Dogwood Winter Ale 2003 (Whiskey-barrel aged)

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

The whiskey is surprisingly strong on this. It lacks many of the expected Belgian qualities for the typical dubbel. It's definitely a bit heavy on the whiskey.

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

I can’t believe 2 things. 1) that dogwood doesn’t exist anymore as i love everything by them so far, and 2) that i forgot to have the decadent at Kp’s when it was on tap! dammit! anyways, this beer was excellent. it was smooth and warm and definitely had that jack daniels feel to it :) very good variation on the winter. i really wish these guys were still around and brewing.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

I FINALLY tracked this one down. It took me a 9 days from the day the first keg was tapped, but I did it. A 12-page paper kept me back on the first two days I planned to try it (the first time because I was too tired after my all-nighter to risk a beer before the 45-minute drive home. The second because I slept until 3 p.m. the next day and had to work at 4 p.m.) The third day that I was able to and made an attempt, the bar I went to had just sold out, less than a week after the keg went online. That'll probably be their only keg of the stuff this year. Finally, I found an unemptied keg of the stuff at Brick Store pub in Decatur on Sunday, a full 9 days after Summit's was the first of the bars to tap a keg of it. It poured nearly black into the elegant long-stemmed tulip glass The Brick Store is serving this in. The head is thick and creamy, almost like it's nitrogen dispensed, but it's not. The too-light-to-be-cream-too-dark-to-be-khaki head lingers and remains thick throughout the experience. The aroma starts out a little weak (despite serving their beer warmer than Summits, the 40 or so degrees F it was served was a bit cool to start with), but opens up nicely as it warms, into an inviting whiskey and vanilla bouquet. The sweet, rich malts of the original beer (it was really more porterish than dubbel-like the first time around) meld nicely with the bourbon. The combination of the slightly Belgian yeast spiciness, bourbon and the malts send the olfactory region of the brain into fits trying to figure out what's going on and spits out all sorts of weird interpretations: bubblegum, cloves, vanilla, anise, chocolate. The body is extremely smooth and creamy. The odd thing is that my wife hates the dark malt flavors and whiskey, and yet, she actually liked this beer. Just amazing.

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

On tap at KP’s, WOW! Is all I have to say to that. A dark brown to black apperance with no head. Lots of chocolate and whiskey in the aroma. The flavor was full of burbon with some grapes, chocolate, and cherries present. A very sweet and warming finish. Good stuff.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Thanks to KP for sharing this one. The beer pours a dark brown color from a growler. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is brown sugar and molasses, some oak and bourbon. A medium to full bodied Double. Malts are brown sugar, fruity and sweet. Very smooth. Oak and bourbon flavors are very evident. Mellow and very easy drinking. Nice beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

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

Thanks to kp for cracking this baby open at the strong ale fest. This is a smooth, tasty barrel aged double. Great roastiness and maltiness in this brew. This was a real treat.