Adroit Theory B/A/Y/S (Black As Your Soul)
This bottle of Adroit Theory B/A/Y/S (Ghost 028 – 27/450) came courtesy a coworker of mine back in mid-March of this year. He was kind enough to pick it up for me on a recent trip to the brewery. At $13 per 12 oz bottle, it’s pricey, and after uncorking it a week later on March 21st, perhaps not fully worth the cost — which I’m sure a good bit of goes into the artful packaging.
As for this 9.1% ABV Imperial Stout, it’s not for the faint of heart. B/A/Y/S isn’t just your run of the mill big stout. For more on why this beer is unique, here’s some information from the company’s website:
The most unique part of the B/A/Y/S experience comes from the use of reclaimed American Chestnut wood, which is virtually extinct. We salvaged this lumber from an old barn, and had it planed, trimmed, bored with holes like honeycomb, and then toasted. The beer was aged on this historic chestnut wood, providing a one-of-a-kind earthiness matched by no other brew on earth.
The woody and earthy character of this beer is a highlight, but it’s ashy, dry finish is just a bit too much for my liking. I’m not sure if it’s a result of the wood aging, but the brew also had an “old” character about it — as though it were much older than it’s bottling date indicated.
Appearance
Despite the cork snapping in half during removal, B/A/Y/S pours midnight black with a cap of dark brown foam. It certainly looks like an imperial stout.
Aroma
Cocoa, coffee, anise, wood and a touch of alcohol precede an “old” or cellared trait to the aroma.
Taste
B/A/Y/S is certainly an interesting beer. A solid coffee presence, hints of anise, wood and cocoa are carried along over the tongue on a mouthfeel that’s a bit on the thin side. Hints of tobacco and a soft bitterness linger. And then there’s that sense of the beer being a couple of years old. Perhaps this due to the combination of reclaimed wood and the beer’s rather drying, ashy finish. The brew finishes warmly.
Overall
All in all, B/A/Y/S is not a bad beer. It’s got some uniqueness to it that I particularly enjoy — it’s earthy, woody and robust. The chalky dryness and even the hint of age (cardboard) were just a bit much and ended detracting from the experience a bit.
Now, I’ve had my fair share of aged beer (some excellent, some drain fodder). This particular bottle doesn’t appear to be that old, so it shouldn’t have these traits. Perhaps, I’ll tackle B/A/Y/S again at some point, providing I can warrant spending that much on another bottle.
Rating: 3.5/5
