Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Aged beers

Bourbon Barrel Barleywine

American Barleywine
Central Waters Brewing Co.
11.5% ABV

    12 oz bottle of 2010 vintage poured into a wine glass after an year of aging. Poured dark amber-brown with oddly brilliant clarity for a beer of it's kind. The head was small and did not last too long, and left some lacing on the glass as it receded.

    Smelled rich and sweet: dried fruits (mostly dates), residual sugars, and ample amount of oak-bourbon. Nothing too surprising but complex and more importantly, very good. The taste, however, was a a let down - slightly sweet and very bitter on a thin body with not enough malts/sugars to balance out the hops. The excellent aroma elements show up very briefly only in the aftertaste, which is a shame in my opinion.

    Too much bitterness, to the point of clashing. Thin, overcarbonated, and hot with fusel alcohols. Seems like it has everything I hate about cheap liquor and very less of what I like about barleywines.

Scores: Appearance 4/5; Aroma 4.5/5; Taste 3/5; Mouthfeel 2; Drinkability 2/5

Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Imperial Stout

Central Waters Brewing Co.

9.5% ABV

    12 oz bottle of 2010 vintage poured into a wine glass after an year of aging. Dark, but not dark enough looks with good clarity and a small head. Poor head retention. Aroma is creamy with oak-bourbon, chocolate and vanilla. Tastes dark, smooth, slightly bitter and deliciously sweet, with chocolate-vanilla notes and some acidity, but none of the coffee flavor that I usually associate with the said acidity.

    The bourbon barrel flavors abound and would have worked even better with a creamier and thicker body, and lower carbonation. Still a very good beer.

Scores: Appearance 3/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 4.5/5; Mouthfeel 3; Drinkability 4/5