Four Seasons - Winter '18

Four Seasons - Winter '18 by Mother Earth Brew Co. is judged as #20C according to the 2015 BJCP Guidelines as an Imperial Stout. The beer had wonderful aromas of dark chocolate, raisins, bourbon flavors, coffee and an alcohol presence. Hop aroma was negligible, which is okay for this style. Forward flavors of roasted malts should dominate, and they do in this case. The pour revealed a silky black hue and light carbonated head. The initial taste had complexity that took a while to digest and identify, because there were so many things going on. I tasted roasted malts that conjured coffee and dark chocolate. I had a nice malt sweetness coupled by moderate hop bittering that balanced out. I also got vanilla flavors, perhaps from the bourbon barrel in which it was aged in? Surprisingly, however, I thought that since this was aged in the Bourbon Barrel that it would be more pronounced, but it wasn't. I was perhaps expecting big oak and a prevalent bourbon flavor that would jump out. The Bourbon Barrel flavor was there, however, it was a little bit subtler than expected. The body and mouthfeel of this beer is about medium. The carbonation level was fine, but it could use a little more to enhance the body and mouthfeel a little bit more. This is a Russian Imperial Stout and should have the depth and gravity of one. Increasing the carbonation of this would achieve this. The beer was rich, dark, delicious and alcoholic. It had a nice alcohol burn in the aftertaste that was not overwhelming and burning in the throat, but rather a tingly warm sensation. Again, this is a Russian Imperial Stout and this beer clocks in at 12.5% ABV and can't be any more perfect during this winter season. A definite sipping beer near an open hearth in these cold, dark and stormy nights. Well-made beer for the Christmas Season!