DuClaw Retribution
Patience. Justified.
A full-bodied, Single Barrel Bourbon-aged Imperial Stout with rich aromas of espresso and dark chocolate, and smooth roasted malt flavor. Aged for 6 months inside charred Kentucky white oak bourbon barrels to add the natural vanilla and caramelized sugar flavors of the bourbon soaked wood to the beer. Each bottle run is drawn from a single barrel, making each batch a unique drinking experience. ABV from 10.5% to 11.5%.
A full-bodied, Single Barrel Bourbon-aged Imperial Stout with rich aromas of espresso and dark chocolate, and smooth roasted malt flavor. Aged for 6 months inside charred Kentucky white oak bourbon barrels to add the natural vanilla and caramelized sugar flavors of the bourbon soaked wood to the beer. Each bottle run is drawn from a single barrel, making each batch a unique drinking experience. ABV from 10.5% to 11.5%.
3.8
166 reviews
Baltimore, United States
Community reviews
22oz bottle pours out thick rich black topped with a small tan head. Nose is roast malts brown sugar molasses sweetness. Taste is more of the molasses sweetness vanilla chocolate and a nice bitterness on the end.
Location: 22 oz bottle from State Line, 3/23/15, Barrel 1 of 15, Date in: 3/21/12, Date out: 9/21/12
Aroma: It has a strong bourbon and vanilla aroma, roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and caramel
Appearance: Pours a nearly pitch black color with thin brown head and very minimal lace
Flavor: The bourbon, wood, and vanilla dominate over the variety of dark malts and late burnt notes
Palate: It is fairly full bodied on the mouth with a soft, almost flat, carbonation, and a burnt/dry finish
Overall Impression:
To me, this is a solid example of a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout. The bourbon barrel flavor is in the forefront, the dark malts flavors come through underneath, and the burnt flavors take over in the end palate. Well done.
Bottle from Marro Brothers. Nice notes of roasted malts, wood, booze, vanilla, some vino, chocolate and caramel. Very nice blend.
bottle, from Bottle Revolution RDU, though I’ve seen it elsewhere. Good aroma, sweet. Bourbon strong, not overpowering, but dominant, chocolate, cocoa, kind of a grape/raisin streak. Dark brownish black color, good head and lace. Bitter sweet flavor. heavy body, smooth creamy mouthfeel, bitter sweet finish. it’s good, very drinkable for 11.5% flavor my favortie part, I like it’s sweetness combined with the barrel.
Pours very dark brown with a light tan head that's bubbly and fades to a tim and coating. A rich pour. Aroma is sweet chocolate, coffee, oak. Taste is very sweet - expresso, chocolate and plenty of vanilla. Resolves into some roasted malt bitterness and leaves an authentic bourbon-vanilla aftertaste. Absolutely full of flavor. A great beer, but a touch too much bourbony sweetness. Slightly - but noticable - acidic.
Dark opaque pour with one finger of chestnut brown head. Nose shows sweet bourbon and wood with some booze and chocolatey notes. Lightly acidic and ashy notes as well. Nice flavor, a touch boozy but it shows some nice dark chocolate and sweet java notes. Woody with touches of bourbon and acidic dark grain. Full bodied.
Initially comes off a bit thin, but aroma and taste more than make up for it. Lots of vanilla, molasses, wood accents, slightly smoky. Slippery mouth feel, after burn halfway down the gullet.
Bottle. Pours a dark brown tan head that diminishes quickly. Aroma is vanilla and caramel. Thin mouth with strong vanilla, roasted malt, very nice.
Poured into a snifter a black with limited off white head and only some lace. Aroma hits you from afar, vanilla heavy with hints of coffee chocolate and bourbon. It’s earthy and malty. The taste is woody, vanilla, bourbon, espresso, carmel malts, caramel sugar. A warming beer that’s oily in the mouth. Wonderful
Sampled about 2 hours after having Brooklyn Black Ops. Very comparable.Stronger whiskey in the aroma and more overall flavor. Maybe not quite as smooth as Black Ops, but very nice.
Rich deep dark brown coloured body with a thinnish light brown head. Aroma of alcohol, raisins, figs, vanilla, oak, bourbon, earth, roasted malt and more alcohol. Full-bodied; Super strong roasted malt flavours with alcohol, bourbon, oak, vanilla, coffee and earth notes with hints of oatmeal and caramel at the finish. Aftertaste is strong and pungent like you’d expect with a very deep roastiness and some coffee bitterness amongst the sugars and bourbon flavours. Overall, a nice Imperial Stout with some good rich complexity at the finish, but at lot of strong flavours throughout. I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Whole Foods in Tyson’s Corner (Falls Church), Virginia on 14-November-2013 for US$13,99 sampled at home in Washington on 24-December-2014, Christmas Eve 2014. Nice with a year on it, perhaps would have been better over more aging, but wasn’t super harsh or bitter.
