Bottle Logic Fundamental Observation Imperial Vanilla Stout

 Bottle Logic Fundamental Observation Imperial Vanilla Stout. Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with Madagascar vanilla beans. 2021 release. 

14% ABV. Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim, CA.

Thorough and explicit blackness, complete opacity, rich brown ring of foam.

In the nose: ash, char, chocolate, vanilla. Fudge. Deep sweet. Rich decadence. 

In the mouth: big sweet. Rich and ridiculously malty. Vanilla, fudge, coconut, cookies and cream. Vast and viscous. Motor oil meets brownie pan. Profoundly delicious. 

This beer cries out for a pairing with fudge, brownie, or at the very least, chocolate chip cookies. And all I got is potato chips.

As Fundamental Observation enters its seventh year, we're proud to push this legendary beer forward with a 75% to 25% ratio of double-mash to single-mash liquid for a rich, creamy mouthfeel and lingering velvety finish.

This "liquid brownie batter" was aged in a blend of Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig, and Willett bourbon barrels and finishes out at a mighty 14% ABV. Each barrel saw multiple additions of Madagascar vanilla beans, ultimately aging the finished batch of beer with hundreds of pounds of vanilla over the course of a year.

Madagascar's premier crop benefitted beautifully from extended vine-ripening time over the last year and the vanilla character in Fundamental Observation 2021 is unmistakably bold. Familiar flavors of cookie dough and baking chocolate envelope the palate with hints at brûléed sugar, all balanced with beautiful barrel tones and present-but-pleasant alcohol heat.