8.3% ABV whereas their Kentucky Breakfast Stout is almost a full 3% stronger. Founders also released a very limited draught only "Canadian Breakfast Stout" which was "Founders Breakfast Stout aged in Kentucky whiskey barrels that were also used by a small maple syrup maker. The beer is then aged underground in the town’s local mine. Maple & whiskey soaked wood, Sumatra and Kona coffee beans breakfast stout."

My first review of a beer from the Bluegrass state. What better way to accomplish this than by drinking a bottle of one of the best beers available from Kentucky. If you think of Kentucky you think of bourbon so its only fitting that this stout be aged in bourbon barrels. Should be some tasty stuff...

From the Bluegrass Brewing site:

"Aged for two to three months in McLain & Kyne Jefferson’s Reserve bourbon barrels, this stout is a richly flavored sipping beer, with a smooth chocolate taste and a hint of bourbon."

Here we go...

Pour - dark as night and inky, very atramentous. Rather light in carbonation which seems pretty par for the course when it comes to strong barrel-aged ales. Once things settle in the glass its merely a black liquid with a super thin ring of off-white foam encircling the glass.

Aroma - the first thing that hits my nose is the dark roasted malt and coffee ground aromas. Once those fade I catch some faint hints of vanilla and cream. Smells very much like a shot of espresso with a sugar cube in it. 

Taste - one sip and the smoothness of barrel aging is apparent. This is like sipping half and half as far as the texture goes. Lots of dark roasted flavors are there along with some sweet vanilla and some tangy bourbon-esque flavors. Very easy on the lips and tongue and quite delicious. 

Overall - not an overly strong bourbon flavor but to me thats okay. Its there but very light however the softness of this beer really shines and we can thank the wood for that. Some vanilla and tannin flavors but the roasty, dark coffee flavors seem to take center stage. I really enjoyed this for what it was with no premonitions whatsoever. 

Would I buy more of it? - I probably would. If I am every traveling through Kentucky I'll definitely look for it. Thanks goes out to my friend Kevin in Lexington for hooking me up!

Note - Some more about the bourbon that was once held in the barrels this stout was aged in, "McLain & Kyne, known for their quintessential "Very Small Batch" bourbons, represents the quality and integrity only found in handcrafted products. Utilizing indigenous grains—corn, malted barley and rye—as well as the renowned clean, crisp limestone water of Kentucky—bourbon is the true spirit of America."

a great video about how this beer is made from BourbonBlog

I was surprised to find a bunch of bottles of this in a liquor store in Burlington, Vermont. There aren't too many reviews on BeerAdvocate so I am assuming this is either a very, very new release or a very limited release. I have come to find out that both are true. A pretty unique offering from the folks at Rogue. I am looking forward to seeing how the sum of their two liquor ventures come together.

From the Rogue site:

"In a collaboration of crafts, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier and Rogue Spirits Master Distiller John Couchot have joined forces to create a distinct, innovative series of brews called John John Ales. The series will take Rogue Ales legends and age them in Rogue Spirits barrels. A 3,100 gallon batch of John John Ale produces 1357 cases of beer. The first of the John John series is John John Dead Guy Ale, Rogue’s award winning Dead Guy Ale matured in Rogue’s award winning Dead Guy Whiskey barrels."

Here we go...

Pour - dark golden to amber in color with a big fluffy head and plenty of streaming bubbles. Very nice looking pour.

Aroma - big whiff of vanilla, tannins and whisky up front. The nose of this just screams whisky barrel-aged. There are some nice sweet, warm malty smells as well.

Taste - lots of vanilla and whisky flavors come into play right away. Dead Guy Ale is a pretty basic beer for the most part and this just really showcases it with some bolder flavors. The barrel-aging really adds another dimension to a pretty standard beer. Along with the vanilla and wood flavors are some fruity estery flavors as well. Not sure where those come from. Very enjoyable with lots of flavor and character.

Overall - This is a very easy drinking barrel-aged beer and at under 7% its one of very few that aren't going to floor you after a glass or two.

Would I buy more of it? - I plan on buying more tomorrow to share with some friends as it seems like this release is hard to come by.

