Plato's Shadow (Batch #2)
(Batch of Plato's Shadow)
Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, California, United States 🇺🇸
Brewed at/by: Faction BrewingStout - Imperial Regular
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Score
7.12
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The second blend of Plato's Shadow showcases the depth and age that the Private Press barrel program has gained over the past two years. Barrels from Bliss, Old Elk, Weller, Port, Blanton's, Russell's Reserve, Pappy, Elijah Craig, and Buffalo Trace make this year's blend stronger, bolder, and more barrel-forward than year one. The culmination of this group of barrels and varied aging times presents tones of rich vanilla, berry-forward dark chocolate, espresso, dark fruit, and toffee that builds as the beer opens and warms.
Blend:
Adderley (barrel #180) aged 17 months in Weller barrels and 6 months in Old Elk barrels
Hubbard (barrel #184) aged 16 months in Pappy Van Winkle barrels and 6 months in Elijah Craig 18 Year barrels
Hubbard (barrel #185) aged 16 months in Buffalo Trace barrels and 6 months in Old Elk barrels
Duke (barrel #197) aged 9 months in Bliss barrels and 6 months in Old Elk barrels
Adderley (barrel #235) aged 17 months 25% in Port barrels and 75% in Blanton's barrels, and 6 months in Russell's Reserve barrels
2022 Release
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Poured from a 500 ml bottle. Aroma is full of rich, dark, chocolate notes and lots of dark caramel and toffee with lighter roast notes. Hints of leather and ash. Medium light alcohol and bourbon notes with hints of oak. Pours black with a small, moderately thick, creamy, dark mocha head that recedes quickly to the edges where it lingers for a bit before disappearing. No lacing and long legs. Flavor is moderately sweet and very chocolate forward with loads of bakers chocolate. Quite a bit of dark caramel and toffee as well with light roast notes. Medium bitterness and medium light alcohol notes. Light bourbon notes with hints of vanilla and faint oak notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied and a bit sticky with medium low carbonation. Low astringency and medium low alcohol warmth. Overall, a really nice stout. This one has such great chocolate malt character. Oak and bourbon notes are a bit lighter than expected, but significantly better than being heavy-handed.