Sep 11, 2018

Olde Hickory The Event Horizon

While a majority of the beers I brought back from my June OBX trip were of the lighter fair (IPAs, sours), I did make sure to pick up a couple of intriguing stouts from Olde Hickory Brewery — there wasn’t a big selection from the style during my visit. In fact, there were so few and in not high demand, that this particular bottle The Event Horizon was bottled November 22nd of last year. I wasn’t overly worried about the age of this bottle as the 8.5% ABV should have been enough to handle most storage arrangements for that short term.

And, indeed, The Event Horizon (a blend of several Bourbon barrel-aged stouts) has held up fairly well since last year. It’s, perhaps, a bit thinner on the palate than it may once have been, but even then that’s not too big of a complain to have about a bit stout that presents itself so smoothly. The flavor profile is well-rounded with a nice bit of Bourbon barrel influence (wood, vanilla, and bourbon) to go along with soft anise notes, chocolate, grain and a moderate hop bitterness. Everything works quite well with one another, eventually fading into the long lasting and warming finish.

I enjoyed The Event Horizon. I wish that it were a bit fuller on the palate, but its smooth presentation of Bourbon barrel goodness balanced out that complaint. It wasn’t necessarily the best example of the style I’ve ever encountered, but it’s always a treat to enjoy a big stout from a new-to-me brewery. I have another stout from this brewery that proved just as enjoyable, so I’ll have to be sure to look for more of their products on my next visit.