Reviewing Black Gold from Central Waters Brewing Company out of Amherst, Wisconsin. This is 1414 aged for 35 months in 25 year old Willet bourbon barrels. Less than 500 bottles were made and released as part of a charity run hosted by Central Waters.
Score: 98
2013 vintage bottle served in a Black Tuesday taster and enjoyed on 01/24/14 side by side with Central Waters Fifteen. Review is from iPhone notes.
Appearance: Pours a dark soda color with a wisp of head that totally settles. No lacing or retention. Really nice oily legs. This beer looks exactly like you would expect of a big stout. 4.5/5
Smell: The glass exudes fudge and fig and high percentage cacao dark chocolate. Ample vanilla and molasses too. Big bourbon undertones and a kiss of oak. As it warms up, the chocolatiness grows and grows. The aroma is big, but perfectly integrated. I could smell this beer all night. 5/5
Taste: Lots of fudge and molasses upfront, along with a big, boozy bourbon flavor. Some fig and date flavor too. A nice vanilla/oak flavor comes through towards finish, but it is not overly oaky and dry like Fifteen. Has a nice underlying alcohol warmth. Big chocolatey linger. Like the nose, the flavor profile is bold and marvelously integrated, albeit boozy as hell. So delicious. This one burns a bit, like a good bourbon. 5/5
Mouthfeel: Full-medium bodied, low carbonation. Nice mix of bitter and sweet flavors. Oily, modestly dry finish. Good alcohol warmth, lively on the tongue. 4.5/5
Overall: Easily Central Waters’ best beer. Unlike Fifteen, the extended aging did not render this brew overly dry, but instead imparted a lot more bourbon-molasses and dark fruit character, while still retaining a lot of the chocolatiness that defined 1414 and was lost in Fifteen. Seek this one out!
Cost: $15 for a 12 oz bottle.
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