Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

ABV: 12.0 IBU: 65.0

92/100

Aroma:	11
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	17
Mouthfeel:	5

Main & Mill Brewing Co. Bourbon Barrel–Aged Carpathian 2019

What the brewers say

Imperial stout base aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels.

What our panel thought

Extremely viscous mouthfeel flows into the same fig and raisin from the aroma. Barrel character is subtle. High sweetness leads and finishes with a semidry chocolate with dark-fruit flavors.

What our editors thought

Honey and toffee lead the nose with low roast and dark-chocolate notes. The sip brings more sweet honey and a bit of chocolate with so little roast it might be better named a porter. An almost red-wine and oak tan-nin runs through it, but the bourbon barrel note makes a brief appearance deep in the finish.

Review printed in: Stouts for All Seasons (Oct-Nov 2019) (View All Issues)

Print Shelf Talker

How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Deschutes Brewery The Abyss Coconut

“Bitter cherry wood, smooth vanilla, dark roast in the aroma. Coconut and lingering bitter dark chocolate in the sip. Smoke and toffee as it warms. Old-school bitterness helps fend off the sweetness.”

Westbound & Down BA Western Justice

Roasted barrel, chocolate, and whiskey aroma—cola, stewed figs, cherries, schnapps. Sweet, warm, creamy flavor—rich milk chocolate, light-roast coffee, bourbon, tropical fruit, leaning floral.

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel-Aged Leon Russian Imperial Stout

**Aroma:** “Moderate roast up front with vanilla, chocolate, moderate wet earth, a bit of acidity, light apple/pear fruit notes, moderate caramel notes, big sweetness, moderate umami. Lots of cherry. None of this should distract you from the brandy-like alcoholic warmth. There is plenty of vanilla and leathery oak to justify the barrel-aged label.” **Flavor:** “Big sweetness is immediately apparent with moderate coconut, light vanilla, smooth roast, a touch of earthy oak, strong caramel, light plum, touch of cherry, touch of umami. Expected chocolate notes. Medium alcohol note with appropriate carbonation. Roasty at the end of the sip. Very well blended with a touch of heat on the finish. Great wood character.” **Overall:** “This beer really showcases the roast, chocolate, and dark stone fruit throughout. Very pleasant. Big but not overwhelming.”

FRESH BEERS >

The best new craft beers available in a beer store near you. Sponsored content.

New Belgium Dominga Grapefruit

New Belgium wood cellar blender Lauren Limbach was gifted a new foeder that she aptly named Dominga—a play on the Spanish word for Sunday. She first created a mimosa-inspired golden sour called “Dominga: Goddess of Brunch.” Now we are excited to introduce the cocktail-inspired version, Dominga Grapefruit Paloma. Inspired by the classic cocktail of Mexico, Dominga packs a refreshing combo of bright grapefruit and lime flavors, along with agave and a pinch of salt.

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Oaktoberfest is our oak-inspired homage to the great German tradition of Oktoberfest. We go the extra mile of maturing this beer in French oak barrels to create an amazingly smooth mouthfeel. The result is a classic German festbier with a hint of West Coast hoppiness. Grab your stein, don your lederhosen, and enjoy!

Firestone Walker Parabola ’24

Parabola is always a beast of a beer, with intense flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, and roast coffee—yet each annual release also bears its own subtle imprint. For this latest edition, we aged the beer for a year in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels. These coveted bourbon barrels imparted signature notes of charred oak, caramel, and cinnamon, taking the Parabola experience to new heights. Pour some out in your favorite snifter; behold the impossibly opaque color as you allow it to warm up a bit; and then let the dark magic of Parabola stun your palate with its unrivaled flavor and complexity.

Sierra Nevada Cosmic Little Thing Hazy Double IPA

For the latest in the Hazy IPA series, ride Sierra Nevada’s interstellar wave of tropical flavor in this Cosmic Little Thing, a hazy nebula glowing with Comet, Strata, and Helios hops for notes of citrus, berries, and lychee. Head into orbit with this 8 percent ABV hazy double IPA before the next Hazy IPA rotator hits. Look for Cosmic Little Thing in six-packs and 19.2 oz singles.

Firestone Walker Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA

Out-of-this-world flavor that packs a punch—take a journey with Cosmic Crusher. “Cosmic Crusher is our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs,” says brewmaster Matt Brynildson. Cosmic Crusher is built around two ultra-tropical hops—Galaxy and Strata. The result is a level of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel that can only materialize at high strength, crossing the line into a whole new cosmos of punchy mango and pineapple character. SKUs available: 12 oz six-pack cans, 19.2 oz single serve, and Mind Haze Variety Pack.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion

Luponic Distortion is the Firestone Walker trailblazer that continues to break the rules, back for the first time since 2021. The classic Luponic Distortion base recipe returns with an all-new hop blend to deliver a fresh blast from the past. Brewed with a secret blend of new-age hops, the 2024 edition of Luponic Distortion turns up the volume with mind-bending flavors of lychee, peach, nectarine, and strawberry. Available exclusively in the Beer Before Glory IPA Mixed Pack.