Interestingly, I enjoyed a draft glass of Mother Earth Silent Night, a bourbon aged imperial stout, a week earlier. To be fair, that is a bigger beer at 9% ABV, but in terms of bourbon complexity it impressed me more. On draft, I would choose it over the AVBC Wild Turkey beer, as it was only 50 cents more for the same size glass. In the bottle, however, I would definitely go with the Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Stout, as it is $10 a bottle cheaper than the Silent Night.

Update 7/22/2020: Sipped a bottle of this fine brew out on the patio tonight. Pours to a jet black color with a thick creamy tan head and a soft roasty nose of vanilla and chocolate, taking a sip, the beer is medium in body with soft woody notes, vanilla, and a soft roasty finish. The flavors are a little more subtle than I recall in the past, especially the bourbon, but the beer is true sipping pleasure. Alcohol content is slightly higher than I have noted from before at 6.9% by volume. Hops are noted as Chinook and Northern Brewer in lieu of Columbus and Northern Brewer. I picked up my current 22 ounce bottle for $9.49 at Target.

Anderson Valley says:

Aged for three months in bourbon barrels, this luxurious stout has a deep ebony hue and a beautiful mahogany head. The woody, vanilla-like notes imparted by the barrels mingle with aromas of fresh baked bread, toffee, and espresso and envelop the rich chocolate and roasted barley flavors with a fine bourbon character.

Using a world class, consistent source of barrelage, allowing our brewers to explore new frontiers in barrel-aged craft beer. Since its introduction, our bourbon barrel partner has maintained a distinctive distillation and aging process that gives it a smooth taste and a lingering flavor. They also use differentiated process whereby the bourbon is distilled at a low proof to seal in its flavors. Very little water is added to the bourbon, resulting in a full-flavored authentic taste similar to what one would get straight out of the barrel.