Bourbon

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba debuts

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba, a barrel-aged edition of the brewery’s pumpkin beer, has hit shelves.

The imperial pumpkin ale boasts chilies, cacao nibs, and spices, back for a second year in 2016. Somewhere in the mix, Wicked Weed split off Continue Reading →

Heavy Seas Great’er Pumpkin is ready for 2016

Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin, joined the Uncharted Waters Series in 2013. Before that, it was a part of the Mutiny Fleet. Each release in the series will feature some form of wood/barrel aging.

Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin, the brewery’s pumpkin beer aged Continue Reading →

Posted in New Holland Brewing, Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

One of the best variants: New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai returns

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai returns to shelves once again in October, 2016. Part of the Dragon’s Milk Reserve Series.

The Michigan based brewery started releasing variants of their wildly popular year-round imperial stout in 2015. Editions include Raspberries, Chocolate & Coffee, & Toasted Chilies. One of the best they’ve ever done?  New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai.

Chai is the imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for three months, with vanilla chai spice. We throw the term “boozy dessert” around frequently here. You will find it in this variant of Dragon’s Milk. The beer is layered in creamy chocolate, with vanilla from both the bourbon and vanilla chai. Clay Cooper, the brewery’s national sales director, mentions mixing with New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, saying: “It’s pretty damn delish.”

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Vanilla Chai can be found again in 12 ounce bottles starting in October, 2016.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Chai Spice. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Hops: Glacier, Nugget
Malts: 2 Row, Munich, Caramel, Crystal, Black, Chocolate, Flaked Barley

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal release
Latest Return: October 2016

11% ABV, 31 IBUs

Image: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Don't Miss This

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba debuts

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba, a barrel-aged edition of the brewery’s pumpkin beer, has hit shelves.

The imperial pumpkin ale boasts chilies, cacao nibs, and spices, back for a second year in 2016. Somewhere in the mix, Wicked Weed split off some into bourbon barrels. Check out the narrative below –

We meant to create something civilized. Honestly, we did. Under midnight skies, we imbued him with the velvety darkness of the cacao, the smoldering fire of chilies, the power of pumpkin, and the nuance of spices. However, our combination created an other-worldly beast, one whose intensity we could only hope to contain. We fearfully crammed him into our bourbon oak chambers. We heard him scream throughout the nights, and lay awake in terror as the barrels creaked. One moonlit night, our worst fears were realized, Xibalba burst forth, his power and strength surging beyond imagination. We fled in horror as he ransacked the temple, the subtle sent of bourbon ad spiced laying a civilized backdrop to the utter carnage.

Wicked Weed Barrel Aged Xibalba (aka she-bahl-ba) hits shelves this week in 12.7 ounce bottles.

Style: Pumpkin Ale (w/ Cacao Nibs, Chilies, Spices. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)

Availability: 16.9oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal
Debut: Mid-September, 2016

9.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Carolina Bauernhaus Ales, New Releases

Carolina Bauernhaus Feral Barrel Blackberry debuts September 16th

Carolina Bauernhaus Feral Barrel Blackberry will debut on September 16th.

The Anderson, South Carolina based brewery released their first bottles in June. Since then bottle releases have been frequent. Carolina Bauernhaus Feral Barrel Blackberry is the brewery’s American wild/sour ale, aged for six months in a mix of wine and bourbon barrels, using native South Carolina yeast, as well as yeast from SouthYeast Labs.

In the six weeks prior to bottling, the beer was aged on a massive amount of locally grown blackberries.

A dark wild ale featuring regional malts and fermented in Cabernet wine barrels with our house blend of native yeasts, and Brettanomyces and soured with our own strain of Lactobacillus isolated by SouthYeast Labs from opuntia fruit in La France, SC. This beer was aged on local blackberries for a dark fruit note balanced by bright acidity and a rich malty body.

