Saugatuck "Bourbon Barrel Aged Raspberry" Chocolate Stout

Saugatuck has fewer than 1,000 people in it (according to the most recent survey) so that means that a not insignificant percentage of people in Saugatuck work at this brewery. Honestly, I don't know that I can think of a better way for them to use their time. They seem to be pretty good at the whole beer thing, so just keep on keeping on, guys.

Not shockingly, the beer is exceptionally dark. It has ruby highlights to it, and it produces almost no head. I'm not exactly sure what the chemistry is when you introduce a beer to barrel aging, but it seems to inevitably reduce the volume of bubbles considerably. The aroma is a curious mixture of bitter chocolate, sweet berries, and heavy alcohol. After my day today, all three of these are very much welcome.

First sip is quite dense. The heavy alcohol is slapping into the berries and bitter chocolate, and a unexpected coffee bitterness and earth come up from the stout that this is all based on. The flavors are not incongruent on their own, but I again find myself in the position where a simple sip seems too fast and too inefficient at dissecting a complex beverage like this.

Tip-in is mild carbonation over wood and earth with berries peeking in. The middle spreads to cover the mouth in chocolate and alcohol with the berries being a layer between them as coffee lurks in the background and the sweetness of the berries keeps all the bitterness in line. The finish begins dry, but the sweet of the berries is left on the lips as a bitterness of the chocolate and coffee tries to assert itself in the center of the mouth.

Bottom Line: Pretty heavy, and it's also pretty good.

3.75/5