Who needs an intro for this? It’s Bomb! and it’s aged in a barrel! For God’s sake I just want to drink it!

Company: Prairie Artisan Ales

Location: Tulsa, OK. Brewed in Krebs, OK

ABV: 11.2%

Style/Description: Imperial Stout Aged in Whiskey Barrels with Coffee, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, and Chillies

Price: $8 (12oz bottle)

Appearance: Pours almost black with minimal tan head that dissipates quickly.

Nose: Dark chocolate and booze jump out first with some light vanilla, coffee, and chili vibes. When this was first bottled a couple of weeks ago the coffee overpowered everything, but it’s died off significantly and is working perfectly with the rest of the flavors right now.

Taste: Like in the aroma, dark chocolate and Bourbon-y booze hit first but the coffee comes in quick. In the spectrum of the Bomb! varieties the chilis seem to be towards the understated end here, which is perfect for me since a little goes a long way. Vanilla sweetness and some of the heat from the barrel put everything in great balance. The mouth feel is thick and rich with very low carb like a chocolatey Bourbon motor oil. There’s a million dollar idea: Craft Chocolate Bourbon Motor Oil. You’re welcome.

Finish: Nice and warm with some dark chocolate bitterness, whiskey booze, honey sweetness, vanilla, light oak, and some ramped up chili heat.

Overall: Well we all know that Bomb! is delicious, so it’s not a surprise that I love this one. All of the huge flavors that fight for the spotlight in this brew are really helped out by the time in the barrel as it serves to smooth out any rough edges and bring even better balance to the beer. This stuff is drinking great now since that coffee is more in check, and I can’t wait to follow up with the bottles that I stashed in the cellar. It’ll be fun to see how time treats this one.

Rating: 4.5/5