Double Barrel Almond Suite
Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, California, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Side Project BrewingStout - Pastry / Flavoured - Imperial Regular
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Score
7.74
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Double Barrel Almond Suite is one of many collaborations that I have brewed with Side Project over the years. The recipe for the blend's base combines some of our shared signature stout producing ingredients, along with toasted almonds in the mash, kettle, and brite tank. This beer was double barrel-aged in a combination of bourbon and cognac barrels, creating a layered profile. The dramatically dark head releases notes of dark chocolate-covered almond caramels and bourbon-soaked vanilla, while the body - rich with a beautiful almond expression - seamlessly floats into dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Blend:
King (barrel #148) aged 12 months in Elijah Craig barrels and 7 months in French Oak Cognac barrels
King (barrel #162) aged 12 months in Elijah Craig barrels and 7 months in Rittenhouse Rye barrels
King (barrel #164) aged 12 months in Elijah Craig barrels and 7 months in Old Fitzgerald barrels
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Poured from a 500 ml bottle. Aroma is full of rich chocolate layers with dark caramel and toffee notes. Light roast notes along with some molasses. Medium light lactose and light almond notes. Light alcohol and bourbon notes with faint oak. Pours jet black with a big, thick, pillowy, dark mocha head that recedes steadily to a small, creamy head that lingers. Light lacing and long legs. Flavor is very rich and sweet with loads of milk chocolate along with quite a bit of darker chocolate and dark caramel notes. Lighter notes of toffee, roast and molasses. Medium bitterness with medium alcohol notes. Moderate lactose notes with lighter almond notes. Medium light bourbon notes with hints of oak. Mouthfeel is full bodied and creamy with medium carbonation. Low astringency and medium low alcohol warmth. Overall, a really great imperial stout. The almond notes are maybe not as strong as I was expecting, but there is so much rich chocolate that it's not surprising. Bourbon notes come through nicely and compliment the malt flavor. Lactose adds nice mouthfeel and sweetness without being overpowering.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5
On tap at Vilaggio della Birra 2022. Black with brownish head. Dense chocolate, almonds, nuts, thick, bourbon. Some dark fruit. Medium sweetness. Oily. Full bodied.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
500ml bottle. Heavy, roasty and nutty with loads of barrel notes, bourbon, cognac and hints of stingy woody notes. A bit unbalanced and heavy.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5
Bottle thanks to Brian. Pours a dark brown with small beige head. The aroma is caramel, cognac, wood. Slick body, tobacco, licorice, cognac, nice sweetness, enjoyed this.