Clifford Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter

Hey Stout Man! You know how Clifford Porter is potentially the best (or at least your favourite) porter in Ontario? Guess what! They bourbon barrel-aged it for 10 months and brewed that beautiful bastard up to 8.5%! And your pal WFM gave you a 500mL bottle! For free! Lucky shit.

This beer, from Clifford Brewing Co. out of Hamilton, Ontario, is a near-black ale with a thin layer of tan head. It clocks in at 39 IBUs and has a sweet, woody, boozy aroma. This ambitious take on the classic Clifford Porter tastes considerably more powerful, with a decidedly malty bent. It has notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of brown liquor. The ale remains sweet through the finish, but it does close with a warm hit of bitterness.

This burly cousin of my sweet li’l Porter is a good take. The booziness and in-your-face woodiness are excellent characteristics of a grand ol’ BA imperial porter, though I’d have liked it more if the sweetness was dialed back a touch.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.