Year of New Beer (Bonus): Sinkhole Stout, Country Boy Brewing (Lexington, KY)

Written By: Dion on 04/28/2015

New in name, but an old favorite on the taste buds. It was not quite 3 years ago, the brewery had barely been open a few months...I walked in to the darkened taproom to hang out and have a beer with Evan and DH (back in those days, they tended the bar!). This was long before the extra lighting, patio door, and brighter paint scheme allowed you to see what was going on in front of you. After my eyes adjusted to the blackness, I noticed the barrels...two of them, tucked out of the way in the corner. "That's our anniversary beer", they told me. It was to be a beast of a beer. An imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels, clocking in at nearly 12% alcohol. Surely a "prescription" for all your ills. Once that year had finally elapsed, we were treated to perhaps the finest brew to have come out of Country Boy to that point. Dark and mysterious, much like the taproom that served as its incubator those first few months. A local legend was born. A legend that now, with the impending arrival of the bottled version, will be local no more. Rebranded as Sinkhole Stout, this third incarnation of Country Boy's "Big Boy", is sure to see some travel, and it will not disappoint. The nose is rich with creamy chocolate, roasted coffee beans, and giant waves of bourbon, all of which still allow cursory notes of vanilla and charred oak to peek through. Similarly on the tongue, the flavors come at you in layers. A sweet but bold bourbon leads into milder elements of dark fruit and smoked meats, as the aspects of the oak barrels dare not be forgotten. With warmth comes a welcome touch of earthy hop bitterness that blends nicely with the alcohol heat. No matter the name, this beast has not lost its edge. 

Available at the Chair Avenue taproom beginning Friday, May 1st, at 5pm, limit 2 per person. I'd advise buying both, one for now, and one for later...when whatever ails you calls for a serious prescription. Keep up the good work guys!!