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This may be a new thing, or maybe I'm just late to the party, but this came in a four pack. Every other Bourbon County stout that I've had has been sold by the bottle. The Toasted Stout was one of the more expensive beers I've had at $65 per bottle. At that price, I expected it to be as good as the regular stout, but it was not. I mean, it was an excellent beer, but more money does not buy you more better beer, in this case. As the previous simple stout that I had of this variety in 2021 was a 5/5 beer, I really expect this to be the same.
The brown beer (okay, very, very dark brown) absolutely does not want to release any bubbles. This isn't unusual for a barrel aged beer, but the last one I had was able to give me a good, solid beer while still giving me quite a few bubbles, and it even wound up leaving lacing. This will do neither. Looking at it, it reminds me of The Omen I had that was excellent. The aroma is downright boozy. Wood flavors the otherwise brown liquor (possibly more of a barley wine) aroma that almost feels like syrup of some kind. And all this is just the smell.
First sip is powerful. It communicates every bit of that 14.8% ABV, and it does it with the syrup I expected, the wood that it needs to have, and a solid earth mixed with toffee. Vanilla hints at being there in the background, but the alcohol will not be fading into the night at all. I remember why I liked this beer so much on that cold January day in 2022. This is a good beer to drink like you might drink a whiskey or the like. Just sip this by the fire with a loyal dog curled up at your feet and the latest John Wick movie on the TV.
Tip-in is wood, alcohol, sweet toffee, and brown sugar. Honestly, it's a lot to start the flavor with, but it's a thick beverage that can handle those flavors. The middle becomes an epic and curiously drinkable wash of vanilla added to the wood and toffee, but now some earth has joined for a good, solid base. The finish is a bright light of sweetness from the brown sugar and vanilla before oak and alcohol take the now caramelized toffee into the trail off.
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Bottom Line: Yes, please.
5.0/5