Note - Rogue distills their own Gin, Rum and Whiskey. Rogue Spirits was started in 2003. They produce "award winning multi-ingredient small batch spirits, artisan distilled in traditional hand-crafted copper pot stills. No chemicals, additives or preservatives are used." 

Rogue's Dead Guy Ale Review

Berkshire Brewing Company teamed up with Julio's Liquors to release this absolutely amazing Bourbon Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale. It was brewed by BBC for exclusive sales at Julio's Liquors in Westborough, Massachusetts. It was aged in four different Buffalo Trace Whiskey barrels for eight months and then blended. If you go looking for this beer you will only find it at Julio's. How many other liquor stores have done collaborations with breweries? None that I can think of...

Here we go...

Pour - murky brown in color with some suspended sediment. Head is rather thin and tan in color. Looks a lot like a Scotch ale to me, sort of viscous as well.  

Aroma -  oak-ey vanilla, caramel, dark brown raisin bread, molasses, bourbon and the rubber they make balloons out of (seriously). This has a lot of great barrel aged aromas to it, I really look forward to tasting all the flavors it no doubt is comprised of.

Taste - very sweet on the tongue right of the bat. Plenty of the vanilla as well as burnt sugar, bourbon heat, oak, apples and/or hard cider. Lots of ester-y flavors combine nicely with the tinge of sharpness and heat that the whiskey provides. It finishes sort of tangy and sweet. Its a sipper and well worth drinking slowly and enjoying its complexity. The feel of this beer has really been softened by the aging, its almost creamy in texture and ridiculously drinkable for the ABV.

Overall - excellent release from BBC. I wish I could find this on tap and at a store nearby. The barrel aging has done wonders for this solid Scotch Ale, the meshing of sweetness and the whiskey/wood flavors is delicious. I need to make the trek out to Westborough next week for a few more bottles!

Would I buy more of it? - absolutely. I will be picking up 3-4 bottles next week to savor and to share with some friends.

Note - You can read more about this unique brewery/liquor store collaboration HERE. Also, Julio's Liquors has plans to release a Buffalo Trace Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged strong "Red Rye Ale" from Smuttynose soon, so keep your eyes pealed for that. 

Backwoods Bastard is a seasonal release from the good folks at Founders. This is their Dirty Bastard, a Wee Heavy style beer, that has been aged in bourbon barrels. Sounds like the perfect sipping beer for a cold December evening.

From the Founders site:

"Big and delicious for your ‘perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the pallet."

Here we go...

Pour - dark ruby in color with some brown and orange highlights. Very clean and clear with some cascading bubbles forming a tight thin head. When held to the light this gives off some beautiful colors. 

Aroma - lots of vanilla, cherry, oak, bourbon and sherry in the nose. This has picked up an absolute ton of aroma from the barrels it was aged in, its one of the more vanilla-ey and bourbon-ey smelling beers I've come across. That being said, it really smells warm and inviting and I look forward to that first sip. 

Taste -  wow is that smooth, its like silk on the tongue. Lots of big, bold vanilla and oak flavors, the tannins come out and dry the tongue but I also notice a bit of hoppiness which I didn't expect but then again those 50 IBUs are coming from somewhere. Nice sweet and tart cherry flavors come out and mesh well with the vanilla. My stomach is warm and I have a smile on my face. I love this beer. 

Overall - I am blown away by how drinkable this is at 10.2%. I have found myself trying to slow down! This is extremely smooth and creamy with a ton of flavor and complexity. The best way to sum this up is just by saying its "gorgeous" and multifaceted. You will drain that bottle into your glass more than twice to get every little drop out. One of a kind and not to be missed. 

Would I buy more of it? - I bought one bottle to give this one a try and now I am kicking myself for not shelling out the $14 for a 4-pack, I believe its worth every penny. Hopefully I'll find some more before its all gone. 

Note -  I found this tidbit on the Revue site:

If Dirty Bastard is Founders' Clark Kent, then Backwoods Bastard is its Superman.

Founders' seasonal Backwoods Bastard starts out as Dirty Bastard, but instead of using a telephone booth, it makes its transformation in used bourbon barrels.

"Every time we get a bourbon barrel, it's different," said Dave Engbers, director of marketing for Founders Brewing Company. 

