Aging beer in retired bourbon barrels isn’t anything new. In fact, within the confines of this site you’ll find plenty of reviews for a variety of such beers including stouts, porters, IPAs and barleywines. This, however, will be my first Old Ale that’s matured in any sort of barrel.

And aged it has been. Karl Strauss set aside this Old Ale for 12 full months, letting the beer pull from the retired barrels all of the bourbony goodness it could. The beer has a bourbon character that I would describe as moderate, yet delicate. You would think that after a year in barrels the beer would be more bourbon-forward in terms of it’s flavor, but it’s actually quite approachable — hell, my wife (who isn’t a bourbon fan) kept stealing sips from my glass.

I’ve had the opportunity to sample many of this brewery’s beers over the past couple of years as they have experimented with barrel aging. The progression and craftsmanship that has evolved with regard to these specialty brews is impressive. Each release of this fashion just keeps getting better and better.

Appearance

The beer pours copper in color with a quickly dropping light tan head.

Aroma

There’s a strong vanilla/oak presence up front with a decent amount of caramel, a touch of raison and a glorious bourbon character. Unlike many of the barrel aged beers I’ve had, this one doesn’t reek of bourbon/booze or overwhelm the senses. That’s impressive considering this beer weighs in at 12.2% ABV.

Taste

Oh man, this thing is smooth. This unblended beer starts off with solid vanilla and bourbon notes that transition slowly over caramel malt and dark fruits. It doesn’t taste boozy and is deceptively drinkable though the higher ABV does leave a bit of a glowing warmth in the chest. The bourbon is definitely present, but it’s on a level that is delicate and refined. There’s a touch of hop bitterness late in the finish. As smooth and approachable as this beer is, it is still a big beer that doesn’t mess around. It’s definitely a sipper.

Overall

Drinking a beer like this, it’s easy to see why I’ve praised this brewery in just about every review of their products that I’ve done. This 23rd Anniversary release is well balanced, smooth, full flavored and a treat to enjoy. I’m still amazed at the refined bourbon character that the beer carries. The brewery has done a great job not letting the barrel overtake the Old Ale in terms of it’s flavor. This still tastes like a beer — just one that spent a good length of time in barrels that fully complimented it’s natural character. Well done, Karl Strauss!

Rating: 4/5

This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.

Any one who spends five minutes on this site will undoubtedly run into a post where I proclaim my love for all things stout with a fanatical devotion. So any time I get the opportunity to sample a beer of that style, my insides are just waiting to burst out with excitement. It was all I could do to contain myself when this sample of Bourbon Barrel Stout arrived from Odell Brewing Company a couple of weeks ago.

I wanted to tear into the bottle the moment it arrived, but I decided to hold off a few days and crack it open a few days later to commemorate the first International Stout Day on November 3rd. The bottle taunted me for several days, but I my resolve remained strong until I finally allowed myself to open it up. It was worth the torture.

Odell Brewing takes a solid Imperial Stout and ages it for four months in Kentucky bourbon barrels (which brand, I’m not aware of) before shipping it out. The end result of that time is a big beer with hints of bourbon, wood, vanilla, coffee and chocolate — everything you want in a beer of this nature.

Appearance

The beer pours a near-black, dark brown with a large, dense mocha head.

Aroma

It certainly smells the part as healthy doses of woody scents, bourbon, dark chocolate and a hint of roasted coffee fill the nose.

Taste

Now this is a tasty brew. The level of bourbon is just right, sitting at a moderate level that isn’t distracting to the palate nor so faint that you struggle to pick it up. It mingles nicely with hints of oak and vanilla while the dark chocolate and roast coffee come forward toward the back end of each swallow. The beer is smooth on the tongue with a full mouthfeel and is deceptively drinkable considering it’s 11.5% ABV.

Overall

I usually don’t have to look to hard to find something in any stout to like, but Odell Brewing’s latest Bourbon Barrel Stout release makes it so I don’t even have to look all that hard. The brew isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty darn close with all of the tasty elements that I personally love in a big beer like this.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.

“We tweaked the process this year, to meet and maintain our highest quality standard,” said Brent Cordle, brewer and barrel aging manager for Odell Brewing. “We selected Woodford Reserve barrels for the 2011 batch, and the freshly emptied barrels were immediately shipped to us cold which preserved the integrity of the barrel and the beautiful bourbon flavor.”

Bourbon Barrel Stout has notes of sweet milk chocolate, smooth vanilla and roasted coffee beans. Upon barrel aging, traces of oak and caramel come forward. The bourbon barrels have a remarkable effect on the beer. In turn, the beer has a remarkable effect on the senses.

Odell Brewing will mark the return with a celebration on September 24th in the brewery’s tap room. Guests can enjoy samples of the beer, local food truck fare as well as live music by the Buzz Brothers band from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Bourbon Barrel Stout will be available in 750ml bottles throughout the brewery’s ten state distributor network.

Weyerbacher’s Blithering Idiot is a hell of a barleywine. In fact, it’s one of my wife’s favorites to steal from me enjoy during the year’s colder months. It ages wonderfully and, in my opinion could only be improved by doing something like, you know, barrel aging it.

That’s exactly what the Pennsylvania brewery has done with Insanity (a beer I’ve only just found recently). They’ve taken a very tasty 11.10% ABV barleywine and aged it in retired bourbon barrels. Luckily for me, the wife doesn’t like bourbon so the other bottle should be safe for some time.

The additional barrel aging doesn’t so much as redefine the barleywine so much as it augments the already existing character while adding a little something extra. Having tried this beer fresh (2011 bottling), I can see it improving that much more with some time in the basement.

Appearance

Insanity pours a brilliant copper with a quickly descending tan head.

Aroma

Wow. Dark fruits, hops, sweet malts, a touch of vanilla, oak and booze all combine for a nose that entices and teases. It’s not overly bourbon-y smelling which makes for a fairly balanced nose.

Taste

There’s the bourbon. The taste of this beer reflects the nose almost to a tee. A full, slightly viscous mouthfeel carries notes of raisin, oak and leafy hops around the tongue as waves of bourbon come and go as they please. This is a richly complex beer with hints of caramel and vanilla to accompany a trailing warmth that glows in the chest with each sip. Served at 55°, the beer only got better as it warmed to room temperature.

Overall

Again, wow. I’m not entirely sure how long the Blithering Idiot is aged in the barrels, but I can’t imagine the beer coming out any better than this. Weyerbacher already had a tasty barleywine on their hands, but have completely hit a home run with this bourbon barrel aged version. I can’t wait to see how the last bottle ages.

Rating: 4.5/5

This bottle of Barrel Aged Brrrbon is, hands down, the best Widmer Brothers beer I’ve ever had. I’ve never had the regular Brrr Seasonal that the brewery releases, so I’m unable to compare it to this bourbon barrel aged version, not that I think it would matter in this case anyways.

Barrel Aged Brrrbon has a fairly prominent bourbon and oaky character that many beers of this style tend to lack. I’m not entirely sure how long the Brrr Seasonal was aged in the barrels, but it comes out tasting pretty damned good to me. I love the spicy hops that intermingle with the barrel influence throughout this 9.4% ABV sipper.

Appearance

Deep amber in color, Barrel Aged Brrrbon sits nicely in a snifter with a thin white head.

Aroma

Mmmm… smells darn good. A fairly strong malt sweetness mingles with hints of bourbon, wood, vanilla and light, piny hops.

Taste

I’m surprised by the amount of hops that come forward almost immediately. Spicy and piny in nature the hops character blends nicely with the vanilla and bourbon components as the beer transitions to a warming, lingering finish. The bourbon isn’t overly accentuated on the palate, but is at just the right level for my liking — present and influential without dominating the other elements of the beer.

Overall

I’m a big fan of bourbon and therefor a big fan of a tasty brew that’s been aged in spent barrels for a good while. This Widmer Brothers beer may not be the best of the bunch that I’ve enjoyed, but it’s a damn strong entry into the field from a brewery whose best known (in my mind) for a Hefeweizen — although I could certainly go for some Drifter Pale Ale right about now. At any rate, it’s a tasty brew, that I wish I had picked up more of for a little time in the basement.

Rating:4/5

I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to work with Karl Strauss Brewing for the past year or so now and I cannot profess my love for their products enough. Innovative, flavorful and consistently of high quality, each beer that I get from them has been a tasty treat.

The company’s latest anniversary release celebrating their 22nd year in business is an Imperial Stout that comes wax dipped and all. The brewers aged a Russian Imperial Stout in American oak bourbon barrels for three months before combining it with a fresh batch of the same beer. The ratio worked out to be 25% barrel aged to 75% fresh with the smaller, aged portion bringing just enough character from those barrels to make the overall result a distinctive and flavorful stout, though I would have liked a touch more bourbon in the mix.

Karl Strauss 22nd Anniversary Stout

Appearance

This 9% ABV stout pours a dark cola brown with a slowly fading tan head that settled as loose patches of foam on the surface.

Aroma

Roasted malt, coffee, a light vanilla presence and subtle chocolate are the predominant features within the nose. I don’t really pick up a tell-tale bourbon note, but there is a woody/oaky component within the aroma that blends nicely with the vanilla.

