Barrel Aged

The Bruery Arbe Released to Society Members

The Bruery Arbe is an Society Member exclusive release imperial stout.

Designed to explore the flavor profiles of barrel toast, The Arbe Series is aged in light toast (light char) barrels from Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. You’ll find the flavor profile Continue Reading →

Posted in New Releases, The Bruery

The Bruery Arbe Released to Society Members

The Bruery Arbe is an Society Member exclusive release imperial stout.

Designed to explore the flavor profiles of barrel toast, The Arbe Series is aged in light toast (light char) barrels from Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. You’ll find the flavor profile below.

The Arbre series is an exploration of barrel toast. We brewed a rich, malty imperial stout and divided it into three parts, laying each down in brand new American oak barrels from our friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. This variation of Arbre spent time resting in lightly toasted barrels and reveals notes of oak as well as raisins and just a hint of smoke. A remarkable beer on its own, but even more exciting when tasted side-by-side with its medium toast and dark char counterparts for a truly educational experience.

The Bruery Arbe is available starting this week to The Bruery Society members. No distribution.

Style: Imperial Stout (Oak Barrel Aged)
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Release: 8/5/15

11.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing, Headlines

Preview: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout will join the brewery’s coveted Bourbon County Brand this fall.

Before even breaking into what the beer is, you’ll notice new the packaging for the line for 2015. The bottles are embossed with the Bourbon County Brand logo, with the top featuring a “flag” with the beer description.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout 2015 is aged in rye whiskey barrels with blackberries, Luxardo candied cherries, fresh sour cherries, and sea salt.

Developed by the team of Goose Island brewers, this year’s recipe was especially collaborative. The brewers submitted recipes, held a roundtable discussion dissecting each and in the end landed on Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout 2015 will be available nationwide, in 16.9 ounce bottles on Black Friday, November 27th.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cherries, Blackberries, Sea Salt. Barrel Aged. Rye Whiskey.)
Availability: 16.9oz Bottles
Release: 11/27/15

??? ABV

Image: Goose Island Beer Company

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, Stone Brewing Co.

Stone Double Bastard in the Rye, a Southern Charred Relative

Stone Double Bastard in the Rye looks to join the brewery’s 500ml series in the near future. Stone Bastard in the Rye has previously been bottled.

Stone Double Bastard in the Rye is aged Templeton Rye Whiskey barrels, from the distillery in Templeton, Iowa.

Much like the lacerative muther of a beer that is Double Bastard Ale, rye whiskey is not for everyone. Not remotely. Most are not emotionally or otherwise equipped to appreciate its unbridled intensity. So to sequester Double Bastard Ale in rye whiskey barrels is to conceive an experience that no doubt will be treasured by only a select few. It takes a special breed of exceptional depth to thrive under such demanding conditions and emerge with such stunning vibrency. Something this sublime should never be squandered, however. Those plagued by even a smidge of self-doubt should look elsewhere. This rare treasure is strictly for those possessing the capacity to appreciate what many just like me.

Stone Double Bastard in the Rye is touted as a close relative of Stone Southern Charred, which is Stone Double Bastard aged for 5 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels. The brewery mentions this release has more spice and vanilla from the barrel.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Rye Whiskey.)
Availability: 500ml Bottles.
Release: TBA

14% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Abita Brewing, New Beers

Abita Bourbon Street Coffee Stout

Abita Bourbon Street Coffee Stout

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Stone Brewing Co.

Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo Released in Quingenti Series

Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA) released a collaboration – Xocoveza Mocha Stout last year. The beer was a creation of home brewer Chris Banker, who brewed with not only the Stone team, but Cerveceria Insurgente from Mexico.

Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo will grace the brewery’s coveted Quingente Millilitre Series, a souped-up version of the original release. In addition to the cocoa, coffee, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg that was added to Xocoveza Mocha Stout, Stone has aged this edition in both red wine barrels and tequila barrels.

The base beer is the recipe of 2014 Stone Homebrew Competition winner Chris Banker, an intensely flavorful milk stout brewed with coffee and spices to mimic the rich flavors of Mexican hot chocolate.

Stone Xocoveza Extra Anejo will be available in 500ml bottles in very limited quantities. No distribution. Bottles were released at Stone World Bistor today.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Coffee, Chocolate, Chilies, Lactose. Barrel Aged. Tequila. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 500ml bottles
Arrival: Late July, 2015

12.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Almanac Beer Co., Seasonal Return

Almanac Farmer’s Reserve Citrus Returns (New Recipe)

Almanac Farmer’s Reserve Citrus has made a return to shelves. The sour ale’s recipe has been tweaked for its 2015 summer release.

The base beer is a sour blonde ale aged in wine barrels, nuanced by Buddha’s Hand citrons, plus yuzu and blood oranges from San Francisco’s Hamada Farms.

Hand-chopped and zested fruit was added to the beer, which has been allowed to barrel age since the winter citrus harvest, creating a refreshing sour ale that highlights the natural tartness of fresh citrus.

Almanac Farmer’s Reserve Citrus is available in 375 milliliter bottles.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (w/ Buddha’s Hand, Yuzu Fruit, Blood Orange. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 375ml Bottles
Return: July, 2015

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines, New Releases, Videos, Wild Heaven Craft Beers

Inside Wild Heaven’s First Bottled Sour, Dionysus [VIDEO]

Wild Heaven Craft Beers (Decatur, GA) has just released Dionysus, their first bottled sour offering/second barrel aged offering.

Wild Heaven Dionysus is actually a blend of six different beers, as head brewmaster Eric Johnson explains in the video above.

Instead of being one sour beer, Johnson created six, carefully soured and chosen to be Wild Heaven Dionysus. The base is Eschaton an oaked Belgian-style quadrupel. Three other beers, fermented with three different strains, aged in Bordeaux barrels, were then blended into the base. Tack on two more sour, barrel aged offerings and this cuvee is born.

Wild Heaven Dionysus is available in now in Georgia in 750 milliliter bottles. It follows Civilization, a tequila barrel-aged barleywine.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (Barrel Aged. Tequila. Wine Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited Release.
Release: July, 2015

10.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay