Sample at GABF 10/05/2019, thanks to kathryneels for assistance with note-taking. Black pour with some brown around the edges and a medium tan head that diminishes gradually to a dense film. Small patches of lace. Malt, bourbon, chocolate and coffee aromas. Full-bodied with flavors of oaky bourbon, dark chocolate, malt and vanilla coffee. The finish is oaky with a bourbon and malt aftertaste. Good beer overall.

22oz bomber shared at funk factory. Opaque brown black body, thin beige head. Sweet, rich, really tasty. Chocolate, roast, barrel. Great balance.

(batch two re-rate) a few changes to the recipe this year - they added some dark chocolate, switched to better quality coffee and aged it in bourbon barrels rather than using bourbon-soaked oak blocks - the result is a much more robust and bourbon- forward brew - lots more vanilla and oak - much lower bitterness - a little boozy, but quite intense and tasty - better and bolder than last year (batch one - 3.6) Ordered this one at the same time I ordered the hefe, just to let it warm up to room temp, and I think the beer benefitted from it - deep black pour - nose of light wood, chocolate, espresso, cream, vanilla, moderate bourbon - slick in the mouth - slightly light-bodied for the abv, with well-masked alcohol, making it a bit dangerous - flavor is moderately sweet and fairly bitter, both from the coffee and the black malts - a bit of charred character - the bourbon is very subdued, which is a welcome change for a bourbon stout, adding just touches of vanilla - very mild woodiness - a bit of anise and chocolate - moderate coffee - there is a sort of charred peanut skin quality that I often pick up in coffee of poor to middling quality, which is a slight turn-off - otherwise a solid and well-balanced imperial stout.

Tap @ CK. Black appearance with a foamy, dark brown head. Oaty, rich dark chocolate malty, mild medium roast coffee, light vanilla, very light bourbon aroma. Oily mouth feel. Very tasty, roasty dark coffee flavor. Rich dark chocolate/cocoa, mild woody, light vanilla, very mild bourbon flavor. Rich mocha, somewhat bitter aftertaste with the alcohol nearly nonexistent on the finish. Really an excellent, super easy drinking beer but the bourbon really isn’t coming through. I understand that many of their customers may prefer it, but it was served far too cold. Edit: The bourbon comes out more in the aroma and somewhat in the flavor, as the beer warms up. Again, not the best beer to serve ice cold (but it is an exceptional offering).