Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops Bourbon Barrel Stout Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

A major league connection between bourbon and beer comes to us through the Japanese brewing company Kirin, but not in the most predictable way. Many bourbon fans already know Kirin bought and revived Four Roses some twenty years ago. However, Kirin isn’t using Four Roses bourbon barrels to age Kirin beers (although they are using them to age certain Japanese whiskies). Instead, Kirin acquired some American craft brewers, including Bell’s, New Belgium and Brooklyn Brewing. The latter is where the Four Roses bourbon barrels went.

Black Ops is a Four Roses barrel-aged imperial stout, made with Goldings and Sorachi Ace hops. The stint in the barrels lasted for several months, and after all that was said and done, it came out at 11.5% ABV.

The Beer
This pours as a pitch black, velvety brew, with a quite modest head. The flavor has the roasted malts, deep vanilla, cocoa powder and hints of coffee that I would expect from any stout of this kind, but also a strong current of tart red berries. The stout is too heavy for truly casual drinking, but it is quite yummy. The fruit dimension makes it a good choice for a dessert beer or a moody pour for indulging a boozy sweet tooth.

The Price
Black Ops comes in four-packs of 16 oz cans. Expect to pay about $20 for one, which is pretty reasonable compared to what a pint at the bar costs nowadays.