Tasting a bomber release from Phillips is akin to opening a suspicious looking can of nuts. Either a snake will pop out and someone will snicker, or it will actually be full of tasty, roasted nuts. This brew was a pleasant surprise - no snake.
The Double Barrel was aged in both Tennessee whiskey and Cab Sauv barrels. Wood aging does fun things to a beer. In the short term, it adds hints of vanilla, smooths out the brew and imparts flavours from within the barrels.


Double Barrel Scotch Ale (2012) = 7/10

Influence from the barrels is apparent; notable peaty, oak, vanilla and nutty aromas are present. For a 7.7% ABV brew it is remarkably smooth and not warming. This is not a flavour powerhouse, nor is it cloying vanilla sweet like an Innis and Gunn. It had clement tastes of peaty malts, caramel, vanilla, cola and whiskey. The finish was slick and didn't overstay its welcome. I didn't mind it; it was better than last year. This review is in stark contrast to my compatriot's at Vancouver Beer Blog. I too would have liked to taste a more robust brew with longer contact with the barrels.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 7.7%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (nice steampunk label with good description of beer)


Other wooded reviews
Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout (2009)
Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Highland Cask Innis and Gunn