Barrel Aged

Posted in Oskar Blues Brewing, Seasonal Return

Oskar Blues Java Ten Fidy returns again for one day only

Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy is hitting shelves nationally again this month. An even rarer edition of the imperial stout will also return – Oskar Blues Java Ten Fidy.

By now you should be familiar with Oskar Blues Ten Fidy, one of the most well-known imperial stouts in the business. The barrel-aged edition has proven to be an instant hit, and not easy to find. This month a Java Ten Fidy will return to both of the brewery’s taprooms for one day only.

Ten Fidy has been aged in a blend of bourbon barrels for nearly a year before a finishing flourish of Hotbox Roasters coffee being added. That’s the same coffee found in the brewery’s Hotbox Porter, and Hotbox IPA.

There is a downside, however. Unlike the national availability of BA Fidy, Java Ten Fidy will only be available at Oskar Blues in Brevard on November 11th, 2017. Numbered wristbands will be handed out starting at 9:30 am, with sales commencing at 10 am.

No distribution.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Barrel-Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 19.2oz Cans. Tap Room Release.
Debut: 11/4/16
Latest Return: 11/11/17

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Mother's Brewing Company

Mother’s Brewing Brandy Barrel MILF

Mother’s Brewing Brandy Barrel MILF

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Evil Twin Brewing, Headlines, New Releases, Westbrook Brewing Co

Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break debuts

Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break debuts as October comes to a close.

What started with two highly sought after beers: Evil Twin Biscotti Break and Westbrook Brewing’s Mexican Cake Imperial Stout. Since Evil Twin was gypsy brewing until Westbrook’s roof, the brewery’s opted to combine the two beers into one beast of a beer – Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break. The result was dark, bold and complex.

Now some barrel-aged variants will be available to fans – Double Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break, aged in Marsala wine and bourbon barrels, and Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break.

The latter uses the base mash-up, an imperial stout brewed with coffee, cinnamon, almonds, cocoa nibs, vanilla and habanero peppers, aged in maple bourbon barrels. A mouthful? Yes. Sound delicious? Of course.

Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break will be available in 22-ounce wax top bottles for the first time in the last week of October.

Style: Imperial Stout (Coffee, Cinnamon, Almonds, Cocoa Nibs, Habanero Peppers. Barrel Aged. Maple Syrup Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: Late October 2017

10.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

SweetWater has bottled their coffee bourbon barrel-aged stout as ‘Sinners Son’

Coffee and bourbon barrel-aging meet in SweetWater Sinners Son, a release that truly needs to be on your radar.

The road to this release began with SweetWater Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. After years of working on the barrel-aged stout, it was finally released in 2015.

RELATED: SweetWater Cherry Pit & The Pendulum debuts soon

Earlier this year, SweetWater opened a new extension to the brewery designed just for wild ales and barrel-aged beers dubbed The Woodlands. Ever so casually, the brewery introduced a coffee infused edition of the bourbon imperial stout on draft in the expansion. The result? Absolutely incredible.

The blend of vanilla oak, freshly roasted coffee, and a touch of bitter chocolate makes SweetWater Sinners Son one of the best barrel-aged coffee stouts we’ve ever tried. It was finally bottled under its new name.

Sinner’s Son is ripe with age, driven to the cellar for months to mature in bourbon barrels. Just prior to bottling, a fresh blend of coffee and espresso beans from the JavaVino farm was introduced to harmonize with roasted malts and bring balance to its complex barrel aged soul. This imperial stout is decadent at 12.4% ABV with rich chocolate and vanilla notes, a velvety mouthfeel, and hints of oak.

SweetWater Sinners Son was blended in late-September and bottled this week.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Lactose.)
Hops: Columbus
Malt: 2 Row, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats, Crystal, Victory

Availability: 500ml Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Halloween Weekend 2017

12.4% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Carolina Bauernhaus Ales, Seasonal Return

Carolina Bauernhaus July Prince, with South Carolina peaches

Carolina Bauernhaus July Prince returns to the Anderson, South Carolina taproom for a second time on October 19th.

A follow up to the first bottle release in June – June Princess, Carolina Bauernhaus July Prince is an American wild ale fermented with peaches.

The base beer is the brewery’s golden rye ale, femented in Chardonnay barrels with SouthYeast Labs strong ale yeast for seven months. Then the brewery added 200 pounds of peaches and aged it another two months. Finally, July Prince was dry-hopped With Hull Melon and Aramis hops.

The finished beer has a subtle acidity, juicy peach notes, and a light hop note balanced by a dry oak barrel character.

Carolina Bauernhaus July Prince is a 750-milliliter bottle offering. Limited distribution to local area and Atlanta.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Peaches. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Hops: Hull Melon, Aramis
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft.
Debut: 10/29/16

Latest Return: 10/19/17

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Don't Miss This

A new Trip in the Woods: Sierra Nevada Cocoa Coconut Narwhal

Sierra Nevada Cocoa Coconut Narwhal has joined the brewery’s ‘Trip in the Woods’ Series.

Giving fans a chance to see some of Sierra Nevada’s core brands in a new light is key to the ‘Trip in the Woods’ series. The family line has already seen releases like Barrel-Aged Narwhal Imperial Stout with currants, and Ginger Bigfoot (barleywine with ginger root). It’s Narwhal Imperial Stout season once again and along with it, comes a new dessert-inspired offering.

Sierra Nevada Cocoa Coconut Narwhal is on it’s way to shelves around the U.S. and is already proving that chocolate and coconuts really take beer to the next level.

Cocoa Coconut Narwhal uses Sierra Nevada’s popular imperial stout base brewed with toasted coconut and aged in for over a year in bourbon barrels with more toasted coconut and cocoa nibs. Whether you drink it alone, or with your favorite dessert is up to you.

This very special version of our Narwhal Imperial Stout was brewed with toasted coconut and then left to mature in Kentucky Groupon barrels for nearly a year. To the barrels, we added additional coconut and cocoa nibs to create a uniquely rich and decadent stout.

Sierra Nevada Cocoa Coconut Narwhal is available in 25.4-ounce bottles for a limited time.

Style:Imperial Stout (w/ Coconut. Cocoa Nibs. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 25.4oz Bottles

Debut: Late-September 2017

11.8% ABV

Ed Note it looks like this release debuted in early September. Not every market has received this yet.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Birdsong Brewing Co.

Birdsong Weasels on Woodpeckers joins the brewery’s “Take Flight” Series

Birdsong Weasels on Woodpeckers, a new barrel-aged beer debuts on September 28th.

The Charlotte, North Carolina brewery brewed at Belgian-style saison, added fresh peaches and aged it in white wine barrels. Weasels on Woodpeckers joins the brewery’s on-going “Take Flight” Series, home to other releases – Turtles on Pterodactyls, Squirrels on Geese and Mongeese on Monkeys.

The Belgian yeast is complimented with upfront aromas of Chardonnay oakiness and finishes with a slightly tart, slightly sweet peach finish! Kind of tastes like a peach bellini. Who doesn’t like those?

Birdsong Weasels on Woodpeckers will be available when the brewery opens on September 28th, in 22-ounce bottles. $10 each.

Style: Saison (w/ Peaches. White Wine Barrel Aged)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: 9/28/17

7.8% ABV

Image: Bird Song Brewing

by Reid Ramsay