Barrel Aged

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba debuts

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba, a barrel-aged edition of the brewery’s pumpkin beer, has hit shelves.

The imperial pumpkin ale boasts chilies, cacao nibs, and spices, back for a second year in 2016. Somewhere in the mix, Wicked Weed split off Continue Reading →

Posted in The Lost Abbey, Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

Lost Abbey My Black Parade returns nationally

Lost Abbey My Black Parade, a Mexican chocolate laden strong ale, is back in the brewery’s lineup.

Lost Abbey My Black Parade is a strong ale, brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon, cardamon, smoked chilies and of course bourbon oak. The label tells the story of unrequited love remembers on Dia De Los Muertos, where people make a pilgrimage to an unmarked grave. Hoping their true love shows up.

Pouring darker than a moonless night, My Black Parade begins with a deep bouquet of rich chocolate and layered hints of cinnamon and oak. Huge flavors of cocoa on the palate with notes of vanilla, bourbon, and tobacco, finishing with crisp bite from the smoked chili’s and cardamom.

Lost Abbey My Black Parade is a 375 milliliter bottel release in 2016. Distribution starts in mid-October, 2016.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Chilies, Cardamom, Cinnamon. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 375ml Bottles

Latest Return: Mid-October, 2016

12.5% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Deschutes Brewing, Headlines

Deschutes and Hair of the Dog team up again in Collage 2

Hair of the Dog finds themselves in the collaborative spirit since again in Deschutes Collage 2.

The first edition – Collage #1, debuted in May of 2012. The result of the two pacific northwest powerhouse breweries was incredible. Hair of the Dog blended their Fred and Adam beers, while Deschutes contributed Stoic and The Dissident. So much character packed in a 12 ounce bottle.

The brewing world will soon see the second in the series, another 100% barrel-aged ale. This second edition blends Deschutes The Abyss (100% aged in Pinot Noir barrels) and The Stoic (100% Pinot Noir Barrel-Aged) and Hair of the Dog Fred (aged in American oak and rye whiskey barrels) and Doggie Claws (100% aged in cognac barrels).

Deschutes Brewery and Hair of the Dog Brewing Company bring you another artistic collage of cask-aging alchemy. This encore collaboration delivers notes of vanilla, caramel and molasses with roasted accents and complex malt character.

Deschutes Collage #2 will be a 22 ounce bottle release in October in very, very limited quantities.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged)
Availability: 22oz Bottles.
Debut: October, 2016

14.3% ABV, 19 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

One of the best variants: New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai returns

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai returns to shelves once again in October, 2016. Part of the Dragon’s Milk Reserve Series.

The Michigan based brewery started releasing variants of their wildly popular year-round imperial stout in 2015. Editions include Raspberries, Chocolate & Coffee, & Toasted Chilies. One of the best they’ve ever done?  New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai.

Chai is the imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for three months, with vanilla chai spice. We throw the term “boozy dessert” around frequently here. You will find it in this variant of Dragon’s Milk. The beer is layered in creamy chocolate, with vanilla from both the bourbon and vanilla chai. Clay Cooper, the brewery’s national sales director, mentions mixing with New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, saying: “It’s pretty damn delish.”

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai can be found again in 12 ounce bottles starting in October, 2016.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Chai Spice. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Hops: Glacier, Nugget
Malts: 2 Row, Munich, Caramel, Crystal, Black, Chocolate, Flaked Barley

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal release
Latest Return: October 2016

11% ABV, 31 IBUs

Image: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Short's Brewing, New Releases

Short’s Tequila Sauna debuts in “Private Stache” Series

Short’s Tequila Sauna debuted Friday, September 23rd – a golden sour ale.

As the name suggests, Short’s Tequila Sauna is aged in tequila barrels. Addtionally, the beer was fermented with orange and pomegrantes,

This beer has a dark gold hue and a big nose of tequila, oak, and wisps of tangy fruit. Tequila and oak flavors are present at first sip followed by a mouth coating acidity. Mild flavors of pomegranate and orange peak through before a dry and slightly funky finish.

