Almanac Barrel Noir

Almanac Barrel Noir -  I like this brewery and love to support them because they are a newer small brewer in town trying to push for great things.  They have a great vision of what they like to brew and their beer does not disappoint and never brew the same thing twice.  This seems like the first time they are trying more barrel aged items and expanding to different styles.

Appearance - As shown above when poured!

Smell -  Chocolate, cocoa, bourbon & small hints of honey.

Taste - If you have ever tasted a Goose Island Bourbon County Stout it tastes like a more welcoming cleaner tasting and less abv version of this.  The cocoa and the bourbon shine through but the alcohol burn from this does not linger around much but is present.  The 10% abv is well masked and makes this almost a session style of stouts.

Mouthfeel - Light stout and drinks easily.  At 10% ABV it is masked and is drinkable.  The beer itself is quite watery versus a lot of stouts which are more thick.  A lot of lingering bubbles and is quite awkward.

Overall - This is a fun stout to try and i would say easily to drink.  10% is masked well but does not quite hit a stout in the creaminess as i would crave of a barrel aged stout or the bold flavors.  I wish they might have aged this more because the notes of bourbon aren't coming out.  The beer though for a California stout is a nice version but I would have loved this if it came out during the cold winter times and not the warming of the spring time.  I would want to try this beer again once aged and if all the carbonation has gone.