First sip is a confusing flash of different things biting at me like a pack of feral raccoons in a cage, barely held back by the tiny bars. The bourbon is right up front with it's sharp teeth, but then a swipe of maple-soaked bread malt slashes with a paw. Just as it seems like it's over, the resin comes at me with a barbed on a hind leg. A barb? Was that a platypus? This drink is not what I expected.
Tip-in is strangely hoppy. The hops are generally citrus, and they are accompanied by a gentle carbonation tingle right in the middle of the tongue. The middle arrives with deep oak and bourbon as bold as you can get. Vanilla and slight pine hops manage to peek out from under the oak lid that is pressing down pretty hard on them. The finish is a hit of bitterness and an unexpected surge of the vanilla with the oak solidly bidding the mouth goodbye.
Bottom Line: Not an everyday beer, but quite a treat when you get it.
3.75/5