![Clarkvv's photo of GBS [Gingerbread Stout] - Bourbon Barrel](/user_uploads/beer_tick_images/1766777227-1331-11081.webp)
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
12oz canned 10/16/25, drunk 12/25/25, as pictured.
Gingerbread in the nose with milk chocolate and fudge. An afterthought of bourbon. Maybe a bit of alcohol/glue character but it's mostly passing.
Alcohol and heavily spiced adjunct character. At first it feels too thin and watery but the palate accustoms and it mostly just feels very dry and spicy by the end. Lactose is too apparent. Messy, with glue-like notes and disjointed adjunct. Bourbon is only just barely noticeable. Not sure if I'm more angry that I opened this so young, or that the beer is released in such an obviously too young and horrifically messy state. 12 weeks in barrel is also kind of a joke.
Will try to find a bottle with a year or two age on it and revisit.
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
Fles gedeeld door Keukenman, thuis geprobeerd met kerst. Het is een diep donkerbruin tot zwart bier. Het heeft een aroma van gebrande mout, koffie en rook. De smaak is vol gebrande mout, koffie en gember.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
16oz can. Poured a nearly pitch black color, maybe a bit more like dark cola in color and consistency. Medium sized light tan head. Aroma was light peppermint and chocolate. I kind of expected this one to be very heavy on the peppermint, but the slightly more subtle character was really nice. Kind of on the thin side, but really nice light peppermint character that doesn't overwhelm the base beer.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 7
Opaque. Near to black. Small beige head of low retention. Toast & roast. Chocolate. Gingerbread (clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger?). Bourbon, just distant barrel notes. Some hop. Wartming alcohol. Medium dry. Low to light hop bitterness. Obviously not my fascination. Still, well made.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
16 ounce can from Trader Joe’s in Princeton, NJ. Opaque dark brown pour. Frothy tan head. Robust aromas of peppermint and dark chocolate. Flavor is sweet roasted malt, dark chocolate and peppermint. Medium bodied with a slick mouthfeel. Some warming alcohol on backend. Tasty and festive.
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Can from Trader Joe's in Davis, CA. Pours dark brn/blk with a slight dark tan head. Aroma of peppermint. Approaching full body. Flavor is peppermint with some roasty dark malt. Not dry and peppermint stands in for bitter. Very smooth and tasty.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
Bottle shared by Joe, thanks! Pours a clear amber brown with a thin tan head that starts and remains at the edges. Aroma has earthy bread and sweet grains and toffee with a bit of caramel underlying. Flavor has lots of bread and toffee with caramel and just a hint of roast coming through.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
16 ounce can from Trader Joe’s in Princeton, NJ. Jet black pour. Frothy tan head is substantial. Rich chocolate aroma smells just like Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe cookies. Flavor is more of the same. Rich cocoa, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate. Creamy mouthfeel. Sticky palate. Peppery finish and aftertaste.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
12 oz can from the 2024 release dated 11/20/2024, consumed 10/31/2025. Black with no head, just a hint of fizz. Aroma has bourbon, ginger, Christmas spices, dried chili pepper, some honey and vanilla. Taste is bourbon and ginger up front, dark chocolate, spices, vanilla, hint of dried chili pepper. Full body, subtle peppery heat on the finish.