I've been back in Houston with my son-in-law for a short time and having our second powerful Stout. So many great beers, not enough time. This special edition barrel aged stout is a local small batch brew. Expected dark brown color, short brown head. Aroma of mild alcohol and stone fruit. Texture has a gentleness, soft and heavy, not creamy. This flavor is anything but complex. Strong dark malt, clean, experienced bourbon barrel alcohol, and in the finish, the dark fruit sends the senses to heaven. This is an extraordinary beer to showcase how to use bourbon barrels and malt to create a really good beer without all the extra flavors. They took basic ingredients and turned it excellent. Not easy to do.

This is like a liquid version of honey wheat bread, which was weird to wrap my head around but not bad. Though, I prefer my bread flavors as toast.

Really good beer for hanging by the pool or beach.

At my son's house watching Saturday football. Great having dual TVs on a beautiful theater screen. I rated this before but I think I was hasty. Flavor isn't as mild as I previously stated. Has a little spice to it and enough flavor to make it a very enjoyable beer. Going to raise this rating some.

In Houston with my son-in-law and daughter having a bottle of Galveston Balinese Imperial smoked Porter. Strong smoke aroma. Typical opaque brown color. Flavor is overpowering charred smoke. Like you licked a burnt tree. Toward the finish I get a sweet maple bacon undertone still being dominated by the chared smoke. Bacon flavor lingers for a while in the finish but is still overpowered by this intensely smoky brew. This intense flavor is too much for a night of beers. It dominates and rules the palate for anything that might follow. This should only be combined with a meal of ribs or grilled red meat to balance the intense flavor.

This is our sixth sample of the day. Comes from Galveston Island Brewing. Pours a deep opaque brown with almost no head. Texture thinner than expected. Intense peanut butter aroma. Flavor is an intense peanut butter. Continues unchanged through the finish.

Postdated from my trip to Galveston Island Brewing with my son-in-law on October 22nd. Brew is on the far right. Color is a deep orangish yellow. Slightly hazy. Flavor has a citrus side but is also sour. Not a pleasant flavor even though the bitterness level for this IPA is very low. Tried to keep my pallet clean by drinking an abundance of water but could not finish this drink. Sorry but this one missed the mark for me.

Postdated from my trip to Galveston Island Brewing with my son-in-law on October 22nd. Glass on the far left. On tap, very low head. Dark brown and opaque in color. Light malty aroma. Very dry texture. Strong burnt malt flavor brings a subtle balance between chocolate and coffee. Was going along pretty good until the bitter finish. Reminded me of coffee that had been on the burner all day. Still, a good old style basic porter.

Post dating this from my trip with my son-in-law to the Galveston Island Brewing Company on October 22nd. Dark brown in color but not totally opaque. Amazingly intense smokey aroma in this sniffer glass. Flavor, never had a brew with this intense of charred smoke flavor. Feel like I'm walking through the remains of a burnt forest. Has a intense slightly bittersweet finish. Don't get me wrong, I actually kind of like it. But be ready for this to come at you strong. Don't get the 10.8% alcohol so it can be sneaky. Watch out! This is smoke in a glass.

Enjoying this brew on tap at the brewery. This is Galveston Island Brewing's idea of an Oktoberfest beer. Got the scoop that they accidentally used a dark malt by accident. Serving it up to see what we think. Pours with a short head. Very dark color, almost opaque. Not much carbonation. Malty aroma. Light and crisp texture. Rich, roasted malt and biscuit flavor. Very brief semi-sweet finish. Not what I expected from an Oktoberfest but very tasty. Enjoying this accidental brew.