Date in Barrel: 19-March-2013 // Date out of Barrel: 25-September-2013 // Purchased: 14-November-2013 // Sampled: 24-December-2014.
A nice bourbon, chocolate, and roasted nose. Tons of chocolate and bourbon on the flavor, some coffee too! So good!
Draft at their Bel Air brewpub, served in a tulip glass. Deep opaque dark color with very minimal dark tan head. Aroma of strong roasted malt, nice bourbon, oak, vanilla, molasses, chocolate and slight sour dark fruit note. Taste adds notes of coffee, caramel, dark chocolate, light coconut, dried fruits and alcohol. Heavy body, low carbonation, rich, thick, sticky with sweet oaky roasty finish. Might be the most bourbon’y stout I’ve ever had, very tasty. Wish a bottle at the store wasn’t so much.
This is a really great beer. Pours rich and dark, minimal head, slightly strong, sweet aroma. Can really taste the bourbon barrel in this one.
Bottle. Dark cola with a frothy mocha head. Aroma is cocoa and bourbon barrel. Taste adds lots of caramel and vanilla. Thick and oily. Very tasty.
Tap, pours black with low head. Aroma is rich roast and bourbon, taste is similar with a bit thin and boozy finish, tasty but needs more roast body
Bomber shared by Kinz at the 21st Richmond Gathering, 11/1/14. Pours a dark brown with a thin head. Aroma of chocolate, nuts, roast, honey, mild booze. The taste is roast, chocolate, citrus, stone fruits. Medium bodied, mildly hot.
22 Fl. Oz. Bottle. Poured dark, deep brown, nice, foamy tan head, lots of spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of malts, wood, bourbon, some coffee and chocolate. Taste of bourbon, malts, combined with some dark fruit notes, some vanilla and chocolate notes, it is quite boozy and it does has a sticky finish; however it is super enjoyable.
Bottle to glass. Pours a deep brown color with a thin creamy brown head. Aroma is roasted malts, bourbon, vanilla, molasses. Flavor is boozy, bourbon, vanilla. Big flavor with a lingering sweet vanilla and bourbon. Definitely the best thing I’ve had from duclaw.
Bottle: Thanks jdb288: Served in a Chouffe glass:
Black beer with a small (light) brown colored beer.
Aroma is liquorice, spice, rose(hip), hints of red fruit, wood, roast, some chocolate, hint of coffee and bread.
Flavours of liquorice, bitters, mocha, some plums and prunes, roast, light bourbon, light alcohol burn, rye, some dark chocolate, liquor, hint wood...
Aftertaste is liquorice, wood, malts, light roast and liquor tones.
Low carbo, creamy mouthfeel and a full body.
Bourbon fades pretty quick and anstrange Imperial Stout is what is left...
Bottled. Pours a dark opaque with head. Coffee mocha etc. Not so much vanilla but a bit. Pretty good.
Some specifics: In. barrel 19/03/13, out of barrel 23/09/13, barrel 07 of 15. I’m a fan of the big n oily imperial stouts. This just about get there. The best ever experienced was from a local brew pub, followed by Old Rasputin. This is somewhere in 3-4th place. Nose has malt sweetness and roasted notes. Taste is well balanced with the sweet malt, chocolaty(sp) coffee astringent and a hint of Ivory soap (in a good way). The alcohol washes away the inky stick that would make it the best for me.Do I wish I bought a case of this - Absolutely!
Walnut aroma, good strength. Opaque black, thin tan head. Walnut flavor. Medium body, alcohol noticeable, kind of tangy.
From the bottle pored a very dark heavy brew with a dark brown head. Powerful flavors of malt, cocoa, toasted coconut and mild hops.
Bottle. Opaque brown color. Aroma of vanilla and cocoa. Taste has vanilla, brandy, bourbon, butterscotch. Nice.
Richmond 21st, Slight charred wood aroma. Flavor matches, a note of chocolate, unique in the tangy burnt note. Nice.
Bottle pour @ the 21st Richmond Gathering. Deep brown pour with a small head. Strong chocolate, cocoa. Roasted malts. Raisin cake. Taste is pretty damn hot. Loads of espresso. Dark roasted coffee. Crème brulee. Huge burnt brown sugar character. Full body, oily. Good.
Bottle @ RG 21. Dark brown. Boozy, chocolatey smell. Taste follows. Also a little bitter and a hint of sourness. A little heavy.
Bottle. Black pour with tan head. Sweet malts, barrel, marshmallows, roasted aromas. Sweet dark malts and marshmallow tones, caramel as other sweet tones.
Got in trade thanks to WanderinCelt. Another great bourbon barrel stout. Nice dark pull. Terrific aroma, nice and boozy. Vanilla stands out most in taste and the aroma.