AleSmith Speedway Stout - Barrel Aged
Glass(es) poured from a growler A - Black as oil. No head and no lacing, but this may be due to the fact that the growler was opened two days prior to my tasting. S - Oak and bourbon are apparent from the get-go. Alcohol is easily detected, as are hints of roasted coffee and malted milk. T - Wow - this beer fires on all cylinders in the taste department. The taste of bourbon is strong from start to finish, as are the dark chocolate and espresso notes. Despite tasting toffee and caramelized sugars, the hops and barley are blended to perfection and keep this from being too sweet. This finishes with suggestions of dried fruits and more bourbon. The taste of this beer is seriously outstanding, and as you'd expect, it grows by leaps and bounds as it warms. M - Satin-smooth, this has a great level of viscosity for an imperial stout. The fact that it was slightly less carbonated than I'd prefer is no doubt due to the growler having previously been opened. D - Excellent drinkability for a beer of this magnitude; this is extremely complex and rich in flavor, and I'm upset that I don't have at least a few more ounces to enjoy. What a beer - I can't wait to have this again sometime down the road! At least one of the people who I shared my growler with exclaimed that this is the best beer that they've ever had. It's easily among my tops as well.