Barrel Aged Beer Event!!!

This past weekend I hosted my first beer tasting event! Held it at the gym since it was easier for everybody to meet there. The night was a blast and lots of great beers were sampled!

1st- Allagash Curieux- Tripel aged in Bourban barrels. This beer was one that I have had the pleasure of having on draft but never out of the bottle before. Like many bottle conditioned beers, this one takes on a whole different feel from the bottle then it does on draft. Pours a nice gold, with a nice finger of head on it. The aroma is light fruit like pears and apples, with just a hint of alcohol. the mouth feel is smooth a refreshing. So much flavor packed in, yet so crisp. As it warms the fruit and belgian tang becomes very present. This is definetly on of my favorites! Give this one a 5!


2nd-Rogue Brewing- John John Dead Guy Ale. Following curieux is a hard act to follow but something has too. This is Rogue's classic Dead Guy Ale that has been aged in Rogue Whiskey barrels. Pours a deep caramel color and look a bit on the thicker side. The aroma isn't much there, maybe the beer could of been a little bit warmer then when it was served? At the initial taste it has a bit of caramel taste to it, but much less then the standard Dead Guy Ale. The whiskey flavor is much less then you would hope for. This was an easy to drink beer, but nothing all that special... like I said, going after Curieux is a tough job. give this one a 3.5


3rd-BrewDog-Storm. This is a BrewDog 8% IPA aged in Islay whiskey barrels.!? BrewDog is known for pushing the boundaries of beer styles and experimenting with new flavors...this is one of many reasons why I love this brewery. I was nervous to sample this to everyone since I had never had it before and the reviews I had read about it were either love or hate. Upon pouring the glass and giving it a swirl...the aroma was very intense. I wasn't sure if it was a good intense or bad, so I gave it a taste. There is a small moment were you taste a nice BrewDog IPA (a bit of citrus fruit, a hint of sweetness), then the whiskey barrel hits and it turns on you. The beer gets very heavy with smoked flavor, and strong whiskey. It stays with you for a while, as if you just ate a piece burnt meat. Give this one a 3? or maybe a C, because it was so different?







4th-Full Sail-Top-sail Imperial Porter aged in bourbon barrels. We parted ways with the whiskey barrel beers and continued the journey with the bourbon barrels. I had never had this one before, it was recommended to from a friend of at K&B wine cellars. It pours a very dark brown, even in a taster glass it is hard to see through. The aroma is of roasted malt with mild coffee notes hitting the nose and a trace of alcohol. the initial mouth feel is very smooth and creamy. This is very similar to the John John Ale in the sense that it isn't a very "big" beer. Not a lot of bourbon taste to speak of but just enough. Not bad in my book but nothing to get excited about.... give it a 3.5


5th-BrewDog/Mikkeller Divine Rebel-Euro Barley wine aged in whiskey barrels. I have had this one before but it was multiple months and I think my pallet has refined a good bit?! When I first tried it, the only way I could describe it was a strong sort of something with a strong alcohol taste? Now I can definitely tell from one sip...that's a strong barley wine and yep that is definitely aged in whiskey barrel. Pours a murky brown, with the aroma of malt and barly billowing out of the glass. Not much head to speak of becuase of the long barrel aging this beer went through. The feel on the mouth is that of cream, very low carbonation and finishes with a nice trail of warmth down the back of the mouth! Give it a second and a couple of lip smacks and there is there is a very present whisky bite to it! This is a great sipping beer to share with friends. Give this one a solid 4! Definitely pick up a bottle if you are lucky enough to find one!


6th-The Lost Abbey-Angels Share 09, American Barley wine aged in brandy barrels. This was one that a couple of guests and I were looking forward to cracking open! I have had it once on draft, and Lost Abbey beers a totally different experience out of a bottle. Pours super thick murky brown, with an obvious dense center. Not very sure what causes this but looks really cool. The smell of oak, barley and alcohol fill your nose from the first smell. This is a very earthy beer and drinks very slow. Even the smallest sip covers the mouth with a ton of strong dry barley flavor. Think a very dry Cabernet vs a sweeter Cab...that is the difference between a euro barley wine and an American style...this is one "BIG Beer" in every sense of the word, smell, taste, mouth feel and ABV weighing in at a solid 12%! This beer gets a solid 5. Recommend buying a bottle or 3 and having one fresh and cellaring them for later dates!


7th-Dechuttes Brewing-Once a Decade Ale 2010, American strong ale aged in pinot-noir barrels. When a brewery only makes a beer once a decade you better bet it is going to be pretty damn good! This pours a mild brown with a red tinge to it when held up to light. The smell is very sweet, that of grapes, cherries, even candy sugar. At the initial taste the mouth feel is a bit on the light side...which is kind of refreshing at this point in the evening. Great malt flavor with just enough carbonation and a great mild dry wine finish!!! This beer is meant to be aged for up to ten years and I think it will do so very well. I look forward to getting some more bottles and tasting them a couple of years from now! Give this beer a solid 4.5 at this stage in its development!


8th-Russian River-Supplication, American wild ale brewed in pinot-noir barrels. This is another one that several of us were looking forward to opening. Upon opening the bottle there was a nice POP from pulling the cork and the aroma of sour cherries and sour fruit fill your nose and make you want to pucker up a little. Pours a brilliant red with good carbonation and a mild light pink head. The initial taste is that of strong sour fruit and it lingers for a while before living the mouth. Takes you back to the days of sucking on sour worms and war heads until you tongue was sore. Liquid candy was how many people described it. This beer is a solid 5.