Barrel Aged

Bell’s Black Note is back. Good luck.

Bell’s Black Note, the brewery’s bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, has made a 2016 return.

Beside’s Hopslam, Bell’s Black Note is one of the brewery’s most sought after beers. The beer blends the best parts of the brewery’s Expedition Stout, with the Continue Reading →

Unknown Brewing 2.5 features bourbon & fruit

Unknown Brewing 2.5 (ish) is the second release in the Charlotte, North Carolina based brewery’s on going Anniversary Series.

Last year, brewery founder Brad Schell realized at one point that he had completely forgotten the brewery’s first birthday. (Owning a burgeoning Continue Reading →

Posted in Bell's Brewing, Don't Miss This

Bell’s Black Note is back. Good luck.

Bell’s Black Note, the brewery’s bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, has made a 2016 return.

Beside’s Hopslam, Bell’s Black Note is one of the brewery’s most sought after beers. The beer blends the best parts of the brewery’s Expedition Stout, with the creamy flavor of Double Cream Stout, plus the added gift of bourbon barrel aging.

The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso and dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel.

Bell’s Black Note is available in 12 ounce bottles. The release is extremely limited. Be nice to your local Bell’s rep.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged)
Availabilty: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Very limited.
Latest Return: Late July, 2016

11.5% ABV

Image: Community Tap

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Wicked Weed Brewing Co

Wicked Weed Silencio breaks free of Canvas Series

Wicked Weed Silencio once a  Canvas Series release last fall, has returned. Check out the hot new artwork.

Wicked Weed Silencio is a sour black ale, aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels with vanilla beans, and Mountain Air Roasting Coffee.

Bottles are now available at the brewery. Limited distribution starts now.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Coffee. Vanilla Beans. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Latest Return: Late July, 2016

7.4% ABV

Image: Wicked Weed Brewing

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Carolina Bauernhaus Ales, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Carolina Bauernhaus Raspberry Petite Sour is the brewery’s 2nd bottle

Carolina Bauernhaus Raspberry Petite Sour is officially the Anderson, South Carolina brewery’s second bottle, following hot on the heels of June Princess.

The base beer in Carolina Bauernhaus Raspberry Petite Sour is the Source Series golden sour ale, blended with a massive amount of red raspberries. The final beer was aged in bourbon barrels for 4 months. The resulting beer is wall to wall raspberries, sour tartness, and bourbon oak.

This unique regional ale draws its acidity from a strain of lactobacillus isolated by SouthYeast labs from opuntia fruit in La France, SC and a blend locally captured native yeasts.

Carolina Bauernhaus Raspberry Petite Sour is available starting today at the brewery in Anderson.

Style: American Sour/Wild Ale (w/ Raspberries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. Brewery only.
Debut: 7/19/16

4.5% ABV

Above: Brewery co-founder, and brewer Keston Helfrich shows off bottles of Raspberry Petite Sour. Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Allagash Brewing, Headlines

Allagash Fluxus 2016 debuts, with gin & ginger

Allagash Fluxus 2016 is ready for the public. The beer’s style changes annually, a commemoration of Allagash selling their first beer in 1995.

This year’s recipe is saison brewed with a plethora of Allagash base malt, including barley, rye, and wheat. After a heathy dosing of Noble hops, and ginger root, the beer was then partially aged in gin barrels. The barrels previously held Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin, made by Caledonia Spirits in Hardwick, Vermont.

The result is a highly aromatic saison with overtones of ginger and botanicals, a hint of vanilla in the flavor, and a vibrant finish.

Allagash Fluxus 2016 is a part of the brewery’s Tribute Series, with the likes of Hugh Malone, Victor and Victoria.

Style: Saison (w/ Ginger. Partial Barrel Aging. Gin.)
Hops: Northern Brewer, Tettnang, Perle
Malts: Allagash 2-row Malted Barley Blend, Malted Rye, Malted Wheat

Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. One-Off.
Debut: July, 2016

8.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing, Headlines

Goose Island Proprietor’s could feature scotch whisky barrels

Goose Island Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout is a variant of the brewery’s widely known barrel-aged series, and may feature new barrel aging in its 2016 release.

In 2015, Goose Island Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout incorporated bourbon barrel-aging, plus maple, toasted pecans and Guajilo peppers. In the 2014 and 2013 releases, the barrels were rye whiskey.

It is important to note, that according to Goose Island the final barrels/blend for Proprietor’s Bourbon County have not been chosen. For now, it seems to be the direction the wind is blowing.

A Scotch whiskey variant is a new spin on this ever-evolving brand extension. Scotch barrels definitely bring a different kind of flavor profile into the mix. Depending on the scotch barrels, the resulting beer could be quite peaty and smoky (Scotch like Lagavulin and Islay). Single malts from producers like Speyside are a lighter, even slightly sweeter flavor.

The Proprietor’s release is designed as gift for the Chicago local and loyal. It’s meant to be a little weird, and fun. Scotch barrels are a new twist.

That is. If Goose Island uses them.

Variants of Proprietors include: 

2014 variant – Made in Rye barrels with Cassia Bark, Cocoa Nibs, Panela and Coconut Water
2013 variant – Rye Whiskey Barrels with Toasted Coconut

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Unknown Brewing Co., New Releases

Unknown Brewing 2.5 features bourbon & fruit

Unknown Brewing 2.5 (ish) is the second release in the Charlotte, North Carolina based brewery’s on going Anniversary Series.

Last year, brewery founder Brad Schell realized at one point that he had completely forgotten the brewery’s first birthday. (Owning a burgeoning brewery will do that.) If you know anything about Schell and well, the whole brewery’s less than normal mentality, then you’ll fully understand his next move. Throw a 1.5 ish birthday party. And… do it again next year.

Unknown Brewing 2.5 is hitting shelves in North Carolina. South Carolina, and Georgia. The beer is a blend of both a Belgian-style red ale, and a Belgian-style golden ale, aged in bourbon barrels with apricots, blackberries, and cherries. Truly a party in a bottle. Last years is pictured on the left in the image above.

Unknown Brewing 2.5 is a limited 22 ounce bottle offering.

Style: Belgian-Style Strong Ale (w/ Blackberries, Apricots, Cherries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Debut: June/July, 2016

9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, Headlines, Terrapin Beer Company

Heavy Seas Partner Ships Rye Wit, a collaboration with Terrapin

Heavy Seas Partner Ships Rye Wit, a collaboration with Athens, Georgia based Terrapin Beer Co. is coming this August.

First off, let me tell you Terrapin’s co-founder and brewmaster “Spike” Bucowski loves brewing with rye. Examples – Terrapin Rye Pale, Terrapin Rye Cubed, even the Terrapin/Left Hand Terra-ryezd from 2009. Don’t be surprised that this new collaboration has rye in it.

Heavy Seas Partner Ships Rye Wit is actually a barrel-aged rye wit, aged in white wine barrels for sixteen weeks. The added wine nuance to this beer is fairly unique for the style.

With aromas of light fruit, spice, and citrus, balanced by a spicy malt backbone, the third installment in the Partner Ships series is sure to delight the senses.

Look for Heavy Seas Partner Ships Rye Wit to hit shelves in August in 22 ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style: Rye Beer/Witbier (Wine Barrel Aged)
Hops: Cascade, Amarillo
Malts: 2-Row, Wheat, Rye, Biscuit

Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft
Debut: August, 2016

6% ABV, 20 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay