Full Sail Top Sail Imperial Porter - Bourbon Barrel Aged
After its initial release in February 2009, Top Sail was aged for about 10 months in bourbon casks from Kentucky. This extended aging presents aromas of oak, coconut and bourbon. Deep chocolate flavors warm to a full-bodied beer. Deep black in color, Top Sail Bourbon Aged Imperial Porter has a roasty malt flavor that is immensely drinkable and smooth. Very limited availability in 22oz. bottles and draught. ABV 9.85% IBU 65 [retired march 2009 - mj / unretired Feb 2010 - 5000]
3.8
418 reviews
Hood River, United States
Community reviews
Tastes of prunes and a sundry other dried fruits. Also chocolate and coffee. Good beer. Can’t figure out why it’s a porter instead of a stout.
2012 edition.
Poured from a bomber into a beer can glass on 09.07.14.
A: Chocolate pie, vanilla, and dark fruit. It smells very well balanced.
A: 1/2 finger brown fizzy head which quickly recedes. Midnight black body with no red.
T: Chocolate pie, vanilla, and dark fruit dominate. Oak is subtle.
P: Creamy. A bit bubbly but it feels nice on the tongue.
O: Full Sail does an excellent job with balance. This one continues the trend. Chocolate hits first, then vanilla, with dark fruit on the back end. The alcohol is completely hidden. Granted, the ABV is only 9.5% but I expected to feel it more than I did in the mouth.
Bottle shared by alexsdad06 pours opaque black with thin light tan head. Nose sweeter malt, Bourbon barrel, and slight earthy, some vanilla. Taste sweeter malt up front, then mid palate barrel and vanilla. Late palate the roast, coffee, and chocolate shows up. Lighter roasted chocolate finish.
Keg at APEX, PDX, 09/11/14.
Black with a decent tan covering.
Nose is chocolate, spice, coconut shavings, spoce, rich fruit loaf, subtle bourbon.
Taste comprises rich dark fructis notes, light boozey overture, Red wrapper Bounty Bar, spice, dark malt,light BA woodness.
Medium + body, fine carbonation, semi drying close.
Decent impy affair, good balance, never gets too hot or sweet, well tempered bitter sweet levels.
This was odd. The bourbon seemed to fade, and there were a lot of red wine flavors. Nice hint of vanilla and coffee, plus some alcohol flavors. Not bad, but not what I was expecting.
"falls a little short only because there are so many super barrel aged dark beers on the mrket these days. this was good, but not among the best, and not worth $10 IMO. maybe a little more time in the bottle? the beer aspects from the IP (which i like better than this) are overpowered by the bourbon, and the body is medium to full, but not as smooth as, say, a bourbon county. the aroma was not what i’d hoped. the flavor of bourbon and chocolate nice. "
Bourbon and roast up front, made you want to dive in right away, thin tan head. Taste coffe bourbon and slight malt. Wonderful brew
Lots of bourbon barrel and alcohol right up front, definite winter warmer material, not as smooth as Boulevard Barrel aged quad tried in same session. Pours near black, minimal head, aroma of alcohol and peat. Taste is sharp and biting right from the get go, a true sipper....
22oz bottle in 2012 from notes. Pours dark brown to black with a small fizzy beige head that doesn’t last. The aroma and flavor had chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and woody notes and hints of dark fruits. Not as big in body or mouth feel as I might have expected. Decent sipper.
Bottle. Black body, big, fine head the color of a brown paper bag. Aroma bourbon, molasses, soy sauce, dried plum. Flavor soy sauce, molasses, bourbon, oak, vanilla, black licorice, sour plum, coffee. Body smooth, nice viscosity, but not syrupy, fine, understated carbonation. This is very close to perfect for me. I love the dark, fruity imperials, but this is just a touch too acidic, and I wish it were a touch roastier and maltier.
2012 bomber from the cellar, served in a tulip. Pours a deep blackish brown, slightly watery, with thin oily brown head. Aroma is darkly roasted chocolate malt, big sweet boozy bourbon, dry oak, and bready milk chocolate. Taste is sweet dark malt, lighter roast notes, high carbonation, and quite thin body. Some harsh dark chocolate, cola, and bitter hop notes on the end. Falls apart on the finish as the thin body and somewhat flabby malts don’t really come together cleanly. In spite of all the rich flavors, very drinkable and easily comes across as lower than 9.5% Shares some of the flaws of its stout sibling - the bourbon is huge and impressive on the nose but really disappears in the taste. That said, the stout help up together better than this. In spite of some sizable flaws, this a tasty beer and I’d drink again. Helps to love bourbon.
Bomber. Pours a dark black color with no head. Nose is upfront whiskey, followed by fruity, mostly cherry chocolate.....cannot miss the bourbon ! Taste is warm whiskey, alcohol and fruity chocolate. Drinks very smoothly. Finishes on the same tasting notes, with a moderately long warm finish. Quaff Score 9 / 10
Pours black with a brown head and strong aroma of bourbon, and wood. Taste is strong bourbon throughout, with roasted malt, wood, vanilla, oak and alcohol leading to a warming, bourbon finish. Delicious bourbon aged beer
Bottle. This is a nice medium roast porter with an accessible level of bourbon layered on top. The sweetness and oakiness really balance this out.
