Friday, October 3, 2008

Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Louisville KY


It was the first rainy fall day since moving back to the Northwest and such weather dictates tonight's tasting. This is a beer I found on our visit to Kentucky. We happened across the Bluegrass Brewing Company (2 locations in Kentucky - Extremely recommended! Great pizza! Truly great beer! We shared a taster of their beers, but sadly this was pre-blog) and I got a four pack of their special beer at the time: The Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout.

It pours opaque with a caramel colored head.

The smell is of chocolate, malt and mild oak.

The taste is mild chocolate at first. It is malty, but not thick; rather is stays on the clean and smooth side. I get a slight hint of vanilla with a slight sweetness to it. It is not a bitter beer at all. It has a medium body and not as thick as one would expect. As it warms the oak becomes more apparent and the beer thickens a little, but retains it's crispness.

The aftertaste is chocolate, smokey and lingers nicely.

From the four-pack, I learned that this beer is a coordinated effort between the Bluegrass Brewing Company and McLain & Kyne Distillery (Advertised as the "2005 Bourbon of the Year". The stout is brewed in the barrels from the Bourbon batches for up to 90 days.

It is 8% and this is from their website:
Malts: Special Pale, Wheat, Chocolate and English Roast Barley
Hops: Northern Brewer and English East Kent Goldings

I'm not too sure about the availability of BBC beers around the US or even near Kentucky (I never made it to a grocery store to investigate). But if you come across it, indulge!

Cheers!

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