Santa's Little Helper - Bourbon Barrel Aged
Poured into snifter. Color is a dark and cloudy brown. Really unusual. Almost no head and even less lacing. A little worried after the appearance. Big alcohol in the nose. Also sweet with caramel, toffee, and a little vanilla. So far this seems like an Old Ale and not a Imperial Stout. Taste is alcohol with a sweetness that finishes sort of dry. Vanilla rounds everything. This beer has the most barrel influence of any beer I can remember. The stout has lost all it's character. Mouthfeel is decent. Overall this is a confusing beer. If I just consider the taste it's pretty solid. But it doesn't compare to other barrel aged Imperial stouts. Santa's Little Helper is one of my favorite Imperial Stout's but this lacks any of it's character. I'll age a bottle or two but really don't know what to expect. I guess that's the fun in aging some beers.