Bourbon

Posted in Lexington Brewing and Distilling, New Releases

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale cans: “Hand sized barrels”

Lexington Brewing & Distilling’s Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, the the brewery’s signature beer in a lineup of barrel-aged beer, is now available in cans.

Subtitled “The beer of Bourbon Country” Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale was launched in 2006. The strong ale base is aged at least six weeks in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. The brewery knows what they are doing with bourbon, as they also own their own distillery.

It wasn’t long before the popularity of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale spawned various spinoff releases, like Pumpkin Barrel Ale (on shelves for the 2016 season now).

What you’ll taste. Honestly, we’ve always considered Barrel Ale to be America’s edition of a popular import – Innis & Gunn Original. In a way they similar. The beer is heavy on bourbon and vanilla, but still light on the palate. This beer needed to be in cans a long time ago.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale cans are now shipping in 12 ounce cans/ 6 packs across the brewery’s distribution network.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. 12oz Cans (Soon)
Debut (Cans): Late October/November, 2016

8.2% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, New Releases

Sierra Nevada Ginger Bigfoot, reminiscent of a cocktail

Sierra Nevada Ginger Bigfoot, part of the brewery’s Trip in the Woods Series, is hitting shelves nationwide.

As the year winds down Sierra Nevada’s famous barleywine, Bigfoot, hits shelves. Until recently, variants of that beer were rare one-off kegs, or bottles found only at the brewery’s taprooms in California and North Carolina. Now you have a chance to buy your own Sierra Nevada Ginger Bigfoot.

This edition features a bourbon barrel-aged barleywine, with added fresh ginger. The ginger gives this strong ale a bright, zesty character.

This is a special version of our barrel-aged Bigfoot Barleywine Ale with fresh ginger added into the barrels. The resulting kick of ginger mellows Bigfoot’s ferocious hop bite and adds a new level of brightness and complexity. The beer features notes of burnt sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and candied ginger.

Taste: A whiskey ginger cocktail comes to mind. Fans of ginger root will be quite happy with this beer. Sierra Nevada understands the symbiotic nature of base beer to flavors picked up in the barrels. Both flavors are very much intact, accentuated with the bright ginger flavors.

Sierra Nevada Ginger Bigfoot is a 750 milliliter bottle release.

Style: Barleywine (w/ Ginger. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged.
Debut: November, 2016

12.6% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Headlines

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal goes national

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal is hitting shelves nationally.

Variants of this type are typically only found at Sierra Nevada’s taprooms. This time, you are in luck. Narwhal, the brewery’s imperial stout has been spending some time in bourbon barrels with red and black currants – both types of gooseberries. Red currants are a bit like muscadine grapes in flavor. Black – a bit like concentrated blackberries.

We age this rich, chocolatey Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels with a mix of both red currants and black currants for a pop of sweet and tart flavor. The deep, rich notes of the stout blend well with the berries in barrels to create complex flavors of coca and coconut with a mellow fruit undertone.

The base, which is barrel-aged Narwahl, is a big, boozy imperial stout. The berries muted the boozy aspects of this beer a bit. While we can’t say we are experts on red vs. black currants, this beer seems to be very black currant heavy. The mix of berries, chocolate and bourbon, turn this beer into a something of a cocktail, or dessert. You be the judge.

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal is avaialbe in limited quantities in 750 milliliter bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Red Currants, Black Currants. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. )
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged. D
Debut: November, 2016

9.8% ABV

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

Wicked Weed Dark Age, a 12% monster rears its head again

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a big barrel-aged offering from the Asheville, North Carolina brewery. Early 2016 saw the first bottles for this monster, and incidentally, this beer geek pleasing stout was one of the first beers released at WIcked’s downtown brewpub.

There have been a lot of wild and funky beers hitting the market from Wicked Weed lately. This release is a bit of a break from the funk. Dark Age is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. It’s big – 12.7% alcohol by volume.

Humanity’s path out of the Dark Age is one without end. This path carries us away from the mystical to the measurable, from the magical to the mathematical, and is a meticulous tale of progress from madness to method. Yet, we still find wonder in the Magic, and the extraordinary potential in the Mystery. Out of this yearning for the old ways, Dark Age Imperial Stout emerges from the whisky barrel, it’s dark malt complexity and bold, yet balanced, sweetness, softened by its mystical evolution in oak.

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a 12.7 ounce bottle offering. Hitting shelves across the brewery’s entire market now.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Latest Return: November, 2016

12.7% ABV

Image via Wicked Weed

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing, Don't Miss This

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s early? Join this lottery

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s 2016 will be available to a select few a week early this year. All you have to do is win the lottery.

Next month marks the return of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout nationally, hitting taps and shelves on while everyone shops on the infamous Black Friday. Those located in Chicago get an extra treat – Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s. Available in Chi-town on one day only.

Beginning October 18th and running through Tuesday, October 25th, Goose Island will run a lottery. Winners selected by the system will get two tickets for the Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s release. Each ticket will allow the guest to purchase 1 bottle of Proprietor’s, as well as select Bourbon County vintages, as well as attend the celebration in the Barrel Warehouse. You can entry the lottery once per day.

About this year’s Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s.

This year’s edition will not feature scotch whisky barrels. The brewery has whisky barrels, but opted to go the traditional bourbon route for 2016. BCBS “Prop” features the imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels that previously aged maple syrup, along with chipotle peppers and cocoa nibs.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s is only available on Black Friday in Chicago.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chipotle Peppers, Cocoa Nibs, Maple Syrup. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16.9oz Bottles. Limited.
Debut: Black Friday, 2016

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Don't Miss This, NoDa Brewing

NoDa Monstro is back after two years, now in cans

NoDa Monstro, the Charlotte, North Carolina’s barrel-aged imperial stout, will return once again. This time in cans.

The first release of NoDa Monstro was in 2014. The stout was aged in Pappy van Winkle barrels. In 2016, the barrel of choice is Heaven Hill.

Neptune said to the sea these should be a terrible Monstro, born from its deepest depths. It should be stout with the strength of a whale. this is that beer… of toasted barley mass, rounded out by the vanillas, molasses and oak of bourbon barrel aging. Enjoy the deep.

NoDa Monstro will be available at a special tap room release on October 23rd at the brewery in Charlotte in 16 ounce cans. The brewery is deciding on limits and price at the time of this article.

Style: Imperial Stout. (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans
Latest Return: 10/23/16

11.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
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