Tag Archives: barrel aged

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Germany, Kemker Kultuur, Wild Ale

Kemker Aoltbeer Blend 2021-06 (Kerner Grapes)

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Brewery: Kemker Kultuur
Country: Germany
ABV: 8%
Style: Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aoltbeer is the historic beer of Münster. The base beer matured for 10 months in red wine barrels. For this small batch no. 06-2021 we harvested organically grown Kerner grapes from the Nahe valley. After 2 months of maceration in the beer, we pressed the concoction and let it mature in barrels for another 5 months. Vibrant fruits, acidity and mature base notes.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.1
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, with a best before date of 15th February 2031. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention, eventually settled to a ring around the glass, and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Vinous, grape must, grape skin, grapefruit zest, oak, and a touch of funk.
Taste: Restrained, light sour, grape skin, vinous, grapefruit zest, citrus rind, oak, and light funky notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was strong and enjoyable, while the taste was a bit restrained in comparison. It got a bit better as it warmed, but stronger flavours would have helped.

4 - Good (buy), Australia, Beer Reviews, Deeds Brewing Co., Stout - Imperial

Deeds Once More Into The Fray

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Brewery: Deeds Brewing Co.
Country: Australia
ABV: 13.8%
Style: Stout – Imperial
Other Notes: 2023 vintage

Brewer Description: (from can) This Imperial Stout was aged in Bourbon Barrels for 12 months resulting in thick chocolate notes, backed by vanilla, bourbon and oak.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 440ml can, 2023 vintage, canned on 28th September 2023. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a half finger tanned brown head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, chocolate, bourbon, caramel, and vanilla notes.
Taste: Roasty, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, oak, with some biscuit and nutty notes.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice classic BA style Imperial Stout. Despite the sweet aroma, it was balanced in the flavour, with good roasty and bourbon character. An enjoyable sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Harviestoun Brewery, Old Ale, Scotland

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 18

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Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (meaning ‘Black Oil’ in gaelic) is a real labour of love for our brew team. We take our Old Engine Oil and mature it in whisky casks from the award winning Orkney distillery & our good friends, Highland Park. The process is far from simple but the end result is a beautiful brew with complementary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste.

We are delighted to bring back the Ola Dubh, 18 year old. This award winning ale has delicate notes of dark chocolate, tangy oak and dried fruit shining through.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 08466, bottled in October 2021, and a best before end date of November 2024. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, nutty, dried dark fruit, whisky, with light notes of caramel and peat.
Taste: Roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee bean, whisky, oak, light nutty, a touch bitter, with notes of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and flavours were balanced, but I probably prefer the 16 slightly more with the extra dark fruit and sweetness.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Harviestoun Brewery, Old Ale, Scotland

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 16

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Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park Wings of the Eagle Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced Wings of the Eagle Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (meaning ‘Black Oil’ in gaelic) is a real labour of love for our brew team. We take our Old Engine Oil and mature it in whisky casks from the award winning Orkney distillery & our good friends, Highland Park. The process is far from simple but the end result is a beautiful brew with complementary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste.

The Wings of the Eagle barrels provide an ale that strikes a sensational balance of fruity sweetness with a complex bitter hop background.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 15872, bottled in March 2022, and a best before end date of March 2025. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, sweet dark fruit, whisky, caramel, and maybe a touch of smoke.
Taste: Dark fruit sweetness, light roast, chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, whisky, toasted wood, with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Clean, balanced, aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, USA, Wild Ale - Dark

Crooked Stave Blackberry Dark Origins

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Brewery: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Country: USA
ABV: 9.666%
Style: Wild Ale – Dark
Other Notes: Cellar Reserve 2014

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dark Sour Ale aged in whiskey barrels with blackberries.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml dark purple waxed bottle, bottled in February 2014, poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour, with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Caramel, oak, and whiskey sweetness, with a support of blackberries and blackcurrant.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackberry, dark berries, blackcurrant, oak, chocolate, caramel, whiskey.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: A good enjoyable sipper with nice aroma and flavours supported well by the blackberries.