Destihl Dosvidanya Rye 2017

Brewed By: Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works in Normal/Bloomington, Illinois 
Purchased: 500ml (1 pint, .09oz bottle) bought at Destsihl in Bloomington, IL; 2017 (batch date: 2017)

Style/ABV: American Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, 12.5%
Reported IBUs: 84

Tonight's beer is part of the increasingly interesting Midwest portfolio of stellar BA stouts. I've been sleeping on this one for a few years, but the word really needs to get out. About Destihl: 

Destihl is a brewery (Bloomington) and brewpub (Normal, IL & Champaign, IL) based out of the Midwest. Specifically, the middle of Illinois in the middle of the United States. Daaaa midwest. The brewery was founded by CEO & Brewmaster, Matt Potts, in 2007. Like many brewery founders, Potts started out as a homebrewer, and would eventually trade his law school education and law practice for those sweet barley suds. Destihl currently brews a myriad of regular and barrel-aged beers, including an increasing portfolio of tasty sour brews. For more info, check out their website. 

So Dosvidanya is Distihl's big barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. It is clearly inspired by beers like Bourbon County Brand Stout, but has its own unique flavor profile. The Dosvidanya Rye is another wrinkle to the Dosvidanya lineup, featuring 2-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, wheat, black malt, caramel malt 120, munich malt, victory malt, extra special malt, rice hulls, and of course rye whiskey barrels.

Destihl Dosvidanya Rye 2017

The appearance of this beer is dark, and it manages to produce Stormy Daniels amount of head. There's a fair amount of lacing, and I'm not just talking about her outfit. The legs are abundant, but what really works here is the beer's gentle demeanor. From the onset the bottle art conveys a sweet gentle tone, but lurking beneath is a brutalist concrete interior, hardened mentality, and cutthroat soldier. You have to be tough as nails to handle all four and a half eight inches of el presidente. Or whatever. 

I would say this is one of the more aromatically interesting stouts I've had in a while. The nose conveys rye, dark cherry notes, fudge, oak, chocolate, nice layers of wood, and some hints of coffee. Missing from the nose is overt raisin and whiskey tones, which you often find in these stouts. It's a welcomed change of pace.

The taste is a complex fusion of rye whiskey barrel, cherry-fudge, chocolate dipped cherries, layers of wood, almost-cherry-skin without any hint of sour, chocolate-forward coffee without any artificial or adjunct chocolate notes, gentle alcohol kisses, and a lot of complex caramel notes. It's a very constrained and mature interpretation of the style.

My untappy notes say: "Next best deviant after the og. Tons of chocolate, rye, coffee, licorice, vanilla, macaroon, wood, spice. 3d and complex like anal." I of course penned that slightly tipsy at Dosvidanya day. But to give credit to myself, I think that is mostly fair. I'm not getting quite as much vanilla or macaroon at the moment, but the licorice is a natural comp to the big cherry notes in this beer. This is full-bodied, complex stuff. It has good depth, complexity, and structure. The way this lingers on your palate reminds me of Deschutes' The Abyss. It kind of has a bitter, cherry-forward, caramel-driven finish with hints of rye. It doesn't finish overly sweet, and it leans away from the barrel/spirit sweetness and instead favors complexity and flavor. Again, this is a very mature stout. I'd say up front I'm getting chocolate, black cherries, chocolate-cherry-coffee; the mids drop rye and licorice and the viscosity picks up; the back end starts with aggressive layers of wood and barrel, and fade into lingering rye and cherries and caramel and dryness. 

Look...before I drop the score...this is riding the line between a strong above-average and light divine brew for me. I think there are a lot of amazing barrel-aged stouts presently available, and I would not hesitate to recommend this beer. BUT BUT BUT what makes this beer ESPECIALLY INTERESTING is the presence of the almost-jammy-but-not-at-all-sour fruity cherry notes. It's just a super unique, uncommon flavor not present in 99% of barrel-aged stouts. And that not only counts for something, but it makes this variant especially unique and interesting. I've emphasized on this blog before how I think review scores are basically bullshit and that people need to move in the direction of nuance with beer. There is nothing I've tasted quite like the Dosvidanya Rye 2017. It's almost flirting with something like Goose Island's Backyard Rye, only way more complex. And I really dig that. I'm curious to see how this ages, but as it stands on this present date: 

Rating: LIGHT LIGHT Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd) 

Random Thought: Destihl has figured out the stout game, but they are really lagging behind with cool glassware. As I am aware, there is no Dosvidanya glassware. And that is ridiculous considering they have made 'Dosvidanya Day' an event. ISO: kick ass Dosvidanya glassware.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2015

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 16.9oz bottle bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2015 (bottled on 11/06/2015)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged Stout, 14.3% 

Reported IBUs: 60

Far be it from me to revive this blog to just make a post with my Bourbon Countries 2015 tasting notes. 

