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!