Old bourbon barrels are shipped to the brewery after the bourbon is done distilling. The barrels are then filled with Dirty Bastard - Founders' year-round 8.5% ABV Scotch Ale - for aging. 

"The oak gives the beer vanilla notes," Engbers said. "There is also quite a bit of bourbon that remains in the wood."

After four months of aging, the 10.2% ABV brew is tested to see if it is just right, or needs to be aged more. The different wood of the barrels, plus the bourbon, add new flavors to the brew, and at the end of the aging process, the barrels are blended together."

A big thanks goes out to my beer friend Bob for sending me this bottle along with some other incredible beers. Bob is one of the brewers at Hub City Brewing in Stanley, Iowa. If you are ever in the area be sure to stop by and have a pint and see what he is brewing, he has a bright future ahead of him in the beer world. This particular bottle came from his cellar and is two years old. I'm pretty excited to see what some age has done to this strong barrel-aged stout. 

From the Central Waters site:

"The brewery's most highly sought after beer, this imperial stout is aged to perfection in oak bourbon barrels. Look for this tasty treat to contain hints of bourbon and vanilla with roasted overtones that is sure to please any connoisseur's palate. Serve this beer at cellar temperature from a snifter glass, and enjoy this expression of our passion for brewing."

Here we go...

Pour - pitch in color and streaky as it hits the glass. The head on this is off-white almost tan and a good half inch in depth. Age has done little as far as presentation goes, this looks great.

Aroma - sticking my nose in the snifter I am met by a wave of vanilla, tannins, sweet milk chocolate, whisky and brown sugar. Lots of smells to take in when you've got a beer like this one. The heat from the alcohol tickles my sinuses a bit. I am in for a treat.

Taste - as soon as this hits my tongue my body warms just a bit. The flavor of burnt sugar, vanilla extract, sour cherries and red wine permeate my mouth. The vinous taste of this leaves a dryness in the finish. Bittersweet with plenty of whisky flavor present but it's light and blends nicely with the subdued and mellowed maltiness. This is silky in mouthfeel and the carbonation levels are near perfect even after so much time in the cellar. No off flavors whatsoever, just a lot of complexity and enjoyment.

Overall -  Complex. Age has been kind and the flavors have all come together nicely. The heat is gone and some of the sharpness that may have been present has mellowed out. The bourbon barrel aging has done wonders for the flavors imparted on this stout and age has done even more for it. Time has mellowed the heat but it still warms your soul.

Would I buy more of it? -  Absolutely. I'd love to have a few more bottles to put away for years to come. 

Vintage - This bottle is from the winter of 2007. 

Note - Bourbon Barrel Stout is a seasonal release for Central Waters. It hits the shelves each December. They also produce a Bourbon Barrel Barleywine and a Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout. 

A little bit about the name to get things started, from the Tyranena site:

"Deep in the darkest depths of Rock Lake prowls a great saurian known today as Rocky. The legend of Rocky is old. The ancient inhabitants of Aztalan warned of the beast by building a giant serpent mound at the lake’s edge. The early residents of Lake Mills were forewarned of a guardian placed in the lake to protect its sacred stone tepees. And history tells of numerous encounters with Rocky, who became a source of great worry and fear. Although not seen for over a century, divers still experience a feeling of dread and being watched. Enjoy Rocky’s Revenge, our offering to this legendary protector of Tyranena."

This makes me realize there are quite a few beers names after mythical aquatic beasts. 

Rocky's Revenge is in fact "an American brown ale with a portion aged in bourbon barrels. Each bourbon barrel will contribute its own unique character to this rich, satisfying ale." Peronally, I find this quite unique as there are very few beers available as year-round releases that are aged in any sort of barrels.

Rocky's Revenge pours..well...brown. Sure its a nice color of brown and its got some hints of red and orange, but overall its brown. Its got a nice creamy, white head on it that has a lot of potential to last until this beer is done. Impressive. 

The aroma is lots of sweet caramel, rock candy, molasses and plenty of malt. This sort of reminds me of toasted brown bread. 

