Wait what? How did I get a bottle of Prairie Pirate Bomb in Georgia? To be sure, beers from Prairie Artisan Ales have ben sold in the Peach State for some time. There’s just one thing, though. Georgia caps the alcohol content of beer that can legally be sold here at 14% by volume. Pirate Bomb is just over that at 15%. Shhhh. I won’t tell if you don’t!

Prairie Pirate Bomb is, as the brewery says, an “Imperial Stout Aged in Rum Barrels with Coffee, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans and Chilies Added”. This is pretty much the standard Prairie Bomb (if a little stronger) aged in rum barrels. It’s not an inexpensive beer, and I paid $11.99 for a single bottle at Greene’s in Atlanta.

Prairie Pirate Bomb pours to a jet-black color with a thin creamy tan head and a rich coffee grind nose with hints of dark chocolate and rum. Taking a sip, the beer is full and rich in body with a thick oily mouthfeel. Dark chocolate and coffee grinds abound, peppered with, well, a bit of spicy chili peppers. The rum notes are subtle, but there, though drowned out by the notes of the more robust ingredients. The vanilla is somewhat absent, but the beer finishes big and boozy in the finish.

I was troubled that the rum notes here are so subtle and somewhat occluded by the bold coffee and cocoa, but it's there most notably in the nose. The pepper dances across the tongue and the finish is super boozy. Overall, the beer is quite delicious, overall a possible five-star effort (what I give the standard Prairie Bomb). I’m knocking off a star for the death of rum, and another for the high price. This is the weakest link in the Prairie Bomb chain so far, but don’t panic. I drank a Birthday Bomb shortly after and my faith in Prairie was restored.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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