Oak Aged

Boulder Beer Co’s Obovoid

A limited release from Boulder Beer Company (Boulder, CO) is Obovoid.  Obovoid is oak aged oatmeal stout and is a limited seasonal release.

Commercial Description:
Brewed with an abundance of black and chocolate malts then aged on oak to add an Continue Reading →

NEW RELEASE: Innis & Gunn Rum Cask

Innis & Gunn (Edinburgh, Scotland) has made a real name for themselves in the United States with their “Oak Aged Beer.” Quite possibly one of the most flavorful easy drinking barrel aged beers I’ve ever had. Innis & Gunn’s newest Continue Reading →

NEW RELEASE: Great Divide Rumble

As just mentioned in the previous post about Great Divide’s brewery expansion here is the second new release by the brewery.   Rumble has arrived to join Smoked Baltic Porter as the newest releases from the Denver, Colorado brewery.

According to Continue Reading →

Posted in Boulder Beer Company, New Releases

Boulder Beer Co’s Obovoid

A limited release from Boulder Beer Company (Boulder, CO) is Obovoid.  Obovoid is oak aged oatmeal stout and is a limited seasonal release.

Commercial Description:
Brewed with an abundance of black and chocolate malts then aged on oak to add an earthy character.  Obovoid is a rich smooth stout with a creamy, off-white head.

Beer Rundown:
Style: Russian Imperial Stout (oak aged)
Hops: UK Progress, US Cascade, UK Fuggle
Malts: 80L Caramel, Roasted Barley, Black, Rolled Oats

Taste Expectations: Oats, coffee, chocolate. Oak lacing throughout the flavor.  Nice chocolate sweetness. A flavors play well together.

Availability: 12oz/6pks.  Draft. Oct-Dec. Limited seasonal.

6.8% ABV

40 IBU’s

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Sierra Nevada

NEW RELEASE: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Vol 4

The 4th and final edition of the Sierra Nevada Anniversary series has arrived.  The series elebrates 30 years of  craft brewing.  To fully commemorate this occasion, the Chico, California brewery is releasing 4 very special releases.  Three have been released thus far – Jack & Kens Ale, Fritz & Ken’s Ale, and Charlie, Fred & Ken’s Ale.  The forth and final edition is here – “Our Brewer’s Reserve- Oak Aged Ale”. (Formerly called, “Grand Cru”.)

Commerical Description:
Brewers Reserve is a special ale highlighting our pioneering history and the innovative spirit that has carried us through all these years. It is a marriage of our three most acclaimed ales: Oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale, and fresh Pale Ale blended together and generously dry-hopped. Come join us in celebrating thirty years with this most special brew. Drink it now, or save it for a future anniversary of your own.”

Style: American Strong Ale (oak aged)

Taste Expectations: Oak, and spicy hop notes. Caramel in nose & flavor.  Definitely woody.  Reminiscent of Bigfoot. Touch of vanilla.  A complex beer.

Availability: 750 ML Corked & Caged Bottles. Draft.  One time commemorative release.

9.2% ABV

Looking for this? In stock – Green’s, Hop City, Tower, Mac’s

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Innis & Gunn Rum Cask

Innis & Gunn (Edinburgh, Scotland) has made a real name for themselves in the United States with their “Oak Aged Beer.” Quite possibly one of the most flavorful easy drinking barrel aged beers I’ve ever had. Innis & Gunn’s newest barrel aged offering has arrived in the United States.

From the brewer:
“We are delighted to present this unique limited bottling of Innis & Gunn finished in oak barrels which previously contained navy rum. Maturation in special oak barrels imparts Navy rums with the sweet, spicy character for which they are renowned. We have long wondered what flavours might be imparted to our beer by finishing it in these same barrels and earlier this year we decided to find out.

We brewed a special batch of Innis & Gunn beer and matured it in oak for 60 days. Every single drop spent half of that time in American oak barrels before being refilled into selected navy rum barrels to finish the lengthy maturation. Once the beer had absorbed the unique character the barrels were emptied, the beer blended and then maturation continued for a further 47 days until all of the flavours had married together and mellowed. We think the result is absolutely delicious!”

Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy

Taste Expectations: Rum oak flavors are predominate.  Some malty sweetness, with a bit of alcohol.  Rum flavors pop without the harsh alcohol burn.

Availability: 12oz bottles.  22oz bombers soon.  Year round offering.

7.4% ABV

Looking for this? All retailers by the end of the week.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, The Bruery

COMING SOON: The Bruery’s 3 French Hens

The Bruery (Placentia, CA) knows how to celebrate Christmas.  Why?  They have been releasing a beer in honor of the 12 days of Christmas. (The song.) Year 1 was “Partridge in a Pear Tree.”  Last year – “Two Turtle Doves.”  2010 brings “3 French Hens.”  Each year the style is different.  Each bottle is intended to be cellared until the 12th release in 2019.

This years style:
“The third verse of our ‘Twelve Beers of Christmas’ saga incorporates vinous and oaky notes into a bold and spicy dark ale. 10% ABV.” The formulation consists of 75% Belgian-style Dark Ale and 25% ale aged in French Oak barrels.

Availability: 750 ML/ Champagne Bottles.  One time brew.

Arrival: Late October- Early November 2010

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela

La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale by Jolly Pumpkin (Dexter, MI) was first brewed in 2008 and released only at the brewery.  2010 sees an expanded release for this fall seasonal.  It, like all of Jolly Pumpkin’s beers is aged in oak.  Ironically this is the brewery’s first pumpkin ale.  30 lbs of pumpkin were used per 310 gallons of beer.  The beer is also bottle conditioned.

Commercial Description:
OK, so the joke was Jolly Pumpkin  doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer.  Well, now we do.  Just this one.  Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cacao to liven the soul.  An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient.  Guess now folks will have to find something else to joke about…

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Taste Expectations: Flavors of pumpkin & cinnamon.  Subtle notes of oak, cacao, & wild yeast funk.  (Good stuff) Slightly sour & tart.

Food Pairings: Pumpkin pie, chocolate, desserts.

Availability: 22oz bottles. Capped. Bottle conditioned. 1/6 barrel draft offerings.

5.9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Sierra Nevada

COMING SOON: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary #4

This year Sierra Nevada celebrates 30 years of  craft brewing.  To fully commemorate this occasion, the Chico, California brewery is releasing 4 very special releases.  Three have been released thus far – Jack & Kens Ale, Fritz & Ken’s Ale, and Charlie, Fred & Ken’s Ale.  The forth and final edition arrives in October – “Our Brewer’s Reserve- Oak Aged Ale”.

Commerical Description:
Brewers Reserve is a special ale highlighting our pioneering history and the innovative spirit that has carried us through all these years. It is a marriage of our three most acclaimed ales: Oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale, and fresh Pale Ale blended together and generously dry-hopped. Come join us in celebrating thirty years with this most special brew. Drink it now, or save it for a future anniversary of your own.”

Availability: 750 ML Corked & Caged Bottles. Draft.  One time commemorative release.

Arrival: Mid-Late October, 2010.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Great Divide Rumble

As just mentioned in the previous post about Great Divide’s brewery expansion here is the second new release by the brewery.   Rumble has arrived to join Smoked Baltic Porter as the newest releases from the Denver, Colorado brewery.

According to the description — Rumble is an oak aged IPA.  Some of you may immediately think about the 15th and 16th Anniversary releases by Great Divide. While this brew is based on the same idea, Rumble is indeed different.  The flavor profile is a departure from the anniversary releases, along with the ABV being less.

From the label —

“Rumble IPA is an American IPA with subtle nuance. Brewed with heavy-handed additions of Pacific Northwest hops, this beer is gently aged on French and American oak resulting in a wonderful balance of bitterness, caramel sweetness, vanilla, and undertones of pine and citrus.  Very inspiring.”

Taste Expectations: Subtle oak gives you light vanilla.  Citrus and pine hops mingle with pale and slight caramel hops.  It’s an American IPA with light oak notes.

Food Pairings: Marinated skirt steak, grilled sweet potatoes, ripe Brie or Talleggio cheese, apple crisp with creme friache ice cream.

Availability: 12/6 pks. Draft.  Seasonal. August-September, annually.  2010 marks first release.

7.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay