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2nd Shift Brewing – Vanilla Barrel Aged Liquid Spiritual Delight

Brewery: 2nd Shift Brewing
Location New Haven, MO
Style Barrel Aged Imperial Stout w/ Vanilla
 ABV 11.5%
 IBUs n/a

 

Best Quote During Tasting

I saw a sleeping raccoon the other day, then realized it was dead.

Justin:

Aroma - Huge vanilla with whiskey right behind it. There's some nice chocolate that helps round it out and bring down the whiskey aromas.
Score: 11/12
Appearance - Pours deep brown, nearly black with a thin, mocha head that sticks around.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - It's incredibly sweet but has the whiskey bite to keep it from being cloying. It's got a very nice helping of chocolate notes that make sure that it's more than just vanilla and whiskey. Some alcohol notes bring up the rear and are a welcome addition. 
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - Full bodied with medium carbonation. Very velvety and smooth. Almost chewy.
Score: 5/5
Overall Impression - We've reviewed quite a few of the beer's 2nd Shift puts out and so far, we haven't had a bad one yet.  The fact that this is so limited is somewhat disappointing because a larger distro means more happy people.  However, with the smaller amount of bottles created, that just means there were much fewer VERY happy people.  If you have a buddy that got a bottle, get on their good side because you'll want to try this one.
Score: 9/10

 

Blake:

Aroma - The vanilla is immediately apparent, adding another layer of sweetness to the chocolate  that comes through from the malt. There is also some whiskey and oak character from the barrel aging. Smells delicious.
Score: 11/12
Appearance - Deep dark brown verging on black with a thin mocha head. Very viscous and with leave a fine coating wherever the beer touches.
Score: 3/3
Flavor - Chocolate, vanilla, oak, whiskey, some roast malts, they are all there and all at a near perfect amount. Roast isn't very present in the nose, but comes across well in the flavor. Overall it is very sweet, and would likely pair well with a rich dessert.
Score: 18/20
Mouthfeel - Very full bodied. Carbonation is low, giving this one a creamy, thick mouthfeel.
Score: 5/5
Overall Impression - LSD has to be one of my favorite, if not my favorite, imperial stouts. It's such a well made beer, and when you take a beer that is damn near perfect already and give it even more character by adding vanilla and barrel aging, it's going to be a home run. I had to trade away a couple beers to get my hands on this one, but it was really worth it. If you were one of the lucky BRC members to get this one, I hope you kept one for yourself!
Score: 10/10
Vanilla BBA LSD Final Score
  • Aroma
  • Appearance
  • Flavor
  • Mouthfeel
  • Overall
4.65
User Rating: 0.0 (2 votes)
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Justin Phelps

Justin Phelps

Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

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