Anderson Valley Huge Arker

True to its Boontling moniker, “Huge Arker” is a massive force of nature that detonates on your tongue. After primary fermentation, the beer is aged in Wild Turkey® Bourbon barrels until it fully matures. The deep mahogany color is evocative of the opulence to follow. Dark luscious aromas of burnished oak mingle with candy sugar, bourbon and hearth-baked bread. The luxurious flavors redolent of honey and molasses are intertwined with the richness of dark chocolate and the ardent warmth of alcohol, underpinned with hints of coffee, vanilla and dark fruits.
ABV from 11% to 13.5% in 2014.

3.8

216 reviews

Boonville, United States

Community reviews

4.3 65cl fles.Helder zwart kleur, fijne romige bruine schuimkraag. De geur is whisky en chocolade. Smaak is zoet, whisky, vanille en chocolade. Het is lekker alcoholische verwarmend en zeer goed in balans. Vol body en veel koolzuur.

3.4 Can - I’ve passed on this before in big bottles. Black with a cm of light tan head that never quite disappears. Aroma is frank bordering on direct with lots of Bourbon and singed caramel. Medium bodied. A bit hot with booze and it’s really bitterness more than much in the way of stout - roasted flavours don’t really register at all - that seeks to rein it in. Too much like a mixed drink for me.

4.2 Huge Bourbon forward stout which of course works really well. Base beer is solid but has no surprises so kinda lacks character. Stupid thing to say when it is this good but had to say it anyway.

3.6 12 oz can. pours a dark black brown with a tan head thin and gone quickly. Smells big of bourbon with some coffee underneath. Bourbon flavors throughout with prominent boozy warmth. Some balance of sweet and tart with a fizzy mouthfeel more astringent than sticky. A beer for a cold night by the fire. Shouldn’t have tried it on a balmy July evening. Good.

4.1 It pours very dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is very good. It has aromas of bourbon, oak, and bread. There are very low levels of dark cherry in the background. There is a nutty note in the nose as it warms. It has strong bourbon flavors with oak and bread. There is a sweetness if the flavor. There are low levels of cherry pipe tobacco. There is also a very low vanilla element with plums. There is a nutty note as it warms. It has a full body and strong alcohol warming. Overall, a complex combination of flavors with restraint warming considering the ABV which is well done.

3.8 Bottle. Dark mahogany-black beer with a brown head. Bourbon and vanilla aroma with caramel. Bourbon and chocolate flavor with caramel/toffee. Fuller bodied. Bourbon and chocolate linger with caramel/toffee.

4.0 4 oz. pour on tap at Boneyard Bistro (2017 vintage). Appearance is opaque black with no sparkle, thin cap of beige head with decent retention and nice leggy lacing. Aroma is dominant bourbon and oak with some dark fruit and roasted malt. Taste is nice bourbon, roasted malt, dark fruit, chocolate (the non-bourbon flavors emerge as it warms). Mouthfeel is medium side of light-to-medium bodied with smooth, thick texture, average-to-lively carbonation, pleasant alcohol warmth and finish as taste. Overall, the bourbon is really nice but slightly dominates the other flavors instead of being perfectly complementary but the malts and dark fruit are still appreciated. Slightly overcarbonated.

3.8 Pours black, small off white head. Nose shows heavy bourbon oak notes with vanilla and coconut aplenty. Roasted malt underneath along with done cocoa and booze. Flavours include more booze, bourbon, soft woody oak, vanilla. Very agrressive and bourbon-y and boozy.

4.0 2020 can from Holiday Market. Pours a deep brown to black with a quickly dissipating finger of beige foam. Dark fruit aromas with plum, cacao nib and oaky vanilla aromas. Bourbon is present in the nose but more so on the palate, but by no means boozy. A touch thin on the palate but lots of complex flavors going on: plum, vanilla, caramel, cacao nib, brownie and suble spice notes that linger on the finish. Light pepper, bourbon, oak and cacao on the finish.

3.9 From a 650ml bottle on 19/1/2020. Pours near black with a small head. The nose is nearly all bourbon. Taste wise, it's very sweet - milk and dark chocolate. with lots of dark and dried fruit, particularly cherries. Features lots of boozy bourbon at the back. The mouthfeel is slick and slightly syrupy, the carbonation soft. An enjoyable barrel aged impy, but definitely a sipper.

4.0 650 ml bomber. Appearance is a dark mahagony brown black, topped with a thick head of tan froth. Aroma is a rich chocolate, over roasted malts, molasses and bourbon. Taste is even more complex: bourbon booziness, dried dark fruit sweetness, smooth chocolate, hints of roasted malts, coffee, and vanilla. Smooth, with the huge ABV completely hidden. Rich and full mouthfeel.

4.1 Pours dark brown/black with an off-white head. Nose is vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, fudge, nuts, oak. Palate is thick. Taste is initially chocolate, black coffee, hops, spice, malt. Later, there is vanilla, booze, bourbon and heavy Indian spice. Hot.

3.3 On tap @Beer Temple in Amsterdam. Dark brown/black color with ivory foam. Nose: vanilla boost, chocolate. Mouth: alcohol, sugary, whisky unpleasant aftertaste.

3.9 Draught @ Beer Temple, rated on 09/2019 Aroma has bourbon and alcohol. Flavour has alcohol, bourbon, licorice and vanilla. Quite typical Bourbon BA IS. 8-4-7-3-16 = 3.9 33 cl can (15.5%) @ St. Mary's Park Tasting, rated on 27.08.2021. BBE 02.12.2021 Aroma has bourbon and licorice. Flavour has strong bourbon and alcohol. Bourbon is rather strong on this one. 8-3-8-3-16 = 3.8

3.9 Tap @ Beer Temple, Amsterdam. Pours black color with a large beige head. Very strong bourbon on the nose, chocolate and vanilla, toasted malts, hints of cocoa and some caramel. Flavor is vanilla and bourbon, tingling wooden notes, toasted malty bitterness, faint spice notes. Alcohol warms nicely at first, gets stronger towards the end. Could use even sturdier malt base. Quite tasty still. 4425

4.1 2019/09/12 Tap at Beertemple. Dark brown with tan head. Big sweet roasty brown stuff with smooth bourbony finish. Big sweet and bitter. Full body and soft carbonation.

3.7 (Bottle) Black body with medium tan head. Aroma of whiskey, damp wood, molasses, brown sugar. Burning alcohol, vanilla, brown sugar. Medium body, sticky mouthfeel.

4.0 Bomber with many thanks to Skippy! Pours dark brown, looks thick, small beige head. Lots of bourbon in the nose, along with chocolate, earth, barrel. Flavor is bourbon, chocolate, barrel, smoke. Oh nice woodiness with some smokiness in there. Maybe some raisin. This is what I needed today.

3.7 A really good stout. Very strong alcohol content! Pleasant aroma and taste. Appearance was good but there was not much of a head.

4.1 13.5%ABV. Imperial stout. Poured brown black. 38°SRM. Nose has aromas of oak, dried fruit referencing raisins, dates and plum preserve. There are other aromas suggesting umami with teriyaki sauce being most obvious. Mouthfeel is boozy and syrupy. Palate has flavors of burnt toast, Chinese or herbal medicine, Marmite yeast extract. There is also a preserved or stewed dark stone fruit presence suggesting honeyed plums, black ume, and sweet date paste. Hint of wood smoke with an earthy base note. Hints of vanilla and coconut. Hop flavors are woody, slightly spicy. Finish is boozy and big. Overall, a very big beer with bourbon character coming through in buckets. Another sipping beer to be enjoyed with dessert. A nice chocolate cake or Madagascan Vanilla Bean ice cream would pair nicely.

3.5 Very rich. Bourbon, malt, dark malt, some chocolate, alcohol, sweet. Low carbon, high hop but hard too tell what kind, I believe some citrus. Slow sipper.

1.4 I dont know what I was thinking because I dont care for the taste of bourbon. Somehow I thought the malt would expand my pallet to ease me into liking bourbon... Forsure a lot of taste the first day I drank about 8oz of the bomber. It was excruciatingly hard overcome the extreme bourbon taste it. In fact each sip was harder and harder to take but I did finish the cup. I wanted to like it but I may be too predisposed. Two days later Friday came and I endeavored another try with the remainder of the bottle. It didn't grow on me in fact I tried to taste it but even after rinsing it down with water I couldn't get over the bourbon taste. I finished it and I can attest to his gravity it had a nice Buzz but I'm sure glad it was Friday because Saturday morning was one of the worst hangovers from such a small amount of Brew. I don't know if it was the bourbon Barrel that may have concentrated the headache agents and release them into the Brew. I could blame it on myself and say I didn't drink enough water but I was drinking water and eating stew. The next morning verified that but I'm writing this Saturday evening with the remnants and the lag of the headache. This didn't happen with the 8 oz trial so I can add some doubt to the assertion that it cause the massive hangover but as someone who isn't a fan of bourbon I won't be recommending this to anyone.

4.1 Pours black with a tan head. Nose is booze, malt, chocolate. The booze is really well hidden in the taste - the taste is some chocolate, vanilla, bourbon. Really chewy, velvet mouthfeel. Really good.

4.2 Anderson Valley’s Huge Arker is full of deep flavor, especially if you like that 13.5% ABV.

4.0 Pretty sweet and lots of dark malt. Booze's well-hidden carbonation is a touch on the soft side.

5.0 Bomber from Total Wine and More in Sterling, VA Aroma: bourbon, roasty, woody, alcohol, chocolate, dark fruits, vanilla Appearance: black with a tan head Taste: medium sweetness, medium bitterness, Palate: full body, creamy, average carbonation, long finish, Excellent

4.0 Keg at Brewdog Shepherds Bush, London. A very dark brown/black coloured pour with a medium beige head on top. Roasty, malty, chocolate, vanilla, bourbon aroma. Tastes pretty rich, roasty, malty, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, bourbon, quite sweet. A lovely boozy Imperial stout from Anderson Valley.

3.8 Keg at BD Mighty Boosh, 19/01/18. Black with a well presented tan head. Nose is rich malts, chocolate cake, ripe dark fruits, bourbon tinged oak, toffee. Taste comprises fruit cake, spice, molasses, chocolate melt, rich and satisfying bourbonic rip, dates, brown sugar melt. Full bodied, fine carbonation, warming alcohol in the close. Solid impy stout ... masks the ABV well.

4.1 Nose is sweet boozy bourbon. Taste is very sweet. Lots of candy body. Not much hop but balanced. Light barrel. Really spot on for a barrel aged beer. Candies chocolates sweetness. NICE!!! Nohead.

3.9 Keg at Brewdog Shepherd's Bush as Anderson Valley Huge Arke, 13.5%. Dark brown with a red hue, foamy light brown head leaves thick lacing. Aroma is meaty vanilla bourbon, chocolate, bourbon and well that's it really. Body is smooth with soft carbonation. Taste is vanilla and bourbon, spiced chocolate, truffles, tequila and chocolate liqueur and more bourbon. Not drinking the ABV and actually pretty drinkable if a little one dimensional. Good. (8-4-8-3-16)