Barrel Aged

SweetWater 19, a Belgian golden in wine barrels

2016 marks Atlanta, Georgia’s biggest brewery’s 19th year. To celebrate, meet SweetWater 19 Golden Belgian Style Ale.

Readers of Beer Street Journal will recall that last year’s birthday beer was intended to be a sour ale. However, anyone that knows anything about Continue Reading →

Posted in Coming Soon, Fonta Flora Brewery

Fonta Flora Sal De Gusano joins triple bottle release day

Fonta Flora Sal De Gusano will join two other special releases on January 16th.

While the other two releases – Sun Gold, and Land Trust are lighter offerings, Fonta Flora Sal De Gusano is an imperial stout. The 11.2% alcohol by volume imperial stout has been aged in mezcal barrels with cacao nibs from Asheville, North Carolina’s French Broad Chocolates. Additionally the beer features organic vanilla beans and Outer Banks sea salt.

All three beers release at a special brewery party on January 16th.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Sea Salt. Barrel Aged. Mezcal.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited.

Release: 1/16/16

11.2% ABV

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

Allagash Evora makes a return this weekend

Allagash Evora makes a return to the Allagash lineup on January 9th. The beer has been barrel-aging for the past year.

Allagash Evora starts as a Belgian strong dark ale, aged in stainless steel. It then spends the next year again in Portuguese brandy barrels with Brettanomyces yeast.

Evora is a golden hued ale with aromas of tropical fruit, honey, and spice. Citrus, oak, and earthiness dominate the flavor and give way to hints of bread crust. Malty and robust, this medium bodied beer finishes fruity, dry, and slightly tart.

Allagash Evora is a 12.7 ounce offering. Returning to the tap room on Saturday. Distribution to follow shortly after.

Style: American Wild Ale (Barrel Aged. Brandy.)
Hops: Sorachi Ace, Hallertau, Northern Brewer
Malts: Flaked Oats, Marris Otter

Availability: 12.7 oz Bottles
Release: 1/9/16

9% ABV

Image via Allagash Brewing Company 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Dry Dock Brewing, New Releases

Dry Dock Cascara Imperial Stout launches January 7th

Dry Dock Cascara Imperial Stout releases on January 7, 2016. This release is technically the last offering in there brewery’s 2015 Signature Series lineup.

Dry Dock Cascara Imperial Stout features the dried fruit of coffee berries known as cascara, to the strong stout. The brewery notes the addition adds flavors of leather, dark cherry and tobacco. Additionally, better orange peel is added during the brewing process.

“The notes of the Cascara blend well with the chocolate, vanilla, and marshmallow notes in the Imperial Stout,” says North Dock Head Brewer Alan Simons, who created this Signature Series beer. “In the tradition of a well-balanced cocktail, such as an Old Fashioned, we added some bitter orange peel to brighten the beer a touch. We used more than one pound per barrel of Cascara and a half pound per barrel of bitter orange peel.”

Dry Dock Cascara Imperial Stout will be available in 22 ounce bottles, and draft this month.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Bitter Orange Peel, Cascara. Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Release: 1/7/16

10.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater 19, a Belgian golden in wine barrels

2016 marks Atlanta, Georgia’s biggest brewery’s 19th year. To celebrate, meet SweetWater 19 Golden Belgian Style Ale.

Readers of Beer Street Journal will recall that last year’s birthday beer was intended to be a sour ale. However, anyone that knows anything about wild ales knows that the beer is ready when it’s ready. That sour is still in the barrels.

While not the sour ale that everyone is still clamoring for, SweetWater 19 is a golden Belgian-style ale, aged in both Merlot and Cabernet barrels.

This Golden Belgian Style Ale matured for over a year on brett in Cabernet and Merlot barrels, then was blended with a bright, citrusy hop-forward Belgian style IPA. Four plus two equals seven here, as the finished product is bigger than the sum of its parts. The art of this crafted cuvee is in the hop profile with a Belgian style nose up front, followed by woody undertones and a complex finish. After 19 years we’re still all about brewing great beer, supporting the communities who drink it and having a kick ass time along the way.

Much like the previous releases, SweetWater 19 will be available in 750 milliliter bottles, corked & caged. The brewery has not yet announced this offering.

Style: Belgian-style Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Wine Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. Limited Release
Release: TBA (Typically February/March), 2016

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Two Roads Brewing

Two Road’s Igor’s Dream, brewery only release

Two Road’s Igor’s Dream will be available at the brewery on January 30th. The beer was first brewed in 2012.

Two Road’s Igor’s Dream is a Russian imperial stout, crafted to honor aviation legend Igor Sikorsky. (The Sikorsky Aircraft Company is still making helicopters in the brewery’s hometown of Stratford, Connecticut.) This “Dream” is aged in rye whiskey barrels.

2016 marks the 4th release of Two Road’s Igor’s Dream. 900 bottles of the stout will be sold for $20 dollars each.

Additionally, Igor’s Dream aged in a Maple Whiskey barrel from Saxton River Distillery in Vermont and Igor’s Dream aged in a Scotch barrel will be available. $25 dollars each, 250 bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Rye Whiskey)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged. 900 Available
Release: 1/30/16

10.9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Breckenridge Brewing, New Beers

Breckenridge Tequila Barrel Aged Ophelia

Breckenridge Tequila Barrel Aged Ophelia

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Lakes Brewing Company, New Beers

Great Lakes Barrel Aged Blackout Stout

Great Lakes Barrel Aged Blackout Stout

by Reid Ramsay