Review: Nonsuch Bourbon Barrel Aged Rotbier with Brettanomyces

Oh boy, I'm not sure if I'm excited to review this as this is part of a four pack I bought a monthish ago (at the time at writing) at Brasserie Nonsuch - two cans of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Stout and two cans of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Rotbier with Brettanomyces.. my final verdict about the Belgian stout is not great... I get nauseous thinking about all the beer soaked all over my clothes, the sourness and ugh.. 

Anywho, got to still go out and try new beers! Rotbiers aren't that big in Manitoba but as soon as Winnipeg Brew Werks created one a few years back, so many breweries came out with their own for a brief period of time. 

Appearance: Opaque dark brown ale with a cherrywood hue to it. There's a lot of carbonation in the body which sparkles at me so.. that's a good sign I guess. The head is fairly thick with a really thin creaminess to it, almost espresso-like with a yellowish/beige hue to it.

Aroma: Hint of barrel to start things off. Hint of oak, smidgen of Bourbon, raisins, caramel and the faintest note of Bretty funk.. it's there but it's just a whisper's worth.

Taste: Well, I'll take back the "whisper's worth" of Brett funk as it's the first thing I get this time around, it's a tad sour with a woodiness to it, hint of cherry, more wood (this time oak), raisins, hint of peat, a slight buttery presence and the ever slightest presence of vanilla.

Overall Thoughts: The Bourbon didn't come out at all in the taste but it did have a good amount of woodiness to it, the Brett popped up here and there but wasn't anywhere near as aggressive as I'd expect. Mild sharp tart presence to it.. something I expect from Nonsuch as it seems like most of their newish beers have to be tart or sour, but if that's what the brewery and consumers want, so be it!

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