Listen, I’ll bet you haven’t given a single thought to New Year’s Eve. 

I don’t blame ya. It’s still, like, two months away and we haven’t even stuffed our faces full of turkey yet, let alone started to make glamorous plans to ring in the new year. 

And if you’re like me, you’d much rather spend the night at home drinking good beer than crowded into a sweaty bar with hundreds of other party-goers. So, why not do just that?

This year, nix the packed bars and fancy dress-up parties and spend your evening diving into a vertical tasting of four boozy, celebration-worthy vintages of Heathen Brewing’s award-winning BBA Epitaph Russian Imperial Stout.

Why these bottles, you ask? 

Well, four years of hard work and dedication went into crafting today’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged selection. From hunting and collecting the top-shelf barrels to slumbering the beer for an undisclosed amount of time until it reached peak bourbony goodness. 

While every Epitaph bottle is steeped in rich, thick, and decadent flavors, each vintage is uniquely complex in its own way. That’s the kind of impeccable skill and expertise worth celebrating. 

And it’s exactly what earned Heathen their first-ever Silver Medal at the Washington Beer Awards. 

Better yet — invite over your buddies and put their Dark Beer-lovin’ palates to the test! Lay out your most sophisticated table cloth, your classiest glasses, and see who’s packin’ the most experienced tastebuds. 

Make sure you’ve got plenty of NYE worthy snacks, though. These massive Stouts come loaded with dizzying ABVs — nothing like getting blasted on the 3rd taster to really bring the evening down. 

Here’s what ya’ get:

2015 BBA Epitaph - 14% ABV

With a hefty, behemoth of an ABV disguised by waves of roasted espresso and vanilla-laced bourbon, it’s no surprise this bottle earns a stellar 4.16 score on Untappd.

Three-years of barrel aging imparts deep notes of charred wood and dark chocolate that swirl around blasts of toffee, whiskey spice, and oaky vanilla. The toasted barrels add deep, nuanced complexity and impart notes of worn leather and earthy tobacco that are practically undetectable in the other vintages. 

*Rated 4.16 on Untappd

2016 BBA Epitaph - 14% ABV

This 4.09 UT rated sipper began its life drenched in waves of silky ganache and dark roast coffee. But after one year of barrel-aging and 3 years in the cellar, it’s only gotten darker, and more complex.

Big waves of bourbon crash onto a cocoa-soaked palate, leaving hints of toffee and black licorice in their wake. Layers of silky, oaky vanilla and woody spice swirl around each other, giving way to hints of chocolate-coated dates and chewy caramel. 

*Rated 4.09 on Untappd

2017 BBA Epitaph - 12% ABV

One sip of this vintage — aged for over a year in wet bourbon barrels and brimming with notes of bittersweet cocoa and whiskey-soaked dark fruit — and I’ll bet you and your buddies will agree it’s every bit deserving of its stunning 4.20 Untappd rating.

Silky caramel and dark artisanal chocolate dance around the tastebuds while hints of orange spice and rich anise are sprinkled within the bold, roasty profile. A touch of charred wood and whiskey heat brings balance to the indulgent, cherry-cordial like flavors.

*Rated 4.20 on Untappd

2018 BBA Epitaph - 12% ABV

I’ve been waiting a long time to dive pull this 4.12 UT rated variant out of my cellar. And now that I can finally — finally — indulge in its spiked Americano-like flavors, I’d say it was definitely worth the wait.

Big layers of bourbon and spiced vanilla wash over notes of toasted oak and rich, chocolate ganache, giving way to blasts of caramelly whiskey and booze-soaked plums. Brown sugar and more bourbon appear amid waves of freshly pulled espresso before an oaky softness takes over. 

*Rated 4.12 on Untappd

Tavour strictly supports independent beer. Heathen Brewing is certified independent by the Brewers Association