Barrel Aged

Posted in The Bruery, New Beers

The Bruery So Happens It’s Tuesday Mole

The Bruery So Happens It’s Tuesday Mole

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Unknown Brewing Co., Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

This “Bright Ass Tank Top” from Unknown Brewing kicks off summer

Unknown Bright Ass Tank Top is back in action as summer kicks up, slamming big flavors together in one canned package.

Key limes may be one of the most popular additions in craft beer these days. Unknown Bright Ass Tank Top has them in the base gose, plus Nicaraguan rum barrels. Brewery founder Brad Schell told Beer Street Journal of his excitement to find such great rum barrels.

“They smell like being drunk on a beach or being a pirate.”- Brad Schell

The base beer is a gose brewed with sea salt and key limes, then aged in the rum barrels for over three months.

The result? A bold beer. There are a few key lime flavored beers running around out there these days. While some just taste a little citrusy, Bright Ass Tank Top doesn’t let you forget what it is. A rum filled gose that is full of key lime juice. You can’t miss a bright as shit tank top walking by you. You won’t forget this beer either.

Unknown Bright Ass Tank Top is available once again in 16-ounce cans and draft by the end of June (in time for July 4th).

Style: Gose (w/ Sea Salt, Key Limes. Barrel Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.

Distribution: NC, SC, GA
Latest Return: Late June 2019

4.1% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Creature Comforts, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Whiskey barrel-aged Creature Comforts Life in Flux debuts in June

Creature Comforts Life in Flux debuts from the brewery’s Wood Cellar in June. 

The Athens, Georgia based brewery has blended an imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels from 1Ams 17 to 25 months. These barrels represent the best barrels at that point in time.

Expect this beer to be an annual release, snapshotting the barrel program at that moment in time.

Creature Comforts Life In Flux will be available in 750-milliliter bottles at the brewery starting June 1st.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited, Brewery only release.
Debut: 6/1/19

13% ABV

Image: Creature Comforts.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Bruery, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Black Forest Cake inspired: The Bruery Geburtstagskranz

German chocolate cake in a can? This is it. The Bruery Geburtstagskranz 2019 is now available.

It’s no secret that The Bruery loves big flavorful beers, and this oddly named release is no different. If our German is even close to correct, Geburtstagskranz means “birthday wreath”. The wreath is typically a decorated wooden circle where candles are lit instead of putting them on the birthday cake.

While that tradition is typically for kids, this beer is definitely for adults. The base beer is an imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla, cacao nibs, and tart cherries. The Bruery describes this release as “rich, with notes of sweet vanilla, chocolate, and tart juicy cherries”.

The Bruery Geburtstagskranz 2019 is available in 16oz cans ($12) and 4-packs ($42) each. Limited release.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans. Cacao Nibs. Tart Cherries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans. Limited Release.
Debut: Early May 2019

9.5% ABV

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

Firestone Walker releases wine barrel-aged ‘Napa Parabola’

Firestone Walker Napa Parabola, a barrel-aged beer/wine cross over release, debuts this week.

Parabola, Firestone Walker’s barrel-aged Russian imperial stout, is quite well-known amongst beer drinkers, first released in 2006. The brewery is situated in Paso Robles, California deep in wine country. The wine culture has had a lot of influence on the brewery, especially in Firestone’s Anniversary blends, and in the recent year-round release, Rosalie.

Eric Ponce, Firestone’s barrel program manager, always thought Parabola would really mesh well with red wine barrels. “It was something that was always in the back of my mind, so when these rare wine barrels became available, I jumped at the opportunity. The winery didn’t want to be named—all I can say is that these barrels held some of the finest wines you’ll find in Napa Valley,” Ponce says.

READ MORE: BARREL AGED BEER

According to the brewery, the result is a beer that marries the French oak flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot barrels with the robust dark fruit, tobacco, and roasted malt flavors of Parabola.

Firestone Walker Napa Parabola starts shipping this week in 12-ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout (Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: Week of May 8th, 2019

11.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Creature Comforts, Coming Soon

Creature Comforts Five Year Anniversary Ale debuts during April party

Creature Comforts Five Year Anniversary Ale will debut during the brewery’s anniversary party in April. 

This strong ale is blended from various ales aged in whiskey barrels from the brewery’s cellar. Creature Comforts notes the average age of the blend is 23 months.

Creature Comforts Five Year Anniversary Ale can only be found in 750-milliliter bottles at the brewery on April 13th.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Brewery only release.
Debut: 4/13/19

12.8% ABV

PIC: Creature Comforts

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Oskar Blues Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Coffee double barrel-aged Oskar Blues JAHVanilla Ten Fidy debuts in April

Ten-Fidy has a pretty epic reputation in craft beer. This April, you are going to see it a whole new way, in the form of Oskar Blues JAHVanilla.

This edition of Ten-Fidy is a blend of bourbon barrel-aged stout and double bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, with HotBox Roasters cold brew coffee and Madagascar vanilla beans. The brewery aged it slightly until the flavors blended well. Last year’s release was not blended with the double-barrel.

“The blending of double-barrel aged FIDY and barrel-aged FIDY this year is pretty special. It adds to the complexity and depth of JAHvanilla. Then we hit it with premium vanilla and cold brew and the beer hulks out with flavor.” Tim Matthews, Head of Brewing Operations

Oskar Blues JAHvanilla Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy Imperial Stout will only available in the brewery’s Longmont, Colorado and Brevard, North Carolina taprooms on April 20th.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Vanilla Beans. Coffee.)
Availability: 19.2 Cans
Debut: 4/20/19

14.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay