Once again, only 4 votes seperated the top 2 beers in this poll…
1. Magic Rock Bourbon Barrel Bearded Lady 10.5% ABV
Normally we’d get a guest blogger to write the piece about the winner but I couldn’t think of a bigger Magic Rock fanboy than me! So here’s what I thought when I sampled the 2013 version last Christmas… After I got through the wax seal and cracked the top I was instantly greeted with sweet piney, roasted aromas. The pour is thick, black (even though it’s a brown stout) and leaves a lovely creamy brown head. There is a big boozy aroma from the glass and you get coffee laced with cream while at the same time almost getting a whiff of JD and coke. The taste is like nothing I have ever sampled before. It’s like a smooth espresso and the bourbon ageing is coming through in every gulp. But it’s not harsh, it’s smooth, it’s warming and it just makes you keep going in for more. Big piney aromas continue throughout the drink, there is a thick flavour and finish, but I just can’t get over how smooth it is. As I near the end of the glass the smoothness continues, but the roasted flavours begin to give way and there’s slight fruit tones in there. This is so well balanced and so well delivered.
