Tag Archives: wine barrel aged

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Deschutes Brewery, Stout - Imperial, USA

Deschutes The Abyss

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Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 11.1%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 Reserve

Brewer Description: (from bottle) It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. This imperial stout has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of this special brew draws you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.

Imperial Stout brewed with black strap molasses and licorice, dry spiced with cherry bark and vanilla bean, 21% aged in oak bourbon barrels, 21% aged in oak wine barrels, and 8% aged in new Oregon oak barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.38
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 Reserve, bottled on 8th December 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Very dark brown to black in colour with a nice one finger brown head that had decent retention, while leaving lots of nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Dark malt, moderate roast, chocolate, sweet notes, licorice, molasses, bourbon, oak.
Taste: Light bitterness, roasted malts, dark chocolate, light char, sweet notes, brown sugar, licorice, molasses, oak and bourbon on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An excellent classic Imperial Stout with lots of great flavours and not too sweet. A wonderful and enjoyable sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, The Ale Apothecary, USA, Wild Ale

The Ale Apothecary Sauvie

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Brewery: The Ale Apothecary
Country: USA
ABV: 8.10%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: A wild fermentation ale aged in wine barrels with hops grown on Sauvie Island

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Made of Mecca Grade Estate barley & rye malts and Crystal hops grown by Sauvie Island Hops on the farming island near Portland. We are honored to purchase and use all the Crystal hops that Jordan and Maya grow each year. 100% naturally carbonated with honey, and 100% Oregon. Unfiltered, open-fermented & barrel-aged.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.33
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, bottled on 29th October 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a two finger white head that had decent retention, and eventually settled to a thin fluffy cap, while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, peach, apricot, sweet grape, tangy, citrus, orange, oak.
Taste: Sour, tart, gummy candy like fruitiness, peach, apricot, grape, citrus, lemon, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Really enjoyable and easy to drink, with great aromas and gummy candy like fruitiness in the flavour.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, The Ale Apothecary, USA, Wild Ale

The Ale Apothecary El Cuatro

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Brewery: The Ale Apothecary
Country: USA
ABV: 10.58%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 1206 bottles

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Wild fermentation ale brewed with honey, aged in wine & brandy barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, brewed in November 2017, bottled on 1st November 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy deep amber orange colour, with a thin khaki head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Grape, oak, vanilla, brandy, lightly vinous, light funky, with a touch of citrus zest.
Taste: Sour, tart, oak, dried apricot, stone fruit, hay, honey, with light brandy and orange citrus notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable complex aroma and flavours. A good sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Trillium Brewing Company, USA, Wild Ale

Trillium Wild Sinister Kid – Double Blackberry & Cabernet Grapes

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Brewery: Trillium Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: American Wild Ale aged in red wine and bourbon barrels. Hops – US Goldings. Malts – Pilsner, Abbey, Special B and Carafa III. Adjuncts – Blackberry, Cabernet Grapes, Belgian Candi Syrup and Turbinado Sugar

Brewer Description: (from website) Sinister Kid is named after the unofficial mascot of our Congress Street brewery: a long-forgotten, dismembered doll unearthed in construction rubble. We dusted off Sinister Kid and breathed new life into her, installing a new pipe leg and a wire arm. We quickly found a new use for her evil appearance: keeping an ever-present, protective watch over the first floor of our Fort Point restaurant and brewery.

This year, we’ve crafted what we consider to be our most complex variations of Sinister Kid to date. We took the base Belgian Strong Ale recipe, fermented it with our native New England yeast culture for two years in both bourbon and wine barrels, then transferred the beer to our oak foeders to condition on a variety of fruit. The six resulting blends are intricate expressions of wild yeast, time, and fruit all coming together harmoniously in the bottle.

Three of the 2019 Wild Sinister Kid blends were conditioned upon twice the amount of fruit as their counterparts to achieve a truly elegant and fruit-forward final blend. Consisting of 50% bourbon barrel-aged beer and 50% wine barrel-aged beer, Wild Sinister Kid: Double Blackberry Cabernet presents a deep plum color in the glass. Intense blackberry aromas wash over the palate immediately followed by notes of fig, raisin, and cherry. Mildly warming, with a touch of sweetness and rounded acidity, this beer is elegantly balanced and refined.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 19th September 2019. Poured into a Lindemans stemmed lambic teku/tulip glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark reddish purple colour with a one finger brownish purple head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, blackberry, nail polish, oak.
Taste: Tart, sour, blackberry, mixed berries, grapes, grape skin, lightly vinous, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and flavours were enjoyable, and the 10% ABV was well hidden.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Trillium Brewing Company, USA, Wild Ale

Trillium Wild Sinister Kid – Black Currant & Pinot Noir Grapes

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Brewery: Trillium Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12.7%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: American Wild Ale aged in red wine and bourbon barrels. Hops – US Goldings. Malts – Pilsner, Abbey, Special B and Carafa III. Adjuncts – Black Currants, Pinot Noir Grapes, Belgian Candi Syrup and Turbinado Sugar.

Brewer Description: (from website) Sinister Kid is named after the unofficial mascot of our Congress Street brewery: a long-forgotten, dismembered doll unearthed in construction rubble. We dusted off Sinister Kid and breathed new life into her, installing a new pipe leg and a wire arm. We quickly found a new use for her evil appearance: keeping an ever-present, protective watch over the first floor of our Fort Point restaurant and brewery.

This year, we’ve crafted what we consider to be our most complex variations of Sinister Kid to date. We took the base Belgian Strong Ale recipe, fermented it with our native New England yeast culture for two years in both bourbon and wine barrels, then transferred the beer to our oak foeders to condition on a variety of fruit. The six resulting blends are intricate expressions of wild yeast, time, and fruit all coming together harmoniously in the bottle.

Wild Sinister Kid: Black Currant Pinot Noir is a blend consisting of 60% bourbon barrel-aged beer and 40% wine barrel-aged beer conditioned on black currants and pinot noir grapes. Pouring an enticing garnet color, aromas of fresh-pressed grapes, mixed red berries, black currants, and a hint of herbaceousness are immediately apparent. Soft on the palate, with a medium body, Wild Sinister Kid: Black Currant Pinot Noir boasts a refined acidity that welcomes the next sip.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.3
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 5th September 2019. Poured into a Lindemans stemmed lambic teku/tulip glass.
Appearance: A dark burgundy colour with a thin purple head that dissipated quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Black currant, oak, mixed berries, lightly vinous, and mild vanilla.
Taste: Tart, light sour, black currant, vinous, red wine, bourbon, oak, with a slight vanilla note.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation, and a light but enjoyable booziness throughout.
Overall: Enjoyable complexity. Good balance of fruit and barrels, with the black currant complementing the wine and bourbon barrels well.