Okay, one sip and I realize that this not your everyday brown ale. Its got a good amount of toasted cereal malt flavor as well as a good deal of sweetness but the big difference is the subtle flavor that the Bourbon barrel aging does for this beer. Its not going to floor you with vanilla and tannins but it will definitely have you thinking whisky. Lots of malt flavor provides a great environment for the remnants of the bourbon and the wood from the barrels. Delicious.

I have to admit, when it comes to whisky barrel aged beers, I think less is more. A little bit of flavor goes a long way and Tyranena did a nice job by making this a reasonable blend for a brown ale (one they release in six-packs nonetheless). 

I like it. Its a nice brown ale with an added element that sets it apart from the crowd. Cheers!

Islay Whisky Casks? Imperial IPA? Sounds pretty intriguing! I thought so, and even went so far as to pay $8 for an 11.2 oz. bottle of Storm from BrewDog. It seemed worth it! I then read some reviews and they were less than stellar. Will I like it? Will it be a let down? Only one way to find out...please beer gods be with me on this one...

Before we begin, just a quick note on Islay Whisky:

Islay whisky is Scotch whisky made on Islay (pronounced eye-luh) or Ìle in Gaelic, the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Islands located off the west coast of Scotland.

Storm pours a light amber/golden color that is almost glowing when held to the light. The head is small, akin to those beers with super high alcohol content. Once everything settles down this is a very appealing pour and a beer that begs to be enjoyed (hopefully).

Wow, the nose on this one is SMOKE-Y! Lots of the smoked peaty notes coming from the barrel aging that is for sure. There is some saltiness and some ocean type smells that really set this one apart as one of the most unique beers I've ever smelled. The smokey/peaty whisky smells really dominate and I've not been able to get too much else! 

The taste is...unique. Plenty of smokiness going. Plenty of peatiness going on. Sort of metallic and barbecue-esque as well. There is a sliiiight hint of some citrus and hoppiness in the finish but you need to wade throw quite a bit of smokey whisky flavor to experience it. Very interesting...I like it but I don't love it.

Why a strong IPA? That is my question...a smokey strong porter would be so great! Age a nice hoppy porter in some of these barrels, that would be amazing! The hops in this are so far gone and the smoke just dominates the delicate IPA flavors.

Worth a try just to experience this beer for what it is. This is definitely one of the more interesting beers I've ever had. It is NOT bad by any means, but its almost as if BrewDog just chose the wrong style for the barrel...next time lets do something darker!

Not long ago I heard that one of my local haunts had gotten their mitts on a "log" or "sixlet" of the legendary Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout. This beer, so seldom seen, is not to be confused with the Founder's Breakfast Stout or the Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout is a beast unto itself.

One description of this beer goes like this:

"Founders Breakfast Stout aged in Kentucky whiskey barrels that were also used by a small maple syrup maker. The beer is then aged underground in the town’s local mine. Maple & whiskey soaked wood, Sumatra and Kona coffee beans breakfast stout. Damn. What else can you say?".

Another write-up I found said:

"A delicious oatmeal stout -not short on chocolate or coffee - aged in maple syrup barrels, which had formerly perfected Kentucky bourbon."

Not much in the way of information is being released directly from Founder's, but it sure does sound amazing...and it was!

Pour - This beer was presented in a stemmed glass. It was dark-as-night black, almost like cold espresso with a thin, very coffee-colored head.

Aroma - almost heavenly. Lots of dark roasted coffee beans, definite kick of whiskey and the alcohol notes are very apparent, sweet iced coffee with cream, molasses/caramel but alas no maple that I could detect.

Taste - first sip is one of those "holy sh*t" moments a beer lover always hopes for. An immense rush of deep, dark bitter coffee is followed by a smooth, whiskey flavor that envelopes everything and almost gives it an "iced Irish Whisky character flavor. Its very complex, the layers are many. There are hints of caramel, molasses and vanilla. Iced caramel macchiato? The barrel aging leaves this one with a dry, yet sweet finish.

The mouthfeel is very, very smooth, almost silky and creamy.

Overall -  it is absolutely delicious. Does it get any more amazing than a beer that was aged in a mine in barrels that held both whisky and maple syrup? Unbelievable stuff. There are layers of flavor and the last two to three sips probably could have their very own review. I feel privileged and lucky to have had a glass.