I have to say, I was ready to take the ideological position and jump ship after the 2014 release of Bourbon County. It was a little too fruity, had not nearly enough alcohol, and didn't stand out compared to the 2012 and 2013 vintages. I thought the coffee was the standout of the 2014 bunch, but it played into the beer's shortcomings. That was then, this is now. This year's release featured above-average Thanksgiving day temps, and people setting up tents (yes, tents) in front of Binny's two days in advance. This was followed by another wave of Bourbon County distro to the city (presumably Georgia's supply, suckers) with cases of this beer, including Rare, sitting on shelves at Jewel-Osco and the like. 

Anyway, who cares about politics and beer drama...

with filter...

Bourbon County pours opaque and black like every other fucking Imperial Stout, and especially those in the wheelhouse of barrel-aged. That dark brown head gives way to a mostly tepid and anti-carbed beer, all is well in the land of appearances. 

This has sick nose, bruh, with liquid brownie sweetness, macaroons, coconut, raisins and dark fruits, coffee, Muscovado sugar, biscotti, and chocolate-dipped churros. The barrel and bourbon and alcohol come through on the nose -- all in moderation. 

I really wanted to write this review to simply say that who needs variants when the regular is so good this year. This is insanely tasty and rich, and drops insta-liquid-brownie on the palate from the onset. The back end hits you with lingering chocolate thickness, chocolate-dipped churros, and growing bourbon heat and lovely spirit and barrel character. This is a wild ride of bourbon, brownie batter, dark fruits/raisins, macaroons, coconut, coffee, and Muscovado.

No Filter!

The 14.3% feels DIALED IN. This is a thick beer, but by comparison and in 2015 is also incredibly smooth and balanced and maybe even lighter compared to other comparable beers. What I like here is the presence of bourbon, and the presence of alcohol. For bourbon lovers, this is where beer is at. The 16.9oz bottle format is something I strongly oppose because I like 4-packs; but the format is growing on me. It means you get a little more beer to push this experience over-the-top if you are flying solo, and it means you'll have 8oz to yourself if you decide to share. 

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. This is the best Bourbon County vintage in a long time, and surpasses the 2014, 2013, and 2012 releases. Also, in terms of the diminishing price versus beer returns, I find the regular Bourbon County 2015 to be a better investment than Rare. Rare was different, and offered something that you can't find here, but at $60+ a pop the price per ounce is so hard to justify. 

Random Thought: Where to go from here?

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Oil of Aphrodite

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's cold out, and it is snowing. AKA, the perfect night to crack into a big Imperial Stout. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The bottle for the Oil of Aphrodite reads: "Oil of Aphrodite is an American double stout brewed with locally harvested black walnuts and Belgian candied syrup. English, German, American and Belgian malts are accompanied by pacific northwest hops, creating a sweet and rich springboard for deep nuttiness. Share with friends and loved ones. " 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Oil of Aphrodite

This pours into your typical Stout body: opaque black, dark mocha brown head. The head that this kicks up is impressive, and there is good retention and lacing.

This has a fantastic aroma, with notes of dark caramel sugars, Belgian candy sugar, hardened sugar candies, molasses, raisins, fruit cake, banana bread, and a Christmas bake shop. There are hints of nuttiness on the aroma, and when you really get your nose into the beer to give it a smell, you pick up some coffee, roast, and hints of chocolate. There is an ashy thickness about this beer, and it reminds me a bit of Evil Twin's Even More Jesus. 

Wow, this is an interesting beer. First off, this is a sweet beer. There's a lot of sugar in here, from the intense and large Stout base, to the sticky citrusy hops, to the big Belgian candy sugar notes. This gets a lot better as it warms up, dropping molasses, sweet citrus, rich chocolate, some coffee/ash/roast, and tons of nuttiness on the back end. This really ratchets up the walnut/nut thing in the rear. 

This is a thick, sweet, sipping beer. My kind of beer. It is full-bodied, with good carbonation, good palate depth and duration, and medium complexity. At 10.0%, I'm not getting a ton of alcohol. What I am getting, however, are a fair amount of pungent and strong hops. This drops Belgian candy sugars, molasses, and some chocolate/coffee up front; that rolls into intense sweetness, with nuttiness, huge hops, citrus; the back end finishes with nuttiness, lingering hops, big walnuts, molasses, some earthy ash, and a sticky sweet finish. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this beer. This is big and bold, but it's a bit sweet and unbalanced. Maybe that is the goal. I feel like the candy sugar could add a bit more nuance, I don't know. Maybe that's just me. As I sip on this even longer, I'm starting to get some dark fruits: cherries, plums, Quad-like notes. It's all really nice, but I think if they threw this in a barrel it would go over the top. Food pairings: ice cream and dry cakes. 

Random Thought: Woah a twofer. Yup.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2014

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 08/28/2014)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Stout, 13.8% 

Reported IBUs: 60

I've been all up on the 2014 variants of Bourbon County, including the vanilla, prop, and coffee, so it is high time I review the 2014 base beer. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The 2014 Bourbon County Stout punches in at 13.8% ABV, 60 IBUs, and is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, and Debittered Black malts; Willamette hops; and is aged in bourbon barrels. 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2014

If you are unfamiliar with how Bourbon County looks, do yourself a favor and skip the descriptors on sites like BA. All you really need is this formula: [synonym for black] body + [synonym for opaque] + [synonym for brown-colored head] + [comment about alcohol legs]. Like many barrel-aged beers, this one also has pour head retention. It's a barrel-aged stout. Ceasaronis abide. 

The 2014 vintage is a departure from previous year's, with pronounced fruity notes immediately noticeable on the aroma. It smells very much like a stripped down Backyard Rye in some respects, with notes of raspberry, cherry, boysenberry, blackberry, and even some faint raisin. The fruity notes don't offset the fat, usual, Bourbon County aromas; you still get tons of fudge, fat bourbon sweetness, chocolate, brownie, coconut, and macaroons. There's a good amount of turbinado sugar in here as well, with some brown sugar. It's very much a layered and complex aroma, and it's very much a layered and complex beer.

The taste is very much a mirror of the aroma, with intensely fruity, booze soaked notes on the outset. The beer hits you up with tons of barrel, raspberry/boysenberry/blackberry fruit up front, and then dips into the bourbon, chocolate, fudge, and sugary sweetness we've all come to love from Bourbon County. The back end lingers with sticky-sweet sugars, fruits, barrel, some complex roast, and then finishes surprisingly dry. 

This is uber complex, and the 2014 vintage's fruity notes are an enjoyable addition. Palate depth is great, the beer has insane duration, and this is a full-bodied beer. You feel the weight of the 13.8%, and this is definitely a sipper. I'm not going to run through the front-end, mids, and back-end, but this is intensely fruity up front, features a lot of bourbon sweetness and chocolate/fudge/macaroons in the mids, and rolls out more fruits, alcohol, and nice dryness in the back. This is just insanely complex this year with the additional layer of the fruits...and while I have really enjoyed previous vintages that highlighted the fudge/chocolate/brownie/coconut/macaroon aspect of this beer, I think the fruity notes are equally appreciable and will make this an interesting beer to age down the stretch. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this. I can't really say if this is the best vintage of Bourbon County, because I think a lot of that comes down to individual preference. What I will say is I really appreciate the fruity layers, and I am curious to see if they hold up with age. This is the type of beer you can age...but it is drinking great fresh. You can pair this with ice cream, a cigar, dry cakes, a raunchy burger, or just snifter it and think about it. I also have some Randall plans for this vintage. Mmm. 

Random Thought: Seriously, I'm not looking forward to next year's release. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Bourbon Barrel Stout/Smoked Beer, 11.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

I don't know if I have had a Bourbon Barrel aged smoked beer before. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner is so OG it doesn't have a website entry. The bottle reads: "Over the years we have brewed a plethora of big stouts and porters, and the idea of brewing an imperial smoked stout was something we had been kicking around for awhile. When an open brew day presented itself, we knew exactly what to do. The base stout focuses on rich caramel and chocolate notes with a deep savory/smokey backbone. The entire batch found its way into bourbon barrels where it rested for over a year. An enticing combination of sweet and savory, with waves of dark chocolate and vanilla that wash over the palate. Cheers to stoking the creative flame in all of us!"

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner

As you can imagine, this pours into some dark, inky body, with a finger of brown head. There is some lacing and alcohol legs...usual stuff from the Stout assembly line. 

The aroma has mad bourbon appeal, with luscious Bourbon County-like chocolate, brownie, coconut, macaroons, and raisins-cherry sweetness. There's some alcohol jumping around in here, but nothing you wouldn't get in the spirit itself. The barrel isn't overtly pronounced, and I'm not getting the smoke on the aroma. 

Wow, this is really good. Like, Bourbon County good. Like holy shit, I was not expecting this banger after the other Jackie O's bottle offerings I have had. This has giant chocolate, brownie, vanilla, complex coconut and macaroon notes, intense oak/bourbon/barrel, and lots of alcohol spiciness. The smoke is more of an afterthought here, and the beer is all the better for it. Between the fruity whiskey notes, the cherry-raisins hints, and the sugary sweetness, this dips into alcohol and smokey spice. This stays away from the intense smoke...this isn't a Rauchbier, there is no bacon...and I'm not even mad. 

This is full-bodied, but the intense bourbon sweetness balances out the alcohol heat. It appropriately feels like an 11% beer, without any baggage. Palate depth is good, with lengthy duration. Complexity is high. I'm not gonna wax poetic, this drops Bourbon County chocolate, macaroons and coconut up front; whiskey sweetness, dark fruits, rum, alcohol spice, and smoke show up in the mids; the back end drives home nuanced barrel, bourbon, and smokey notes. This is fan-fucking-tastic and totally caught me off guard.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. I would need another bottle or two to convince myself that this deserve the 5.0/5.0, but it feels like it is basically there. It's like Bourbon County with that spicy, smoke wrinkle. This would pair well with a cigar, or just as a sipper like I am sipping now. Fantastic stuff...and just what I was looking for to round out the evening. 

Random Thought: There are many things about craft beer that suck, but one of the top annoyances are all the misconceptions about aging beer. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's cold out, and it is snowing. AKA, the perfect night to crack into a big Imperial Stout. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Dark Apparition is, "The hauntingly good brew in your hand is rife with dark complexities. Seven malts were used to create deep flavors of coffee, chocolate, caramel, and molasses. A hint of bitterness and herbal character from carefully selected European and American hops help support the monolithic maltiness. A truly decadent brew that is intended to be poured into your favorite snifter and given time to warm up from its dark and cool resting place." 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

This pours into a fairly thick, opaque, black body, kicking up three fingers of super fluffy, coffee-foam-colored head. The head retention is fantastic, with foam that could give Guinness a run for its money hanging around for a good amount of time. there's also monumental lacing.

The aroma is cakey and sweet, and has a drier and lighter Porter-like quality at times. I'm getting lots of dusty cocoa, brown bread, brown sugar, and brown cake, the crust of banana bread (which has no banana flavor), some molasses and dark fruits, and lots of waves of coffee. There's maybe a hint of alcohol and a dash of faint cherries.

This is a seductive offering. It's not quite as aggressive as a Ten FIDY or an Expedition Stout, but it as just as thick with intense mouthfeel action. Make no mistake, this has some floral and citrus hops that show up in the low frequencies to deliver hints of cherries and play with the molasses and dark fruits. But this really pounds that milkshake chocolate note up front, with chocolate, cocoa, and nice sweet roast. There's tons of coffee notes as well, with some ash/earthy coffee, and hints of hazelnut. An overwhelming sweetness cuts through the beer, which is a welcomed contrast to bitter bruisers like Old Raspy.

This is pretty delicious, with a thick, full-bodied mouthfeel that almost channels some oatmeal stout vibes. At 10.5%, I'm not tasting much booze. Palate depth is great, with an expansive mouthfeel that has good duration. This isn't overly complex, but it does have some nuances. It's actually really solid for a non-barrel/non-adjunct IRS. I like the sweetness, with the chocolate entourage up front; the roasty and coffee-forward middle; and the dark fruits and hops in the back. It's just tasty stuff, and would make a solid standby for Ohio regulars.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average This isn't innovative or mind-blowing, but it is an enjoyable and solid Imperial Stout, not unlike Old Raspy or many other beers in this category. I'd pick it up to pair with some dry chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, or with some grilled ribs. Not bad stuff, and I'm sure the variants of this base beer are yummy.

Random Thought: Busy...busy....busy.

Begyle Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas 2014

Brewed By: Begyle Brewing in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, 9.8

Reported IBUs: ?

After the dust cleared in Chicago following Black Friday, beer shelves were left stocked with hidden gems like Dino S'Mores, Backwoods Bastard, and Begyle's Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas. I'm not saying that says anything, but it seems like a lot of tourists and non-beer nerds show up to get their BCBS. And I'm okay with that....more tasty beer for me. About Begyle Brewing: 

Begyle Brewing is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. The brewery's motto is, "A Community Supported Brewery," and that is how they promoted their successful Kickstarter and successful launch. The brewery was found on 2012, and offers a subscription for their growler program, as well as growler fills and bottles. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas is a "barrel aged imperial stout" aged in bourbon barrels. Per Begyle, this is their coffee infused oatmeal stout aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. The Begyle Flannel Pajamas is an oatmeal stout; the Begyle Imperial Pajamas is an imperial oatmeal coffee stout; and the Begyle Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas is an imperial oatmeal barrel-aged coffee stout. Shit is getting real and deep.

Begyle Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas 2014

As you might expect, this pours into a black, opaque body, kicking up a finger of brown/tan head. The head leaves some nice lacing and alcohol legs, and has a nice ring around the glass with some sea foam/cauldron effect action. It's a good looking beer, but what beer isn't.

On the aroma: lots of bourbon. Lots of Heaven Hill sweetness, which has big notes of raisins, and lots of whiskey sweetness. The Heaven Hill barrel notes are distinct, and channel similar vibes found in the FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout - Heaven Hill Rittenhouse Rye Barrel. There is some big underlying sweetness on the aroma, with coconut, dark fruit, and cherries coming up. There's also a medicinal or cola-like note that I can't quite place. I'm getting some Twizzlers, and a lot more whiskey/fruit. Heaven Hill has #rekt this base beer.

Wow. This is unassuming upon first sip, with big whiskey and raisins sweetness not opening up into anything. But about 10 seconds into the sip, the oatmeal, coconut, and chocolate grabs hold, and the beer rattles the cage with subtle coffee notes, vanilla, bourbon, brownie notes, and tons of depth. As you acclimate yourself to the two sides of this beer, you pick up some integration between the whiskey fruits, cherries, Twizzlers, raisins, and intense bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, and barrel. This definitely has coffee in it, and the coffee plays with the alcohol in the beer, hinting at alcoholic coffee and vodka infused Kahlua. This is impressively complex, and continues to hit new notes for me: roast, faint espresso, macaroons, fudge, brownie, bourbon, and an umami note like soy-dipped chocolate sans any soy sauce. 

This is an incredible beer. Most barrel aged oatmeal stouts are, but this just hits so many awesome notes with so much complexity. It's an impressive package, throwing an imperial oatmeal stout into Heaven Hill barrels. At 9.8%, you do get some booze, but this is not hot. Palate depth is good, and this has amazing duration. This doesn't quite coat your mouth like some beers, but despite that fact, this still manages to come in as lightly full-bodied. I've heard some people call this beer "thin." Those people are wrong. This is not thin. This isn't as thick as other BBA stouts, but it's just dandy. Up front: waves of dark fruits, cherries, raisins, Twizzlers, growing bourbon and chocolate; the mids hit this fantastic coffee/chocolate/coconut thing, with some alcohol, Kahlua; the back end dips into barrel, more bourbon, more lingering one-off notes, and just tons of complexity. I could drink this all day.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is a great bourbon-barrel aged beer, would buy/drink again. I don't even want to pair this with food, just sip on this monster. The fact that this beer sat around on shelves for so long is perfect, I look forward to hunting this down next time it is released. 

Random Thought: 2014....RIP mufucka. 

[Cellar Review] Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout (2011 Vintage)

Brewed By: Central Waters Brewing Co. in Amherst, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Humboldt Haus On The Boulevard Liquors And Spirits in Chicago, IL; 2014 (2011 bottle)

Style/ABV: American Stout/Imperial Stout, ?.?%???

Reported IBUs: ?

Back in early 2014 I reviewed the 2013 Vintage of Central Waters' Bourbon Barrel Stout. I love that beer, it's a fantastic bourbon barrel stout, and you should buy it if you see it. The story behind tonight's beer is that I was hunting for the 2014 vintage of the Bourbon Barrel Stout. So far, the 2014 vintage has not hit my distro yet. I did, however, see that someone was selling the Bourbon Barrel Stout per BeerMenus. I hopped in my car and went to check it out. When I arrived, I discovered that the store was selling the 2011 Vintage. WHAT? I asked the guy who was working there what the story is with the 2011 vintage. According to the employee, they put in an order for the 2014 Bourbon Barrel Stout, but it is currently unavailable. Central Waters was able to hook them up with some of this 2011 vintage. Apparently, they just have some of this stuff laying around. Cool beans. So...I guess we are doing an impromptu cellar review. About Central Waters: 

Central Waters was founded in 1996 by two friends, Mike McElwain and Jerome Ebel. The two bought an old brick building in Junction City, Wisconsin. During the next two years, the two restored the building, and put in brewing equipment. A few months later, Paul Graham joined the brewery. After three years under the original ownership, the brewery was sold to brewer Paul Graham and home-brewer Clint Schultz. On the brewery's five-year anniversary, Central Waters purchased a new brew house because the old location was having issues with equipment and age. In 2006, Clint Schultz left the brewery. The brewery is currently owned and operated by Paul Graham and Anello Mollica. To read more about the brewery, check out their history page.

The Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout is part of the brewers reserve series. This one is aged in used oak bourbon barrels, and is described as containing notes of bourbon, vanilla, and roast. 

Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout (2011 Vintage)

The 2011 vintage pours into a dark brown, and eventually opaque body. This looks like it has thinned out a bit with time, pouring more into a cola brown than obsidian black. The beer kicked up a finger of brown head, but the head is short lived. There is some head retention in the form of a cauldron effect, and there is lacing and glossy alcohol legs. Overall, this has held up well in the bottle over the past few years.

On the aroma: one of my favorite things ever, especially in an aged beer. I'm talking about that mother fucking Twizzlers note. This also dives right into big flowers, huge floral aromas, dark fruits, perfume, figs, dates, raisins, and underlying whiskey/bourbon sweetness. After three years, I'm still getting some faint wood, vanilla, bourbon, and chocolate. The nose smells absolutely melded, and this smells like a well integrated beer. I'm really excited to taste this.

