All Aboard is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial oatmeal coffee “Anniversary Stout” with 8.2% ABV from Pittsburgh’s Rivertowne Brewing Co. Released in 12 oz. cans this winter seasonal makes it way around December and serves as a commemorative beer for the birth of Rivertowne and the support its received over the years from faithful fans.
Pouring to a dark brown, cola-like color with only a thin khaki head a strong smell of bourbon emanates from the glass. There’s also a bit of roasted malt aroma and a hint of coffee, but primarily it’s sweet bourbon.
The bourbon aroma quickly turns into a bourbon taste as a sweet, oaky forward flavor immediately comes through when drinking. It’s here, after the initial bourbon taste that things change and the beer takes on an added layer of nuance. As the sweetness begins to subside a smooth, oatmeal quality starts evening out the flavor profile.
The finish is still rather sweet, more malty than bourbon however, and is several notches down from where the brew began. In a season where imperial stouts and porters are the norm “All Aboard” offers something a little different with its creamier mouthfeel and slightly lower ABV for an imperial.
