Out Of Bounds Brewing 'The Prophet' Oak Aged Stout. 6.8% abv. 55 IBU. Black in color with two fingers of beige foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of mild bourbon, light wood, chocolate. Notes of herbs and cocoa powder emerge in the aroma as the temp rises. Front taste of dark malt, toffee, dark fruit, oak on the back end. Aftertaste of bitter herbal hops, bittersweet dark chocolate, vanilla sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is creamy, carby, clingy tail.

This is a good wood-aged stout in a world full of great ones. Flavors of dark chocolate, dried fruit, and bitter hops are surely present, but complemented by only mild bourbon and faint oak tastes. I would have like a much greater expression of oak and perhaps a consistent ribbon of bourbon throughout.

My guess is that when "bourbon oak" is mentioned on the label, it's not the spirit that's being referenced but rather the type of wood being used. If so, that's easy confusion on my part, but it influenced my critique nonetheless. The label also describes this as a full-bodied brew, but I peg it firmly as medium in body.

Despite my nitpicks, this beer hits most of its notes well. I ended it wanting more, which is always a good sign, but know that there are plenty of other wood-aged beers to try before getting to this one. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"Few can bring a message that can change the minds and hearts of the masses. Bearing a bend of the forbidden, The Prophet brings the gift of a full-bodied West coast stout, plentiful with hops and chocolate notes and then aged with bourbon oak. Even fewer care whether they share The Prophet’s message with others and would rather keep it all to themselves. Enjoy this stout with the worthy, or indulge in it all by yourself. Be a chosen one!"

[source: bottle]

Out Of Bounds 'Big Gun' Chocolate Maple Porter. 5.6% abv. Black color. Thin white head falls fast to a ring. Low retention. Nice lace. Nose of roasted malt, cocoa powder, faint maple. Front taste of bitter chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruit on the back end. Aftertaste of bitter cocoa, bitter herbal hops. Medium-thin body. Mouthfeel was warm, small carb.

This beer was good but not great, certainly not up to expectations. The maple was barely present in the aroma, and was absent otherwise. The chocolate was up front in the nose but took a backseat in the tasting. Simply put, it tasted like a run-of-the-mill porter, which isn't bad unless you consider the premium price for this bottle. Not recommended.

From the brewery:

"The Big Gun Granite Quarry began operation in Rocklin, CA in 1864. Named after the device that was used to fracture the rock, it supplied granite to build the California State Capital, many of San Francisco’s landmark buildings including the Transamerica Pyramid as well as the Naval Station at Pearl Harbor. We salute this hometown landmark of industry, the people who kept digging and those who hope to reclaim it. Our Big Gun blends Ecuadorian cocoa with Grade A maple syrup to compliment a well-balanced porter. The Cocoa nose and subtle maple finish will leave you digging deeper!"
[source: outofboundsbrewing.com]