Wow. This is fantastic. I know now why Central Waters decided to selectively release a ton of this 2011 vintage into the local supply...this has aged fantastically, melding whiskey raisins and bourbon dark fruits into chocolate, cocoa, wood, and barrel. This is super fused and melded, with Twizzlers, dark fruits, raisins, figs, and subtle oak, bourbon, chocolate, molasses, and vanilla. This is reminiscent of the aged 50/50 Eclipse bottles, which is high praise.

At ~9.5% per Untappd, this is drinking smoothly. I'm not getting much alcohol, minus the warming in my chest. This is sticky and sweet, with a full-bodied mouthfeel. There is still some nice carbonation three years later. This is very complex, and the palate depth is good. Up front: chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits, Twizzlers; the mids roll into some bourbon spice, barrel, wood, tannin, cocoa, vanilla; the back end hits whiskey raisin bliss, with more dark fruits and tons of complexity. This is the fucking tits.  

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. I have to dwell on this before I bump it to that Divine Brew level, but holy shit, this 2011 Vintage aged gracefully. This has melded into something that is incredibly complex, balanced, and delicious. I would not age this any longer, because the touch of oxidation I am getting is only going to grow. Right now, this is amaze-balls. Food pairings here include nothing. Pour this beer into your glass, and fucking enjoy it.

Random Thought: When Central Waters hits their stride, they make some impressive beer. Their Bourbon Barrel Stout is the consolation prize for all you folks that couldn't land some Bourbon County Stout. 

Bell's Expedition Stout

Brewed By: Bell's Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (Bottled on 09/19/2014)

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

Winter is here early in Chicago, so I guess we can break out the big guns. About Bell's:

Bell's Brewery is one of the biggest names in craft beer. Once you get past the Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone phase, you start hearing about breweries like Bell's. Bell's began as a home-brewing supply shop, founded by Larry Bell, back in 1983. Bell's sold its first beer in September 1985. The brewery has humble roots like many of the first craft breweries, and the beer was originally brewed in a 15-gallon soup kettle. The beer was originally self-distributed, bottled, and delivered by hand during the company's first four years. In 1993, Bell's became the first brewery in Michigan to open an onsite pub. The brewery currently has two facilities, one in Kalamazoo, and one in Comstock Township, Michigan. For more info, check out their website. 

Bell's Expedition Stout is a classic, and really needs no review. This is a massive, malty, hoppy Imperial Stout...I would compare it to beers like Surly's Darkness (the non-barrel-aged version). You can't go wrong with that.

This is a pretty ferocious beer, pouring into an inky-black body that results in a finger of dark, mocha-colored head. While the beer itself doesn't produce a ton of head, head retention is pretty good. There is also a substantial amount of lacing. This is massive in so many ways.

Bell's Expedition Stout

This is also an infinitely complex beer on the aroma. I give a lot of credit to Bell's for this beer, which smells like the bottomless depths of the deepest bag of dark roasted malts. This really goes all over the place, with fruity notes, coffee, chocolate. I'm getting big anise, cherries and raisins, sharp espresso and coffee character, some mocha, and dusty cacao. This pulls out some baker's chocolate, and ties in a woody and mocha character. It's also an incredibly hoppy aroma right now (two months fresh), although the hops mostly show up as dark fruits and intense resin-bitterness. 

This tastes blissfully huge, with everything you get in the aroma plus a wallop of hop bitterness and veiled citrus/pine punch. This is a giant RIS...unloading espresso, coffee, dark baker's chocolate, cacao, and woody notes. There is some nice waves of anise and cherry in here, with tons of underlying hop oils that add some resiny rosin notes into the mix. 

The body of this beer is oily and full-bodied, and the mouthfeel has huge depth. This is also incredibly complex. At 10.5%, this is appropriately boozy. There's a lot of stuff going on here. Up front: oily chocolate, cacao, anise, dark fruits, cherries; the mids roll into more cherries and anise, with growing hop resin, rosin, dank bitterness, woody notes, roast, coffee, espresso; the back end cleans up with dark fruits, espresso, coffee, bitterness...and a drying roasty finish. This is what Russian Imperial Stouts are about.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is a world-class Russian Imperial Stout, and it reminds me of the 2013 Darkness. That's pretty tall company, and you could do a lot worse than this beer. It also is a bonus that this beer comes in a 6-pack instead of a 4-pack. I have to give Bell's credit for that. This is an insanely large beer with lots of roast, hops, and the appropriate amounts of booze. I might pair this beer with grilled meats, or a dry chocolate cake. Good stuff, recommended. 

Random Thought: The Bears suck. They can't even tank right. I guess they are going for the slow troll. 8-8. 

