Avery Vanilla Bean Stout
Avery Vanilla Bean Stout is an American Double/Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with Tongan, Ugandan, and Mexican vanilla beans; 11.5% ABV. Bottled in April of 2016. This beer is a part of their Botanicals & Barrels Series.
The beer pours with a nearly black dark brown color, and a slightly fizzy head that settles down to a thin light tan layer on top of the beer. I’m going to go with a resounding YES on the aroma! Basically this is a perfect combination of vanilla and bourbon on the nose. I’m rather enjoying notes of vanilla, marshmallows, sweet bourbon, chocolate, and just a little bit of sweet caramel and dark fruits in the aroma mix as well. The taste has much of what makes the aroma so amazing. The vanilla coats the palate immediately. It mixes with the roasted malts to create a little bit of a s’mores kind of taste sensation. The bourbon follows right behind and is accentuated by a strong alcohol heat coming from the high ABV. There are other more subtle flavors that are in the beer as well; raisins, molasses, caramel, and a nice bit of much needed dry oak on the finish. The mouth-feel is slick but a touch thin overall, the carb is on the low side but it works with the sweetness of the stout.
It would be real easy for a big, sweet vanilla stout like this one to end up being cloying and artificial tasting. I am pleased to report that this sipper is neither, this is being thoroughly enjoyed.
