Central Waters Brewer''s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Barleywine

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Had a 5.5oz snifter of this at my local beer bar for $4.50 last night. One of the biggest beers I've had for a while. I was hesitant to get it, but glad I did. Dark brown color with a medium brown head. Lots of dark fruit like fig and plum in this beer, with plenty of malt. Bourbon and oak are not a little less obvious. Surprisingly little alcohol is noticeable in this medium-full body beer. Get it if you can find it!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Reddish brown color with a small light tan head that leaves some impressive short term sheets of lacing. Dark fruit primarily dates, figs and raisins, caramel, bourbon, oak, brown sugar, vanilla with some bit of earthy hops. Caramel and brown sugar lead the flavors followed by dark fruit maltiness, bourbon, oak, vanilla with some earthy hoppiness on the finish. A little bit of heat as well. Mouthfeel is full and indicative of the style when properly represented. IMO, Central Waters barrel aging program is one of the best I have ever had and this beer is another shining example of it. Get this beer!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Pours slightly hazy caramel with a nice fine-bubbled buff head. Fresh wood and bourbon dominate the aroma but let hints of caramel and malt peek through. Flavor has bourbon, oaken, caramel and sweet malt notes, tasty and pleasing. Finish has an alcohol nip, more playful poodle than angry Rottweiler. Texture is fairly fizzy and fairly firm. Reserve one today.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

Beer Seven of my Twelve Beers of Christmas. This one from PfoxyJohn - 2011 version. Dark brown heavy pour, very tight tan head which rapidly dissipates to a constant cap and ring leaving nice lacing. Immediately coconut hits the nose, along with some light oak, honey, very ripe fruits, vanilla, salted caramel, very light bourbon and then more coconut, all in the aromas and palate. Exceeded my expectations. Decadent. Wish I had several of these. Thank you John.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

The beer pours clear amber red with about an inch of cappuccino-colored head. Head died quick with only a little lacing. Sweet, smoky, fruity and exciting. I can clearly smell honey, vanilla, and oak. A full, rich nose. Flavor is pretty boozy at this point. Not a ton of heat, but there is a huge bourbon flavor. The flavor also matches the smell, but I love that the barleywine is not too sweet. Very good profile which will be amazing with some age. Creamy, medium-bodied, and leaves syrup on the tongue. A very good beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

12oz bottle, received via trade with heybeerman -

I've had the pleasure of consuming this great beer a few times with different vintages. This is the 2012 vintage, and while it might still be a little young it shows off the fantastic barrel aging and just oozes out bourbon with an emphasis on the wood. Vanilla, bourbon, medium-sweet malts dominate the aroma, and while that 1-2-3 combo might seem a little simple, it freakin rocks. The wood really shines though on the palate and if you ever want to show a person what barrel aging can do to a beer, this is a fine example. Lots of woody tannins, vanillin and bourbon and, like the aroma, is fantastic. I can only imagine this beer getting better with a little age, but it's pretty damn good right now.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Thanks, heybeerman! Bold - BOLD! Intense aroma of oak with a hint of alcohol (not unpleasant). Pours murky, dirty brown - not the best characteristic, but I got over it due to the great aroma and flavor. Velvet in the mouth and very reminiscent of quality whisky. The flavor is sweet, malty and woody - oak again - think good whisky. Worthy!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Here's the 611 on this beer, umm, thats phone repair??... . Thanks to John for the trade, excited to see this at the bottom of the box .. . Pours a dark ruby brown, pretty good head for a high abv barleywine, some light spotting (lacing you sicko).. . strong aroma of delicious deep bourbon, some tar, rum, and twisted molasses .. . taste and aroma very similar, some heat in the throat- this needs a couple of years to be great, but i enjoy fresh barleywines so.. . Another winner from the underrated folks at Central Waters .. . upside down..

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Appearance is not great, cloudy redish orange. head dissipates very quickely. Scent is very syrupy and malty. The mouthfeel is very good, quite thick and smooth without being cloying. Flavor is actually quite hoppy and is not at all reminiscent of high gravity beers. Slight hint of bourbon and extremely drinkable. Do not judge this one on appearance, there really are no bad Central Waters beers. Update: after one year it has really cleared out and looks much better. Flavor has also mellowed and the booze is much more noticeable, you want to SIP this.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

aroma starts as vanilla, carmel malt, with a hint of pepper and hops. well made BW..the hops shine thorugh the bourbon, though the bourbon blends well and is the highlight. slight peppery aspect to the sweet full finish. thanks again, John, this is a real sipping treat.