Goose Island Backyard Rye Bourbon County Stout (2013)

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bottle from the Sheridan 'L' Longue in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 20NOV13 aka 11/20/13, #1004)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Stout, 12.7% 

Reported IBUs: 60

Something something I did this with my French Press/Randall Jr for way cheaper, but he who ticks is an idiot...about Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The Backyard Rye was a limited release variation of Bourbon County that came out during the 2013 release of BCBS. This beer is brewed with mulberries, marionberries, and boysenberries; and, unlike regular Bourbon County Stout, is aged in a rye whiskey barrel. Punching in at 60 IBUs, this one has a slightly lower ABV at 12.7%, most likely due to some of the alcohol being lost in the berries that the beer ages on. This one features all the usual Bourbon County malts and hops (Willamette hops; 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, and Debittered Black malts). Let's glass this up and see if this was worth the premium price many months later.

Goose Island Backyard Rye Bourbon County Stout (2013 Vintage)

This one pours out like your typical Bourbon County affair, only the finger of mocha-brown head quickly fizzles out. The body is opaque black, if not slightly lighter than the base Bourbon County, with shades of cola-brown. There's not much in the way of head retention, but glossy alcohol legs coat the glass. It's kind of uneventful in the presentation, but at the end of the day presentation doesn't matter that much. 

This has a rich chocolate aroma, with notes that include raspberry truffles, deep chocolate truffles, cocoa, and brownies in the pan. The berries compliment the base beer in a completely unique way, bringing out the beer's roasted character, as well as bringing out some fruity caramel sugars. I'm getting some raisins in here, along with an array of berry notes. The berry notes are sweet and sugary, and flirt with molasses and complex caramel sugars. The whole nose is tied together with that bourbon/whiskey backing, with big rye barrel standing out on the nose. This is definitely a bourbon-barrel aged stout, but there's a lot more going on under the hood than just your typical roasty RIS in a barrel. As this warms up a bit, jammy fruits really start to emerge.

As far as how this tastes...first off, much like the Proprietor's, the use of the rye barrel really changes the dynamic of this beer compared to the base beer. The rye barrel and rye whiskey plays off the berries, giving this a jammy and earthy taste. I'm getting a lot of rye spice, alcohol heat, and then big jammy berries. The berry notes include your typical raspberry, blackberry, mulberry, boysenberry...and what the hell is a marionberry? I can't say I have ever had one of those. Oh: I guess I have had a marionberry. TIL marionberries are blackberries. THANKS, OBAMA. Anyway, the berries really play off the whiskey in here. I'm getting big chocolate and raspberry truffles up front, with lots of chocolate and caramel notes in the back. This detours into a raisin-whiskey note for a minute, with lots of berry-whiskey-alcohol notes that are super sweet. Complex caramel sugars emerge from the fray. The finish somehow rolls back into berry la-la land with a slightly tart, berry-like finish.

Fruit-infused Stouts are like anal sex. Some people love them, and some people have no interest in taking 6" of hard man meat up the poop-shoot. As far as fruit-infused Stouts go, I can think of very few ceilings higher than Bourbon County. The Bourbon County base is incredibly complex, and adding fruit to the mix really brings out some specific nuances you might have to really search for otherwise. First off: at 12.7% I find this to be quite drinkable. Having said that, this beer is boozy and seductive. There is some alcohol heat in this beer, and the fruit accentuates the whiskey-raisin booze. This is full-bodied, sugary-sweet stuff. Palate depth is divine and complexity isn't far behind either. I mean, all things aside, the base beer is one of the best beers in the world. As far as how this one progresses...up front it's all about the chocolate, berries, and raspberry truffles; the mids roll into that whiskey barrel, with raisin-berry-whiskey booze, tons of rye spice, jammy berries, and more chocolate/cocoa/truffles; the back end trails with whiskey, raisins, and berries, and drops some nice alcohol heat, rye spice, barrel, and warming booze. The finish is berries and alcohol. This is really delicious, and well-executed.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. This is about on par with the Proprietor's. I'm a little surprised to be saying that, but yeah. Both the Proprietor's and the Backyard Rye bring out certain nuances that you can find in the base beer if you look hard enough. The Proprietor's brings out the nutty notes, and big coconut and pie character that you can find in the base beer. The Backyard Rye brings out big sugar/caramel notes, along with tons of whiskey-raisin, and jammy berry notes. Again...this is fantastically executed, and should be paired with nothing but your snifter and some time. Maybe some fruity dessert...I dunno. 

Random Thought: Is this beer worth more than $20 a bottle? That I do not know. Then again, I'm surprised to even have stumbled upon this beer. I sincerely thought I would never get to tick this beer, and I was okay with that. 

