Blackbeard’s Breakfast

Blackbeard’s Breakfast by Heavy Seas is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter brewed with coffee and was judged as a Specialty Wood-Aged Beer (BJCP sub-style 33B). It poured very dark brown (opaque) into the glass, sporting a thick creamy tan head with moderate retention.

The nose featured dark roasty malt and bourbon sweetness up front, followed by a lesser coffee aroma. The flavor profile was dominated by roasty and bourbon notes throughout with hops only to balance and keep the sweeter elements from becoming cloying. The contribution of coffee to the profile was either muted or seamlessly blended with the roast malt and bourbon flavors. A pervasive woody dryness also attests to the presumably significant barrel aging. This is a complex, intensely flavorful beer throughout its pleasant aftertaste.

Palate sensations included a full body, modest carbonation, noticeable alcohol warmth, and as noted above, woody dryness following an initial creamy texture. This beer finished with a satisfying richness best savored slowly.