Carolina Bauernhaus Feral Barrel Blackberry is a 22 ounce bottle release.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Raspberries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Debut: 9/16/16

5.7% ABV

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

Green Flash Ochre Frumento, the brewery’s booziest ever

Green Flash Ochre Frumento will join the brewery’s Barrelmaster Reserve Series on September 17th. Incidentally, the strongest beer the brewery’s has ever released.

The base of Green Flash Ochre Frumento is a barleywine, that has aged a total of 6 years in both bourbon and brandy barrels. The final alcohol by volume is a whopping 17.5%, which is officially the strongest beer the San Diego based brewery has ever released.

 It pours a deep brown and presents an aroma that is sharp and spirit-barrel forward. Prominent flavors of toffee and caramel envelop the palate, and supporting notes of ripened stone fruits with nutty complexity unfold through the finish.

The first release in the series sold out in hours – Lustrous Frumento with Coffee.

There are only 600 bottles of Green Flash Ochre Frumento available. Find it at the brewery’s Cellar 3 Facility on Saturday, September 17th.

Style: American Strong Ales (Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Brandy.)
Availability: 750m Bottles. Limited

Debut: 9/14/16

17.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Westbrook Brewing Co, Don't Miss This

Westbrook Whiskey Sour Weisse Weisse Baby (start humming)

Westbrook Whiskey Sour Weisse Weisse Baby is now available. A new spin on the brewery’s berliner weisse.

The creation Westbrook Whiskey Sour Weisse Weisse Baby requires lemons. Bourbon barrels. And more lemons (besides the base berliner weisse).

Stop! Commence the sippin’ Westbrook is back with a brand new invention with this not-so-traditional twist on our German-style Berliner Weisse. We take our regular Weisse Weisse Baby base beer and age in in bourbon barrel, then infuse it with fresh lemons before bottling.

Other iterations of Weisse include Lemon Coconut, and upcoming Blueberry. Westbrook Whiskey Sour Weisse Weisse Baby is a 22 ounce bottle release.

Style: Berliner Weisse (w/ Lemons. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Late August, 2016

4.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, Seasonal Return

Heavy Seas Great’er Pumpkin is ready for 2016

Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin, joined the Uncharted Waters Series in 2013. Before that, it was a part of the Mutiny Fleet. Each release in the series will feature some form of wood/barrel aging.

Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin, the brewery’s pumpkin beer aged in bourbon has become one of the brewery’s most popular seasonals.

RELATED: Heavy Seas Uncharted Waters Series

As fall approaches and thoughts turn to Halloween, we roll out the Great’ER Pumpkin. A coppery ale with forward notes of vanilla oak and flavors of Autumnal spice, the ale is brewed with actual pumpkin and imported English malts. Pairs well with turkey legs, sweet potatoes, and an evening looking at the stars…

Heavy Seas The Great’er Pumpkin is a draft, and  22 ounce bottle offering, available as a limited seasonal.

Style: Pumpkin Beer (Barrel Aged, Bourbon)
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft. Firkins
Latest Return: Aug/September, 2016

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Evil Twin Brewing, Don't Miss This

Check this: Evil Twin Bourbon Maple Syrup Barrel Aged Imperial Biscotti Break

Evil Twin Bourbon Maple Syrup Barrel Aged Imperial Biscotti Break sounds a bit crazy right?  Well, it’s coming. Soon.

Evil Twin teased the upcoming release today – not revealing the whole label, but you can obviously tell what this beer is, and it’s a doozy.

The series began with Imperial Biscotti Break, an imperial stout that mimics the dessert, brewed with almond, vanilla, and coffee. Variants have also included an edition with cherries, Barrel Aged Biscotti Break, and Pappy Biscotti Break (aged in Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrels).

This edition finds this well loved imperial stout, aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. (The same kind of barrel that makes Founders CBS a beer geek wet dream.)

Evil Twin Bourbon Maple Syrup Barrel Aged Imperial Biscotti Break will be either a 22 ounce bottle or 16 ounce can release.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans, Coffee, Almonds. Maple Syrup. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability:
Debut: TBA

11.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay