Night Warden by Avery Brewing Co. is a whiskey barrel-aged Stout and is being evaluated as a Specialty Wood-Aged Beer (category 33B from the 2015 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines). Specialty Wood-Aged Beers are aged in spirit barrels and should have a harmonious blend between the barrel characters (typically vanilla and toasted oak) and the barrel spirits. Night Warden measures in at 8.2% ABV.

Night Warden pours black in color, is opaque and sports a big brown head. The aroma is moderate roasted and chocolate malt with lighter toasted oak, vanilla and whiskey. The body is medium (almost medium-full) and has a high level of creaminess. The flavor is of moderate chocolate and roasted malts with slightly lighter toasted oak, vanilla and whiskey. The beer finishes moderately bitter and fairly dry with light lingering roasty malt flavors, toasted oak and whiskey.

Night Warden is a very good whiskey barrel-aged stout. Night Warden does not have aggressive flavors like many barrel-aged imperial stouts. Regardless, it is a well-brewed whiskey barrel-aged stout.