Side by side with the Black Gold Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel aged) and this was the clear loser. There was too much bourbon and it was too sweet for my taste. I may have been mistaken but I got a hint of celery from the aroma. Still good, but not great. Bottle.
bomber, this one is NICE, bourbn brownie batter, that firestone walker type barrel treatment, rich and creamy. NICE
2010 bottle. Incredible decadent, sweet nose of smooth bourbon-soaked raisins, dark chocolate, dark cherry, toffee, and sherry oxidation notes. Pours a light black with a shallow dark tan head. Sadly, the taste is quite thin with light milk chocolate, muted bourbon, slight roasted dark malt, a brief hint of alcohol heat, vanilla coffee creamer, and a mellow, woody finish. The body is a bit watery for a porter with a bit of a chalky mouthful. I had high hopes for this one after such a great aroma, but perhaps the bottle is just too old.
22oz bottle in a tulip. Pours black with a lacy, beige head. Aroma of roasted malts, some light bourbon and oak, a little chocolate and coffee, some dough, and some weird dark fruit notes. Flavor the same with the fruits not helping this beer. Average to smooth texture. A decent beer but could be way better.
4/29/2012. From a 22 oz. bomber. Pours deep brown with a tan head. Aromas of dark roasted malt, chocolate, dark fruit, oak and spices. Malt flavors with oak, caramel and chocolate. Very good.
This was quite different. The aroma was strong bourbon and oak. The color was a nice and very dark with a brown head. The palate was sharp and dry and of average weight. Much different than what I expected. Bourbon sweetness was upfront followed by a strong malty porter taste, roasted. Hops were hidden. The finish was dry and woody. Interesting beer.
Bottle. Pours jet black with a creamy beige head. The aroma is bourbon, chocolate, roast, licorice and coffee. The flavor contains notes of oak, vanilla, roast, alcohol, chocolate and light coffee. Great.
Albany, Ga - Warehouse Package Store - 22 oz bomber. Inky black pour with a creamy khaki-colored head that clings to the edge of the glass. Aroma is that of bourbon, creosote and soy sauce. Flavor is full bodied and bold with heavy doses of bourbon, some chocolate notes, a bit of molasses and dates and some back end soy sauce notes. Not quite cloying....but n the neighborhood near the bottom of the bomber. thick sticky mouthfeel. Not the hugest bourbon barrel aged fan - but this one drank pretty good.
Bottle from the cellar. Pours black with big, tan head, dissipating to a rimming, creamy film. Nose is bourbon, coffee, cherries and raisin. A bit thin, lots of bourbon, vanilla, oak and fruit, alcohol at the end into the after with a mild roast character that seems muted by the bourbon. Hop bitterness and some astringency comes through as it opens up, Nice
Natifest ’10
8/07/2010: Full Sail Brewmaster Reserve 2012 - Top Sail Bourbon Imperial Porter... Aroma: Silky vanilla and oak, semi-sweet chocolate. Appearance: Black pour, opaque; tan-colored crown. Flavor: Smooth, rich vanilla; calm bourbon; chocolate; alcohol. Palate: Medium-full body; smooth with lots of carbonation; not overly heavy. Overall: Very good.
1 pt 6 fluid ounce bottle (Alc. 9.85% by Vol.). Rating #381 for this beer.
Pitch black body with a thin tan head. The aroma is sweet chocolate chips and liquid chocolate syrup. Notes of vanilla and bourbon. The flavor is bourbon and cherry with chocolate. The palate is medium full bodied. Alcohol is well hidden. Not much complexity.
Bottle. Pours a near-black color with a moderate tan head. Nose is heavily bourbon influenced that dominates anything else. Taste is slightly sweet from the bourbon with the roasting coming through. Interesting...
Bottle from Corvallis Brew Supply, courtesy Phil. 2008 Reserve. Pours very dark with little head. Aroma is lots of booze, bourbon, vanilla, sweetness. Body is thin, finish roasty, chocolaty, warming, just a little bit of woodiness. This beer has aged superbly, and was really a treat.
22 ounce bottle poured a black color with aromas of roast, molasses, vanilla, bourbon, and some light cocoa. Flavors are roast, coffee, sweet malt, light vanilla and some booze. A very nice beer that I am glad that I have a reserve so I can crack open at a later time.
Bottle poured a very dark brown color with a thin coat of brown head. Aroma has rich earthy malts, sweet bourbon, molasses, oak, vanilla, and a good snap of heat. Nice and juicy. Mouth feel is medium and there is a nice steady carbonation. Flavor has hefty malt but with little bitterness, sweet bourbon, chocolate, oak, vanilla, and some heat. It is not a huge crusher but it certainly brings plenty of flavor.
Bottle. Thanks to adnielsen for sending! Pours a black color with tan head. Bourbon, roasty, vanilla aromas.