(Tap) clear, bright orange color with a small cream colored head; aroma of wet wood, compote; balanced flavour with a long, light tart and bitter finish

Taster from a 16oz can. Slightly hazy reddish amber. Nice burbon and caramel aromas and flavors. Smooth palate and fairly bitter woody bite at the end

It’s December 1st so time for another Christmas beer! Hopworks Bourbon Barrel Abominable BBA Winter Ale 9.5% Reddish brown with a wispy beige head that doesn’t linger. On cracking the can you got bright piney hops, you also get whiskey/bourbon and tannic oak with some sweet malty caramel elements. Full bodied and very barrel forward with loads of sharp bourbon heat, barrel, oak, vanilla, and more bourbon. The beer is kind of hidden beneath the barrel but actually it’s still pretty good.
Earlier Rating: 12/23/2015 Total Score: 3.8
Hopworks Kentucky Christmas 7.8% 2014 version Served in a snifter it pours a beautiful orange-gold. The aroma is surprisingly bright citrus with mild barrel character. The taste is almost like a barrel-aged IPA as it starts with bright citrus notes, gives you some malt sweetness while the barrel oak and bourbon comes through in the finish/aftertaste. Very smooth drinking but not what any of us were expecting from a winter seasonal.

16 oz can from Brewers Haven. Copper colored pour, small foamy head dissipates. Malty aroma, tobacco, caramel. Taste layers on the bourbon barrel notes, with the caramel malts and a touch of sweetness. Sweet, stick finish, seems thin.

On tap. Pours a hazy dark Amber color with moderate head. Aromas of vanilla, bready malts and light spice. Flavors of stale bourbon, dried fruit and spice.

On tap at St. Augustine's, pours a hazy orange with a small white head. Nose brings out spicy notes, bourbon barrels, and light herbal notes. Flavour is complex and cohesive, with smoky bourbon barrels, light spices and alcohol. The barrels shine bright here, finishing spicy and smoky. Good stuff.

Hmmm. A tough one to rate for me. Pours a darkish copper color with a small white head. A huge bursting nose of heat and bourbon. Like a shot. The flavor is also a bit harsh for me, I like BA beers, but this has some solvent like flavors and huge heat, but also nice caramel, vanilla, wood, sweet sugary malts. Good overall. Very hot.

Draft. Rich amber beer with a cream head. Bourbon aroma. Brown sugar and bourbon flavor with light malt. Medium bodied. Brown sugar and bourbon lingers.