Bomber from Inside the Cellar. Aroma is strong coffee, chocolate, very roasty, nutty, vanilla, cigar ash. Pours black with a one finger beige head that falls into a ring somewhat quick. Taste is lightly sweet, lightly spicy with flavors matching the aroma, and some hint of green pepper. Not really getting any bourbon elements other than the hints of vanilla from the barrel. Perfect mouthfeel. Interesting and tasty.

I have heard about a new trend of using coffee beans aged in wooden barrels and this allegedly was the first one to do that, curious about this. Medium thick, moussy, pale beige, stable head, well retaining around the edge, black robe with hazy burgundy edges. Refined bouquet of real coffee beans and coffee powder, espresso, liquorish, bitter chocolate, sugared black tea, hazelnut paste, aniseed, bayleaf, cigars, dry leather, cinnamon rolls, vanilla beans, light bourbon, dried thyme. Clean fruity onset, hints of dried fig and unripe pear, touch of ’leathery’ umami and some dim elderberry sourishness, softish carbo, pleasantly oily and creamy, slick mouthfeel. Very nutty malt body with a bitterish toasted edge, blending beautifully with the uplifting notes of high quality coffee powder towards the finish without turning deeply roasted bitter, some spicy hops way back but not outspoken (unsurprisingly at only 30 IBU), leathery and teaish accents, dryish, with the coffee lingering alongside a bitter chocolatey end maltiness and a dash of warming, well-positioned alcohol. I do not quite get barrel ageing here - if only the added coffee and not the beer itself has aged on bourbon barrels, this effect can only be subtle - so I am left wondering a bit what the point of this novelty is, but in general this is a very well-balanced, refined, highly drinkable and beautiful stout without any flaws. Recommended.