Taste

I’m not a big fan of large amounts of vanilla in my stout, so finding the rather subtle, smoothly incorporated vanilla presence within this beer was a plus for me. It’s not overbearing at all and arrives in just the right amount, combining wonderfully with the oaky character brought on with barrel aging. Overall, this is a pretty well crafted stout that starts off with a decent roast malt character that fades quickly to the vanilla/chocolate combination before finally transitioning to a slightly dry finish with a lingering, low-level hop bitterness. Again, there really wasn’t any bourbon traits that I specifically picked up.

The brew is dangerously drinkable and smooth. There’s not a hint of the higher alcohol presence to be found, even as the beer warms in the glass.

Overall

I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. The malts have a good roast on them that, at times, hinted at a light smoke note. The balance between the vanilla and coffee-like nature of the imperial stout is spot on. I really, really, really wanted a more pronounced bourbon footprint — I think this stout would have been out of this world with it.

That all said, I can see laying down a couple bottles and having one tasty brew in a year or three.

Rating: 3.75/5

This one landed on the front steps right as we sat down to dinner and if I didn’t have this freelance design work to take care of tonight, there would have been bits of wax stuck between my teeth as I did whatever was necessary to open this bottle.

Karl Strauss’ 22nd Anniversary beer is a blend of imperial stouts. The first 25% was aged for three months in American oak bourbon barrels with the addition of Madagascar vanilla beans thrown in. The other 75% is fresh Russian Imperial Stout. Man, if that doesn’t sound good, I don’t know what does. I can’t wait to get into this bottle over the weekend!

As I mentioned the other day, I’m pretty sure I made out better than my wife at her birthday dinner with a bottle of Saison du Buff. Well, my luck hadn’t run out with one of the last two bottles in the place.

I’m a big fan of Founders Breakfast Stout, but their Kentucky variety has eluded me for quite some time — that is until this past Monday night. Was my agony of so many close calls with the brew in the past washed away with this single bottle? You’re damned right it was. In fact, I’m going to give this bad boy the first (I think) perfect score on the site.

Appearance

KBS pours black as night and thick. There wasn’t a hint of a head after the pour, but I was able to rouse a little foam with a quick swirl of the glass — even then it was a thin layer of brown.

Aroma

I think I just died and have gone to heaven. This beer smells amazing. The bourbon (a result of the beer aging for a year in retired barrels) is the first thing that hits your nose, but it’s not aggressive as in, say, Allagash’s Curieux. It’s gentlemanly (if you will), smooth and backed by dark chocolates, espresso, roasted malt, a little vanilla and a touch of molasses.

Taste

The beer starts off with plenty of dark coffee, dark chocolates and a nice roast that’s all quickly followed by the smooth bourbon character. Again, it’s not just slapped in there. The bourbon notes are complimentary to everything that’s going on within the dark abyss in my glass. KBS has a thick, viscous mouthfeel and a warming (11% ABV), lingering finish that leaves a lasting bourbon afterglow. There’s a light bitterness in the mix as well that helps compliment the sweeter aspect of the beer.

Overall

This is without a doubt the most well balanced bourbon barrel aged anything I’ve ever had. It’s super rich, smooth and so well constructed that the flavors come together like a well practiced symphony of deliciousness. I know that sounds grandiose, but I’m hard pressed to describe just how well everything comes together through the short lifespan this beer had in my hands. I am satiated, albeit temporarily, in my quest to find this beer, but I will continue the search for it among beer shelves. I must have more.

Rating: 5/5

I picked up this 2008 bottle of Schlafly’s Reserve Imperial Stout about 3-4 months ago and have been drooling over the change to get into it ever since. This was definitely the most decadent brew I enjoyed over the holiday break, so it’s a good one to end this series of reviews on.

This is not only a special brew, it’s my first from a brewery I’ve heard a great deal about, but have never encountered in the wild. In the end, this was one hell of a way get the relationship started.

Appearance

This barrel aged imperial stout pours a bit lighter in color than most beers of this style I’ve had in the past. It’s more of a medium to dark brown. The head was thick, creamy and light tan in color.

Aroma

My notes on this one lead off with “amazing.” The aroma is boozy with a light bourbon character, plenty of oakiness and a good deal of vanilla. It’s a little sweet with roasted malt and not much alcohol to speak of.

Taste

Schlafly has crafted a nicely balanced imperial stout. It’s got nice oak and vanilla notes mixed with sweet, roasted, chocolate malt. The bourbon is a bit more evident in the finish as is the 10.5% ABV. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, yet a little on the light side.

Overall

I enjoyed this brew thoroughly. I might have to make a road trip to the store that I bought it at to see if they still have it. I’ll gladly put out the money for a a couple of bottles to put away for special occasions. My favorite aspect of the beer is the nicely balanced bourbon notes — smooth, lingering and tasty. My only disappointment with the beer would be the mouthfeel. It’s a bit thin for my liking, but not nearly enough to detract from an overall pleasant drinking experience.

Rating: 4.4/5