Aspen Brewing Co. Barrel Aged 10th Mountain

“Light espresso, chocolate, hazelnut aroma. Low floral alcohol. Dark chocolate with a smoky background. Rich caramel sweetness with layers of dark fruit, licorice, and toast. Low nutty fruitiness complements with added complexity. Lingering roast flavor that never becomes harsh. Rich with significant sweetness. Creamy.”

“Aroma of charcoal dust, dark toast, light coffee roast, with hop-forward pine and orange-blossom notes. High carbonation. Lots of deep, dark roasted malt in flavor, with pine, black pepper, bread crust, coffee. Hoppy, with clean bitterness that clears the palate. Rich and satisfying without being overly full or sweet, hop-forward yet maintains its stout character. Very well balanced, nice drinkability.”

**Aroma:** “Vanilla and oak up front, with dark chocolate and chocolate syrup. Some toasty malt and roast, as well as dark stone fruit esters, and sweetness from the bourbon barrel. Overall, it’s fairly muted.” **Flavor:** “Moderate oak with cherries, chocolate, light smoke, and light vanilla mixed with some bitterness. The sweetness is nicely balanced by the roast, and it slowly fades. Notes of light coconut and almond are present, as well as lots of barrel character—but the vanilla and oak lead the charge. The medium body doesn’t quite stand up to the barrel treatment, and the roast bitterness lingers a little too long.” **Overall:** “Lots of barrel, but not a lot of beer—the barrel overshadowed it. The vanilla and oak were nice, but there wasn’t enough malt or body to back it up. There’s too much bourbon overall. It’s an interesting beer with nice barrel character, but not enough beer to overcome the bourbon and barrel.”