Anderson Valley Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel Stout

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Anderson Valley Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel Stout.

From the Anderson Valley Brewing Company website: “Complexity.  Aged for three months in Wild Turkey Bourbon barrels, this luxurious stout has a deep ebony hue and a beautiful mahogany head. The woody, vanilla-like notes imparted by the barrels mingle with aromas of fresh baked bread, toffee, and espresso and envelop the rich chocolate and roasted barley flavors with a fine bourbon character.  Our exclusive partnership with Wild Turkey gives Anderson Valley a world class, consistent source of barrelage, allowing our brewers to explore new frontiers in barrel-aged craft beer.

Since its introduction, Wild Turkey has maintained a distinctive distillation and ageing process that gives it a smooth taste and a lingering flavor. Wild Turkey uses a differentiated process whereby the bourbon is distilled at a low proof to seal in its flavors. Very little water is added to Wild Turkey, resulting in a full-flavored authentic bourbon taste similar to what one would get straight out of the barrel. Wild Turkey is a genuine drink with a sought after “burn” that comes from its high proof, an attribute fundamental to the brand and critical in maintaining its authentic bourbon characteristics.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours an almost black dark brown with a tan head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Chocolate, vanilla, coffee, caramel, oak, bourbon and toffee.

Taste: Vanilla, bourbon, chocolate and dark malts, oak, coconut, caramel and coffee. Nicely sweet finish with notes of bourbon.

Overall: Incredibly drinkable, Anderson Valley Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel Stout is delicious.  If you’re into bourbon barrel-aged beers, this 6.9% ABV gem is for you.  I’m certainly picking more up.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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