UPDATED: DEC 24, 2021 December 23, 2021 - original bottle from Brett poured into my Bruery snifter. Dark pour with almost no head, just a bunch of bubbles. Aroma and taste of bourbon, dark fruit, sugary sweetness, and spice. Flavors were nicely in balance, medium body and easy to drink.

UPDATED: JUN 20, 2020 Bottle, 2011. Very dark murky brown with a small fading head. Aroma is big on anise and mulling spices with some dark chocolate and bourbon. Flavor is somewhat sweet but less so than the non-bal version, with more boozy bourbon. Good spice. Not so much bitterness but some tannins to even it out. Full and thick feel with some heat and lower carbonation. Seems to have aged pretty well, and benefited from the bourbon -bals.

UPDATED: JUN 16, 2020 Aromas of black licorice Belgian candi sugar Belgian yeast cocoa toffee dark malts fermentable malt sugars wort malt malted barley bourbon oak barrel wood black cherries plums spices figs raisins and toasted bread. Taste is pleasant dark malts earth mud chocolate cocoa spices licorice star anise toffee dark malts wort syrup Belgian candi sugar Belgian yeast Belgian candi syrup oak bourbon vanilla hinted coconut barrel wood and malted barley. Overall, really nice, excellent barrel execution.

UPDATED: FEB 8, 2020 Poured from a 750 ml bottle. Aroma is malt and spice forward with light bourbon and alcohol notes and faint oak. Ginger, allspice and cinnamon with caramel, toffee, toasted bread, molasses and hints of chocolate. Pours dark brown, almost black with a medium sized, medium thick, dark tan head that recedes quickly to the edges where it lingers for a bit. No lacing and fairly long legs. Flavor is fairly sweet with moderately strong malt notes. Medium to medium high bitterness. Light bourbon and alcohol notes with faint oak. Moderately strong ginger, cinnamon and allspice notes. Moderate notes of caramel, toffee, toasted breads, and molasses with faint chocolate notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and low, but present alcohol warmth. Overall, a decent beer but I don't love spices beers. I'm really wondering why I collected this whole series in the first place.

UPDATED: DEC 20, 2019 750 ml during 12 days of Christmas tasting (Bottle of Partridge, rest on tap with 3-10 BA in bottles). Poured a mahogany color with a thin sized head. Spices, wood, some earth, burnt sugar, dark fruits, and lighter bourbon.

750mL bottle shared by Johnniiee on 10.13.18. Dark cola brown. Yellow head to ring. Smells like old soft spices and brown sugar. Not aggressive nor sugary. Soft nutty and dry. Spicy and lightly boozy though not sharp. Toffee and caramel. Pretty reasonable but for the heavy spice.

750 ml bottle shared by Johnnniee. Deep black color. Aroma is mild ginger, light coffee, light oak, and oxidation. The flavor has ginger bead, figs, and spice and again, cardboard from oxidation. Not horrible for the age.

Poured from bottle thanks Johnniee dark amber with a tan head. Aroma is dark fruit, licorice, bread. Taste follows sugar fruit bread slightly oxidized but still nice.

Pours a cloudy mahogany-brown color with a medium light beige head that dissipates steadily to a film. Small patches of lace on the glass. The aroma consists of bourbon, dark fruit, spice and malt. Full-bodied with flavors of oaky bourbon, fruit, cinnamon, yeast and malt. The finish is boozy with a bourbon and spiced fruit aftertaste. Pretty good overall.

Barrel aging improves this dark ruby beer by adding additional notes of vanilla and oak complexity. Still plenty of alcohol punch despite its age.