Lukt: Kirsebær. Utseende: Sort. Skum/kullsyre: Tynt skum. Smak: Kirsebær. Medium: Rating:848416, Flaske@330ml, ABV@14,5%, Når@12.06.2021. Hvor: Tasting kveld Bryne. Wild Beer B.A.B.S III / 3 Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry

Blend of barrel aged stouts – something more and more breweries seem to do lately, in the vein of The Bruery’s Melange series and, as quoted by Wild Beer itself, Firestone Walker’s Anniversary series; I still think the main reason for this, is to get rid of leftovers from barrel ageing projects, but I will not bother about that if the result is good. This mighty (14.5%!) beer shows a thin, pale grey-beige, small-bubbled ring for a head, dissolving all but completely over a largely black robe with hazy mahogany hue. Intense but inviting nose: obvious bourbon, a whole lot of toffee, liquorice, cognac, green apple slices, marzipan, ground pecan nuts, vanilla-scenting wet oak, sweet sherry, homemade blackberry jam, palo santo or even incense in the background, molasses, ‘Babelutten’, wooden furniture, hint of sweet soy sauce. Sweet, rich, deep onset, softly tingling fizz, candied dates, glazed pear, light green apple-like sourish accent adding some feeble ‘fraîcheur’ to the heaviness of it all; layers of thick toffeeish, cashew- and pecan-nutty and chocolatey malts build up in the mouth after that, carrying some light soy sauce and liquorice aspects to a boozy finish, where the bourbon comes through very clearly, along with a strong tannic woodiness. The heat of the booze becomes a tad tiring in the end – as I usually experience with beers over, say, 12% ABV – but the complexity and thickness of the flavour make up for this, remaining aromatic and ‘kaleidoscopic’ all the way through. Very complex, aromatic, interesting beer – one to be enjoyed sip by sip, and I certainly enjoyed every sip of it.

330ml bottle. Pours a clear, very dark brown, thin tan head. Aroma of all the alcohols that aren't beer; red wine, sherry, rum, bourbon. Taste is also very barrely and oaky, lots of tannins, red wine, sherry, rum, bourbon, dark berry fruits, chocolate, leather, warming booze. Full bodied, very smooth.

Valt tegen tov 1 en 2

Cocoa and some red wine on the nose. Thin body, sweet, a bit tart, some alcohol burn. Chocolate, bourbon, lots of red wine, a dry finish. Complex and interesting, best of the series.

Bottle. Pours black with a thin tan head. Aromas of leather, tar, pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, fudge. Taste has some dark fruits, more leather and vanilla. Yeah, good.