Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
One of many HBH barrel aged beers, devised by a hobby brewer based in Lokeren who does nothing else but barrel ageing, originally having execute his products at Alvinne but now – since a couple of years already – at Deca in Woesten. This one is apparently a quad aged on barrels previously containing bourbon of the familiar Buffalo Trace brand, oddly spelled ‘Buffalo Tracé’ on the label. Medium thick, pale greyish beige, moussy head, slowly diminishing over a misty ruddy bronze-brown beer with wine red glow. Aroma of very evident bourbon heavily lying over candi sugar, vanilla-breathing oak wood, plum jam, walnut purée, tea, rosehip, medlar, dried fig, red apple peel, brown bread, ‘boerenjongens’ but also ‘oude jenever’ and shoe polish. Sweet onset, clear dark candi sugar, fruity notes of medlar, pear and date, some dried plum and candied cherry perhaps, finely but actually strongly carbonated; brown-bready and caramelly maltiness with toffeeish and even very lightly toasty-bitterish edge, gently dried by woody tannins (vanillin returning retronasally) and earthy hops, but most of all dominated by heating, bittersweet, very ‘full-tasting’ and recognizable bourbon, also dragging solventy effects (varnish, shoe polish) in its trail. The booziness can be expected from such a beer (certainly after having had several other HBH beers) but the solventy effects bothered me a bit; other than that, this was among the more tasty, classy and balanced ones in the series so far (for me) and I am confident that the booze and the solvents will be shaved off a bit after some years of cellaring. More than decent, all things considered.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Bottle. According to the label a limited edition of 354 bottles and cask no. 102589. Brewed 09/04/2021 and bottled 28/01/2022. Color: Clear reddish copper, thin beige head. Aroma: Railsins, dark dried fruit, caramel malt. Taste: Malty, sweetish candy sugar, raisins, caramel, boozy, subtle peat, almond, oak wood. Spicy notes. Over moderate sweet, light bitterness. Warming mouthfeel at the dry-ish finish. Over medium body, below average carbonation. Nice complexity.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
20th March 2023. Monthly Beer Share, Chez Sophie in Shrewsbury; five guys who love beer and talk bollox while drinking. Last beer of the night for me, cheers Mat for the cork and caged 500ml bottle (not 660ml). Wispy white head on an amber body. Aroma holds Bourbon esters alongside some maltiness. Boozy and slightly sweet in nature, a real fire side sipper, pity I had a replacement bus to catch and had to rush my 5th of the bottle.
minutemat (16258) reviewed Bim Bam - Heaven Hill BA from Holy Beer House 2 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Large bottle (660ml?) @ monthly tasting, Chez Sophie, March 23. Picked up at Deca Brewery. Pours a hazed caramel amber, small off-white head. Aroma picks up a lovely Heaven Hill influence, continuing to taste with very noticeable nutty coconut vanillery whisky flavours, complimenting a smooth barley wine malt sweetness underneath. Very nice.