Anderson Valley Huge Arker Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout

Anderson Valley Huge Arker Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout is aged 6 months in Wild Turkey bourbon barrels. 13.5% ABV.

This looks like it is supposed to in the glass, nearly pitch black with a fluffy tan head. Nothing wrong with the aroma of this beer but it just doesn’t impress either, a bit of roast and a lot of booze is all I’m getting. The taste though… this is one fine stout. The slick and moderately chewy mouth-feel is just about perfect. A bit of sweetness to start which is followed by a ton of Wild Turkey. More subtle notes of vanilla, oak, coconut, raisins, roasted malts and a little brown sugar. The finish is a return to some strong Wild Turkey whiskey burn. That big booziness starts to weigh on me just a tad as this warms, but it really works well with the beer overall.

An excellent beer that is the perfect choice for that last round to share with a friend or two. This really has an outstanding balance of sweetness and big boozy heat.