Brewery – Braxton Labs
Beer – Bourbon Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout
Style – Oatmeal Stout
ABV – 11.7%
IBUs – 35

This dark, sweet stout uses 150lbs of oats to add a smooth, creamy mouthfeel to a roasty base. After six months in New Riff bourbon barrels we added 2 lbs. per barrel of Carabello Coffee Tandem espresso beans. The result is a silky stout with notes of vanilla, chocolate, and oak with a bold coffee flavor and a warming bourbon finish.

This beer is a great expression of Braxton Brewing Company’s idea of innovation that they had in mind when they created their Braxton Labs space.  The beer is not just a really great barrel aged Oatmeal stout, it’s also a really great showcase of dedication to keeping thing local in the whole process.  From the beer which is obviously made in Newport, to the bourbon barrels which made their way from New Riff, on the other side of the parking lot, and even to the coffee which was done in collaboration with Newport’s own Carabello Coffee.  Local, Local, Local.  I love it.

The beer was released in those signature 500ml Braxton Labs bottles on 1/20/18, and made it’s debut on their draft lines that morning too.  You can hear a little bit more about the beer during the episode of Cincy Brewcast that we recorded in the taproom that morning if you’re looking for information straight from the Mouth of Evan Rouse himself!

My Thoughts On Braxton Labs BBA Oatmeal Stout With Coffee

The beer pours deep, dark brown… almost black in color.  It’s got a thick tan head on top that seems to stick around forever.

Aromas are coffee, chocolate and some roasty bread as well if you search hard enough.

The taste is big and sweet.  This thick, heavy beer holds up to the bourbon notes coupled with bitter espresso flavors perfectly.  It’s hard to find a beer that showcases both sides this wonderfully.  I get the coffee and bourbon as a star just as heavily as I do the stout itself.  This is an awesome beer, and something that the folks at Braxton Labs can definitely hang their hat on when it comes to barrel aging programs.  Wonderful.