Rating: 6/5

Four Seasons of Mother Earth Series – Zingaro Autumn Ale by Mother Earth Brewing is an 11.7% ABV Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels.

Label:
We have many names. Nomad, roamer, stray, deviant. Ostracized for free thinking. Asked to conform to conventions. Well, defiance breeds change. That’s why we stuck this imperial stout in oak barrels… Not because it should happen…because it shouldn’t.

Intense flavors of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and brown sugar meld beautifully with toffee and vanilla notes from wet oak bourbon barrels.

We have been told beer shouldn’t taste this… rEvolutionary. But we embrace a change in the seasons of life. They call us Bohemians. Then this must be the rhapsody, because not all who wander are lost. We are Zingaro.
___

Obtained this sucker from Craftshack.com as I was intrigued by the fact that Mother Earth brewing has a Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Stout. I have only have had some of their beers which have been good to amazing but this time, I take on their version of the bourbon barrel imperial stout.

Aromas:
Rich toasted coconut, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, rocky road ice cream, almond joy, banana notes, dark fruit raisins, figs, licorice, coffee hints, Irish cream earthy notes oak, vanilla, bourbon, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple and pumpkin spice hints.

Flavors:
Rich milk chocolate, dark chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, flan, rich toasted coconut, hazelnut nectar, rocky road ice cream, pecan pie, anise, molasses, pumpkin spice hints, maple, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, dulce de leche caramel, licorice, molasses, dark fruit raisins, figs, currants, earthy notes, Irish cream, coffee notes, almond joy, Kahlua coffee, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, dark cherry chocolate cake and crème brulee.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with a complex of goods of toasted coconut, oak, bourbon, caramel, vanilla, milk and dark chocolate, pecan pie and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, velvety and creamy mouthfeel, sipping yet smooth and somewhat easy to drink and a full pitch black body.

Overall:
Surprisingly, I was ridiculously impressed by this one. The rich complex coconut, chocolate, bourbon and dark fruit take the lead here adding some subtle hints of spicy notes like that of the pumpkin but very subtle. I highly recommend this one if you can find it for sure, you won’t be let down especially if you love bourbon barrel aged Imperial stouts.

Anime Corner:
Inoue Orihime from Bleach was used in this pairing mainly when I saw the label as the character of autumn, is pretty much Orihime right down to the pendant on her hair and the colors. Orihime herself has been added to some damn epic beers like Uinta Oaked Jacked which pairs with the fall colors and she has many abilities bringing me back to some of those epic beers. In fact, her mainly ability of healing is to bring back a living organism back to a state of time when they were not hurt before. Just like the seasons, dying trees come back to life in spring time bloom synonymous with that Orihime power. So the pairing just seem way to perfect in my mind and mother earth had the right idea. Orihime is mother earthy nurturing the world back to a state where it was healed. Inoue Orihime is rather, heavenly as much to say as mother earth or heaven hills bourbon have to say.

Sources:
http://orichie.deviantart.com/art/Orihime-470623586
http://static.zerochan.net/Inoue.Orihime.full.40536.jpg