Short’s Tequila Sauna is part of Short’s Private Stache Series, originally launched in 2015. The pub-only releases are experimental, barrel-aged, sour, or really anything the brewers can dream up. Available in bottles exclusively at the Bellaire Pub.

Style: American Sour/Wild Ale (w/ Pomegranate, Oranges. Barrel Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Debut: 9/23/16

6.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Carolina Bauernhaus Ales, New Releases

Carolina Bauernhaus 18 Mile Red Plum debuts September 30th

Carolina Bauernhaus 18 Mile Red Plum debuts in bottles on September 30th. The Anderson, South Carolina based brewery just started bottling in June.

Purple plums highlight Carolina Bauernhaus 18 Mile Red Plum, a Belgian-style sour red ale. The base beer was brewed with North Carolina Wrens Abruzzi rye malt, and fermented in southeastern region wine barrels. The sour acidity is thanks to Lactobacillus that was isolated from opuntia fruit by SouthYeast Labs.

The Brettanomyces was captured from Clemson University’s Musser Experimental Fruit Research Farm. The final beer was aged for four months in wine barrels before spending another 3 months on the plums,

This is our 18 Mile Red sour ale aged on plums for three months. This rustic refined ale was fermented in regional wine barrels and aged for four months before blending in plums. The bright acidity of this beer is created using a strain of native lacto isolated by SouthYeast labs. The initial bite of this red ale is balanced by jammy plum notes and a vinious oak barrel character.

Carolina Bauernhaus 18 Mile Red Plum will be available in 750 milliliter bottles at the brewery in Anderson on September 30th.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (w/ Plums. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. Brewery only.
Debut: 9/30/16

7.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Don't Miss This

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba debuts

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba, a barrel-aged edition of the brewery’s pumpkin beer, has hit shelves.

The imperial pumpkin ale boasts chilies, cacao nibs, and spices, back for a second year in 2016. Somewhere in the mix, Wicked Weed split off some into bourbon barrels. Check out the narrative below –

We meant to create something civilized. Honestly, we did. Under midnight skies, we imbued him with the velvety darkness of the cacao, the smoldering fire of chilies, the power of pumpkin, and the nuance of spices. However, our combination created an other-worldly beast, one whose intensity we could only hope to contain. We fearfully crammed him into our bourbon oak chambers. We heard him scream throughout the nights, and lay awake in terror as the barrels creaked. One moonlit night, our worst fears were realized, Xibalba burst forth, his power and strength surging beyond imagination. We fled in horror as he ransacked the temple, the subtle sent of bourbon ad spiced laying a civilized backdrop to the utter carnage.

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba (aka she-bahl-ba) hits shelves this week in 12.7 ounce bottles.

Style: Pumpkin Ale (w/ Cacao Nibs, Chilies, Spices. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)

Availability: 16.9oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal
Debut: Mid-September, 2016

9.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Lost Abbey, Headlines, New Releases

Lost Abbey Madonna and Child, a tequila barrel sour

Lost Abbey Madonna and Child, a new tequila barrel-aged sour, debuts this Friday in San Marcos, California.

A tequila sour is a first for Lost Abbey. Two years ago, the brewery released Agave Maria, a strong ale brewed with agave nectar and aged in Anejo and Reposado barrels for 10 months.

Lost Abbey Madonna and Child is brewed with lime and salt – pairing with well with the tequila notes from the barrel.

We started with a great base beer and aged it in tequila barrels, added some lime and a bit of salt for some true baja flavors. The result has us rethinking which one of our “children” we truly love the most. Lucky for Madonna, she only had one amazing child to care for.

The 375 milliliter bottles debut on September 23rd at the brewery, with distribution to begin the following Monday.

Style: American Sour/Wild Ale (w/ Lime, Salt. Barrel Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: 375ml Bottles
Debut: 9/23/16

?? ABV

Image: Lost Abbey

by Reid Ramsay