Santas Little Helper - Bourbon Barrel

Corked bottle, poured and split. 500th rating so a fun beer seemed necessary, and it did not disappoint. Pours black with a tan head that lasts. Sour cherry and a little vanilla on the aroma, with some chocolate too. Hints to be sour at first in the flavor, then switches to a bold flavor full of vanilla and cocoa goodness. Just a touch of bourbon feel to it in the finish. Super smooth, and not too heavy. Not too surprised, these guys don’t tend to disappoint with anything. Memorable beer for sure. Great stuff.

Bottle at home. Pours black, nose is toffee, vanilla, chocolate, taste is more of the same, sweet.

2013 bottle, drunk on 1/17/14
Tons of charred-oak colored head tops an ebony body with bright garnet highlights on the edges. Not completely opaque. Head is well-retained.
Prunes and bitter cacao are wrapped about by lightly sweet vanilla. Bourbon notes are present, but only lightly so, adding a touch of grainy/woody character and some warming on the finish. Chocolate and rich maltiness emerge as it warms, but the ashiness of the heavy roasted malts keeps it no where near syrupy or overly sweet, while the hops are very very muted. How refreshing to see a non-hop focused imperial stout. Obviously spending some time in the barrel has helped this end, but at least they didnt, i dont know, dry hop the barrels. Wouldnt put it past a lot of brewers. The vanilla character is, perhaps, a bit too pronounced, but this is a fine, elegant nose for such a strong beer.
Chocolate (dark, cocoa-laden) and tobacco mix about on the palate, as sweet malt is very rapidly swept away by wood tannin and bourbon phenols. Vanilla, not as dominant as in the nose, rounds out the finish with some very pleasant vinousness (oily, lightly bitter dark malt). Bourbon is definitely understated and very elegantly done here as expected. Alcohol is no where to be found for this strength. Soft, borderline creamy body is bolstered by dextrines and a low but tight carbonation. Wonderful stuff. Even at this young an age. Love the lack of hop resin.

Bottle from Vinspecialisten, Aalborg. Black with a lasting brown head. Aroma is sweet, roasted malt, coffee and bourbon. Flavor is very sweet and rather bitter. Dry and roasted rather bitter finish with warming alcohol. Oily and smooth. 271213

Bottle @ Unibaren. Pours pitch black with a brown head. Aroma of roasted malts, caramel, dark fruits, wood, whisky, vanilla, some alcohol shows aswell. Flavor is malts, dark chocolate, vanilla, wood, oak, whisky, little hot from booze. Medium body, soft carbonation, sweet and little bitter finish with some warming alcohol. 301113

2012 in a tulip glass at Harry’s Hofbrau. Chocolate, roast and coffee dominate. Black with massive dark brown head. Dissipates quickly with alcohol. Taste the barrel more than the aroma. Alcohol present on aroma as it warms. Velvet, viscous roasty coffee. Semi-astringent with solid bitter finish.

2009 Bottle as shown thanks to Rick. Pours a very dark brown with small paperthin tan head that diminishes quickly. The aroma is strong roast, chocolate, and oak. Medium mouthfeel with rich chocolate and strong roastiness and oak flavor. Really impressive.