Judge's Review: 87 Rating - Log Cabin by Pure Project Brewing

Log Cabin by Pure Project Brewing is a Bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout with cocoa and maple syrup judged as a Specialty Wood-Aged Beer, BJCP Style 33B. It packs an amazing wallop at 14 percent ABV! It pours opaquely dark brown/black into the glass. The aroma is intense, as one would certainly expect! No disappointment here! The aroma features a roast grain/coffee character right off the bat. Then, it morphs into more of a mocha note as the cocoa kicks in. You can detect the oak barrel in the aroma, but it is surprisingly subtle. There is a hint of maple syrup in the finish of the aroma. The head dissipates quickly after pouring, which is common in high-alcohol beers. This is not an exception to that rule. As for the flavor, the roast grain flavor wins the initial race, followed closely by other sweet specialty grains. The bourbon barrel, subtle in aroma, is more evident on the palate. It melds nicely with the cocoa in the finish. The body is heavy and carbonation is low. Considering everything, especially the barrel aging, there is almost no astringency in the finish, whatsoever. Very smooth!

Overall, did I enjoy this beer? Yes, very much so! It is very busy! There are a lot of moving parts here. Balancing all those moving parts is no mean feat. Pure Project Brewing has done a good job with juggling all these parts. If I must nit-pick, the primary complaint is the low carbonation. This takes a beer that was likely to be sweet from all the malt required to get to the finish line and renders it even sweeter. It also robs the beer of the ability to deliver more of the subtle notes, such as the maple syrup, which is only really evident in the nose. A little more carbonation would help bring the more subtle characteristics out. Overall, very nice, indeed!