94 Rating: Morning Wood by Funky Buddha Brewery

Morning Wood is a flavored Imperial Porter aged in oak barrels, judged as BJCP Category 33A.  Cafe mocha aroma is this beer's first impression, complemented by sweetness, vanilla, and oak undertones. They blend very well and together are rich and warm. It pours a nearly black color with a solid, brown head. This example's flavors closely resemble its aromas, with a touch more roasted coffee.  There are a few nice, subdued complexities if you pay attention, mostly licorice and tannin.  Hop characteristics are absent in this beer, though there is sufficient bitterness from some source to offset the sweetness.  It is full bodied and moderately carbonated, which creates a creamy, smooth mouthfeel.  The finish is warm with a slight sharpness from the high alcohol content, but otherwise this beer masks its strength very well.  This beer tastes best when chilled, so plan on splitting the large bottle to avoid it warming up too much.  Overall, it's not obvious that this beer's base style is porter, but luckily that isn't important.  Brewers often aim for creating well-fused flavor combinations when barrel aging, and this beer has just that. For such a coarsely-named beer, it's quite refined.