The rye barrel and expert craftsmanship from Goose Island is beyond your Randall/French Press, but you can get close to reproducing this beer by taking some raspberries and blackberries, and putting some regular Bourbon County Stout in the mix. Let that thing sit for an hour, and BAM. You have something very similar to this beer, without the crazy trade or expense. I do recommend trying that out. 

Bell's Black Note Stout (Vintage 2014)

Brewed By: Bell's Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan  

Purchased: 12oz single bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (Bottled on 3/12/14)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, 11.4%

Reported IBUs: ?

Nothing tops off a nice 6-mile run and this hot Midwest Summer like a barrel-aged RIS. About Bell's:

Bell's Brewery is one of the biggest names in craft beer. Once you get past the Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone phase, you start hearing about breweries like Bell's. Bell's began as a home-brewing supply shop, founded by Larry Bell, back in 1983. Bell's sold its first beer in September 1985. The brewery has humble roots like many of the first craft breweries, and the beer was originally brewed in a 15-gallon soup kettle. The beer was originally self-distributed, bottled, and delivered by hand during the company's first four years. In 1993, Bell's became the first brewery in Michigan to open an onsite pub. The brewery currently has two facilities, one in Kalamazoo, and one in Comstock Township, Michigan. For more info, check out their website. 

If you don't know the deal, the Black Note is a coveted Midwest barrel-aged Stout. The bottle reads: "Black Note is a malty harmony of dark chocolate, espresso and dried fruit notes, aged in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels. Aimed squarely at stout aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark." This one punches in at 11.4% ABV, and should pack a nice punch. 

Bell's Black Note Stout (Vintage 2014)

The Black Note pours with obsidian opacity not unlike black metal, squid ink, and David Blaine's soul. This is your typical RIS affair, with a finger of mocha-brown head that leaves coffee-like residuals on the side of your glass, like the bottom of an empty cup of Starbucks coffee. This beer is well-carbonated, courtesy of the #glasswhale, and looks similar in low light and bright light. You could take this one home and keep the lights off or risk turning them on. No problem.

If you are serious about courting this beer, you should know its cousins. Namely Bourbon County and the BBA Plead the 5th. I guess you could throw the range of 50/50s into the mix as well. This smells the part of a good BBA RIS, with hot whiskey and bourbon sweetness coming over the top, followed by waves of rich chocolate, espresso/coffee, and pie crust. There is some coconut on the nose here, but nothing like what you get with Bourbon County. As this warms, I am getting some growing raisin and sweet whiskey notes. There are some hints of cherries, molasses, and Twizzlers as well. 

Bell's website suggests that this beer is a blend of the Expedition Stout and Double Cream Stout -- or at least, a spiritual blend of the two. And I can sort of see that. I had a bottle of this a few weeks ago, and I wasn't enjoying it as much as I had hoped. Right now though, this is drinking nicely. I'm getting big dark fruit notes, with cherries, Twizzlers, raisins, chocolate-dipped cherries and raisins towards the back, subtle whiskey sweetness, and complex molasses and sweet caramel sugars. There's a nice blast of sticky chocolate, toffee, coffee, and espresso up front. There is even some measured roast in here, with tons of malt complexity dancing around. The barrel and the spirit here are nuanced, but present. It's very pleasant, easy-going stuff.

Hmm...where do we go from here. This is a malty, overly-sweet, big beer. Surprisingly, I'm not getting a ton of alcohol for 11.4%. Really, not much alcohol at all. This is smooth, but still full-bodied. There's a little bourbon kick in the middle, along with some roasty and twangy hop noise in the background, but this is not overwhelming in any way that is unusual for the style. Palate depth here is fantastic, and this is surprisingly complex. This starts out sticky-sweet with chocolate and coffee/espresso, raisins, Twizzlers, dark fruits; the mids dial up bourbon, whiskey, raisin sweetness, English Barleywine malts, and just giant caramel sugars; the back end continues to ride the sugar train, with some hops creeping up, and lingering molasses and dark fruit notes. This is all around super solid, but still somewhat different than the BBA Pt5 and BCBS. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew here. For frame of reference...I just dug out a bottle of Bourbon County Stout the other day, 2012 Vintage. And it's drinking fantastic right about now. The Black Note is amazing. This is a blissful, stupefying beer, worth all the hype. This is better than KBS too...or different. More complex. I think this beer is going to continue to improve in the bottle, and I really am curious to revisit this beer in a year or two. The dark fruit notes in this beer are already popping, but given some time, this should really meld into an English Barleywine-type experience. But drinking this somewhat fresh, it's not bad. Not bad at all. Food pairings here include ice cream, dry chocolate cake, creme brulee, a nice cigar, a big raunchy burger, steak cooked medium-rare, and things like that. Really though, this beer should be carefully poured into your snifter at cellar temps and thought about. 

Random Thought: Moving is so fucking busy and stressful. /sigh