Chapman Crafted Ballad of the Barrels

“Caramel, toffee, chocolate, vanilla, coconut in the nose. Rich coconut, an interesting touch of spice, some spiced oak on top, sweet in the middle, medium in the finish. A slight sweetness lingers on the tongue well into the finish.”

**Aroma:** “Fruity esters of pear or cherry with some dried fruit, creating a lighter, fruitier, surprisingly fresh aroma for a barrel-aged beer. Barrel aromas of bourbon, light vanilla, oak. Spices include cinnamon, holiday spices, clove, orange, juniper, and pine, with a hint of chile. Chocolate is present, along with some tobacco. Kind of hard to identify the base beer underneath.” **Flavor:** “The sweetness from the base beer helps to balance the spice characters of potpourri and cinnamon spice. The cherry and orange esters dominate, with some vanilla to smooth things out. Roasted barley and caramel, with some chocolate and Tootsie Rolls. There’s quite a bit of alcoholic and chile heat that detracts and helps to accentuate the phenolic and floral characters, putting them a bit over the top. The hops bitterness and roasted malt flavors add a drying finish to an otherwise sweet beer.” **Overall:** “For an in-your-face holiday beer, this is pretty good. The blend of spices and esters works but is subdued, and I really wanted more from the imperial and oak. It is subtle and tasty, even if it is light on the spicy notes. Nice chocolate and vanilla add fullness to the beer.”

__Aroma:__ “Strong chocolaty sweetness with vanilla, bourbon, some light cherry, raisin, and plum, plus a touch of mercaptan or plastic. Light oak and lots of malt sweetness, but with some roasted malt and smoke, too.” __Flavor:__ “A mix of chocolate sweetness and sweet dark fruit (plum/prune) carries through. Moderate vanilla, caramel, leather, and smoke. Strong bourbon carries through the finish, along with some molasses sweetness and medium alcohol. Thick, chewy body, and a sweetness that lingers. A bit of umami/soy sauce in the aftertaste, with bitter hops and alcohol warmth.” __Overall:__ “When the beer was cold, the chocolate, molasses, and sweetness were more in balance with the umami/soy sauce notes. As it warms, the alcohol dominates. The dark fruits were strong and flavorful, like a dried fruit cocktail, with layers of flavors to enjoy.”