UPDATED: JAN 10, 2022 On tap at Goose Island Clybourn on 11/26/21. Darkest brown pour with no head. Aroma of malt, chocolate, root beer and birch beer. Malt and chocolate flavor with cinnamon character before a cola finish. Not blowing me away, but better than expected.

UPDATED: JAN 10, 2022 iNTERESTING BREW. 'Classic' cola must have been a bit different cause it was not really even approximating anything Coke like. Brown sugar and bourbon up front. Smooth but a little sticky sweet. 4+

UPDATED: JAN 1, 2022 Draft taster. Poured black color with an average frothy tan head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy barrel aged toasted dark malt and vanilla aroma. Medium to abundant body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Moderate to heavy dark rich sweet flavor with a moderate to heavy dark sweet warming finish of medium to long duration. This solid beer met my expectations.

UPDATED: DEC 31, 2021 Deep dark brown pour with a thin dissipating light tan head. Nose is dark and roasty with hints of vanilla and citrus and gentle Barrel char, and a hint of cola like sweetness. Big semisweet flavor with bourbon barrel char and notes of vanilla, caramel, citrus, woody char, brown sugary bourbon, and sweet boozy malt. Tastes cola-like, to their credit; but not really, in a good way. Was apprehensive but it’s really creative and layered.

UPDATED: DEC 28, 2021 500ml bottle. Poured a black color with a small sized tan head. Chocolate, spices, roast, vanilla, and I can see the cola vibe.

UPDATED: DEC 26, 2021 Bottle from Total Wine in Orlando, FL. Aroma is jack and Coke, buttery and burnt caramel, cinnamon, wintergreen, spiced chocolates. Taste is flat Jack and Coke, boozy chocolate, cola, vanilla extract, burnt caramel with a warming bourbon finish. Def has cola vibes but a little too sweet and sharp alcohol compared with the original.

UPDATED: DEC 24, 2021 Bottle from Nugget Market in Woodland, CA. Pours dark brn/blk with a slight, transient tan head. Aroma of treacle, bourbon and burnt malt. Smells 'sweet'. Full bodied. Not dry, but not sticky. Surprisingly it does have a 'cola' flavor. Moves on to brown sugar and spices. Heat in the finish. Nice drink for Xmas eve.

UPDATED: DEC 18, 2021 Pours black with a thin, dark tan head. Aroma is molasses, oatmeal, bourbon, dried fruit and spices. Taste is brown sugar, raisin and cinnamon, moving to roast and cardamom. Finish is raisin, bourbon, brown sugar and spice.

UPDATED: DEC 18, 2021 Opaque black with a small tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Chocolate, roasted malts, birch, nutmeg, light citrus, vanilla, wood, and booze.

UPDATED: DEC 12, 2021 500ml bottle from Windsor Hy-Vee, 2021 vintage, in a Pretentious Sequel glass. Aroma is very much milk chocolate, marshmallow, nougat and whiskey barrel with hints of candied stone fruit. Pours oily black with two fingers of foamy khaki head with a little light lacing. Flavor is sweet & fruity on entry with cinnamon, vanilla and citrus peel on the mid-palate that might be charitably credited as cola? Relatively short finish with light roast, oak and moderately leafy hops. 14% ABV deviously well concealed as expected. Full-bodied but easy to drink for the style, slightly roasty astringent at the back of the throat. An interesting experiment with the Bourbon County recipe but a really poor approximation of a cola drink. Low expectations coming in, and they were appropriately met. Also a skosh too woody for me. Bottoms up!