The brewery: The Bruery, Placentia, California
Description (from the can): "Namesake aside, this bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout is worthy of pouring every day of the week. Both elegant and complex, it exemplifies over 10 years of experience in barrel-aging technique. Notes of dark chocolate and vanilla are rounded out with hints of freshly picked cherries, dried figs, and molasses."
Would I buy it again? This isn't exactly a beer one would drink on the threshold of summer, being a thick stout, but since May has been a never-ending cavalcade of miserably rainy days, I figured there was no better time.
My feelings on this beer are mixed. Obviously, it's very, very good. Despite being 15% alcohol and a bourbon barrel-aged stout, it's surprisingly easy to drink. On the other hand, there's more than a hint of cherry here. I won't say it tastes like cough medicine, but it's more on that end that I would like. I feel like the honey Troegs adds to Mad Elf does a lot to balance out the cherry, and I'm honestly missing that here. I know this is a good beer, but it isn't for me.
