Unfortunately I was not able to make it down to the Pirate Paradise release at the Krebs, OK brewery. I have a three month old daughter, it’s a miracle I find time to get to the liquor store half a mile from my house. However, the good folks at Prairie were kind enough to get Barrels and Mash one of their last remaining promotional bottles so that I could try it and review it for the site. Paradise is an Imperial Stout with coconut and vanilla, so of course the Pirate version is aged in rum barrels. Paradise was excellent, so I couldn’t wait to try the rum barrel aged version.

Disclaimer: This product was provided at no cost to Barrels and Mash with no strings attached.

Company: Prairie Artisan Ales

Location: Tulsa, OK

ABV: 13%

Style/Description: Imperial Stout with Coconut and Vanilla (Aged in Rum Barrels)

Price: We didn’t get one at the brewery, I won’t tell you what they’re going for on the secondary market…

Appearance: Inky black pour, moderate tan head that clings to the glass and leaves a thick layer of lace.

Nose: The aroma of boozy rum gives way to fudge, sugar cookies, caramel and a dream I once had where I was the CEO of a chocolate factory.

Taste: Where to start…there is so much going on with this one. Fudgy dark chocolate and vanilla, with plenty of buttery coconut. Caramel, toffee and coffee work together to hold up the coconut, vanilla and chocolate, reminding me of the best chocolate milkshake I’ve never had the pleasure to try. As the sweetness on the front lets go a bit, some of the rum and barrel flavors move in. Do you remember those Brach’s Rum Butter Tootsie Roll things that most kids didn’t like on Halloween? Well I loved them, and this brew reminds me of them, giving me a slight nostalgic twang in addition to all the boozy coconut goodness. The mouth is not as thick or sticky as I would expect, with a moderate low carb.

Finish: Boozy rum and fudge remain, as a pleasing alcohol burn warms on the way to my belly.

Overall: This beer is really good you guys. I have no detractions, in fact, except that it is spectacularly hard to get, and only available for a few hours in Krebs, OK. I truly hope that this variant gets a bigger release next time, as well as the Paradise base beer that certainly deserves a full on bottle release. I’m crushed that I’ve almost finished this beer and have no idea when I’ll get to try it again.

Rating: 5/5