163. Slumbrew Yankee Swap 2014

Slumbrew Yankee Swap 2014

I think this is my first post in ten months, but now that the book is in the hands of God, AKA the publisher, and I’m done wedding planning, I am back with a review of Slumbrews 2014 Yankee Swap. It was a cold January day when I wandered into the bottle shop and this victual popped out to me…nay, it was calling to me:

This 2014 imperial stout is the SECOND EDITION in our Yankee Swap series. It’s aged in Turkey Shore Distilleries run barrels to create a unique flavor profile that continues to develop with time. A perfect accompaniment to holiday doldrums, in-laws or all bouts of holiday boredom. If you collect bottles, we suggest you cellar a second bottle or two of this ale to serve with next year’s edition of our Yankee Swap.

Doldrums? Check. In-laws? Yes, one in particular, check. Boredom? Check.

The first thing I noticed when I poured this beer was its opaque, jet black color. This contrasts starkly with the thick, tan head that forms at the top, which quickly dissipated leaving behind brown, syrupy lacing dripping down the sides of the glass.

Once I was done taking in the absolute darkness of the beer, the next thing I noticed was the aroma- a blend of rum and boozy traces with a woody backbone, most likely due to the oak barrels it was aged in. The beer itself is smooth and upfront you taste the oak and chocolate in this stout. Then the rummy notes kick in, overriding the initial chocolate tastes and leaving me with a warm, sweet, rum taste.

I could see the flavor profile of this beer developing nicely and becoming more pronounced if given some more time, so I’d highly recommend buying this one if you see it kicking around in a store near you. Better yet, given the age-ability of this beer, pick up a couple so you can do annual Yankee Swap tastings on Christmas. Or you could always just get super-meta and put your Yankee Swap horde up for grabs in an actual Yankee Swap.

BONUS: A photo of my families 2013 Annual Yankee Swap:

I am still waiting on the 2014 photos to be released…