Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

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

I was fortunate to sample the 2012 offering a few times this year. Bottle pour is brown/black with a quick burst or carbonation. Tart aromas or sour cherries dominate but other dark fruits are present - figs and dates. A thick mouthfeel accompanies a rather complex brew with notes of oak, vanilla, smoke, tart black cherry, and figs. I couldn't get there with this brew. Its nice and well made but the tartness seems to have taken ahold of this 7 month old bottle.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Enticing, unique offering courtesy of heybeerman. Amber~brown color with a collapsing head, minor lacing, and some residual floaties. Lots of sweet/dark tart cherries on top of a heavily roasted and woody malt body. Medium bodied, fizzy with a tart bitterness. Didn't gather a whole lot of barrel influence within this one, but it didn't matter due to the wonderful blend of classic stout characteristics with that signature northern cherry quality.

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

12oz bottle, received via trade with heybeerman -

This was a very nice stout although as heybeerman states in his review, it's pretty light in the fruit dept. The aroma and palate on this beer are complex enough and tasty enough that if they didn't put "cherry" on the label, I really wouldn't have noticed but it is there...sometimes. Aroma brings with it dark chocolate, roasted coffee bean, light bourbon, some oak, with just a touch of charred malts and licorice. It's not overpowering, but just right. The flavor echoes the aroma nearly step for step, however it seemed like after 2-3 sips I would get something like chewing on a cherry pit. Very, very light but there nonetheless. Very nice beer, and those that live in Wisconsin I'm sure are quite proud of these guys.

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

To call this only a fruit beer really isn't fair, the cherry is so mild overall that I would just call it a really good stout. Great pour, great look, nice full bodied roasty stout and the cherries just give it an added dimension that doesn't make it fruity, but makes it more complex.

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

damn - another big beer and another winner from Central Waters. This was the nightcap to our DIPA tasting and boy, did it hit the spot. I'm probably being stingy with my score. Great (surprisingly easy drinking!) blend of bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit and cherries, and roasted malt in both the flavor and aroma. looked a little lite in color, but was super smooth and delicious, with a tight head that lasted. great beer - thanks John! I gotta try me a Bells one day!!!

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

thanks John! .. . lots of dark cherry, bourbon, roasted wood flavors and aromas .. . flavor as it warms starts to include cherry and dark fruits with a splash of bourbon .. . complex and full, but so smooth .. . great stuff .. . i want to live in a bourbon barrel ..

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

This cherry infused goodness courtesy of pfoxyjohn. Pours a mahogany black with a sustained tan head leaving lots of lacing. Good carbonation. Aromas of sweet vanilla-ed cherry bourbon with slight toasted coffee and hops. Taste is extremely rich and slightly creamy with a lovely bourbon undertone fused with the cherries and a good creaminess. It gets more bourbon-y as it gets warmer making it even better. A most excellent stout - and make no doubt - this is a stout.

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

Tasted at Noogfest 4.0 (2008). This Imperial Stout pours a medium black color from a 12oz bottle. Small sized tan foamy head. The aroma is chocolate, roasty malts and cherries, touch of bourbon. A medium bodied stout. The malts are chocolate and roasty malts. The kops are earthy. The cherry flavor is subtle, neither sweet nor tart. The bourbon flavors are subtle as well. It’s a bourbon barrel cheery stout that more about the stout than the barrel or the fruit. Nice beer. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

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

The body is a deep, dark brown with backlight revealing just a hint of ruby at the edges. The head is thin, brown and evanescent. Mostly bourbon and kirsch in the nose. Full, but smooth and soft on the palate. Flavors are complex; deep, dark, aged cherries with smooth chocolate and raisins. Finishes long and satiny, lightly sweet and warming, with some amaretto coffee turning lightly bitter.

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

"Very nice, how much?" Well, actually since you asked, it was $5 for this little 12 ozer but well worth every penny. Colour is a dark brown, with a red hue, it almost takes on a purpleish colour- not trying to scare you away, beautiful body. Thin tan head, light brownish colour with an aroma which is of chocolate covered cherries soaked in bourbon. Oak, dark dark chocolate and earth. Mouthfeel is creamy, incredibly satisfying and coffee-like. Wicked tastey, delightful on my palate. Flavors again are of over ripe cherries, maybe black cherry, chocolate, burnt coffee and slight carmel. Cherries are evident, but not overpowering, yet so real.