Oakshire Hellshire II

From Oakshire – Hellshire II is an Imperial Stout with coffee that was aged for 7 months in Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels. Notes of vanilla, coconut, bourbon, and oak intertwine with the beers complex chocolate and roasted coffee flavors. 10.5% abv and bottle conditioned.

Oakshire Brewing – Oakshire Hellshire II – On tap at San Diego Strong Ale Fest 2011 – 10.5% abv.

Appearance:  Pours black. Atop sits a creamy tan head.

Aroma: Coffee, coffee grinds. Vanilla.

Taste: Tart cherry. Coffee, wood barrel.

Mouthfeel:  Full bodied,a tad chalky, fairly carbonated.

Overall: I’m not sure if that tartness was supposed to be there, I’m guessing it wasn’t. This beer could go downhill or it could become epic. Time will tell. Right now, I’m not digging it so much.