Figueroa Mountain 3rd Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

For our third Anniversary, we decided to take one of our oldest, tried-and-true recipes and turn it up to eleven. We doubled the malt and hop bills for our Stagecoach Oatmeal Stout, and then aged it in our local distiller, Ian Cutler's bourbon barrels. The result is the inkiest brew we've made to date: a pitch black vortex of no light in the glass with red-amber hues around the edges and a thick, pillowy tan head. The aroma barrels outward in all directions carrying luscious, freshly-ground cacao and espresso beans, tobacco fields and - of course - the unmistakable scent of heavily charred oak and vanilla-honey-brown sugar creaminess that is American bourbon. The mid-palate hits you with more of the same, plus a good wallop of baking spices and toasted black bread. The finish is off-dry and smooth, leaving a gentle warming tingle.