Blasphemy 2013 edition by Weyerbacher

December 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Quadruple, Blasphemy, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon whiskey, dark fruits, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, Quadruppel, Raven, Teen titans, The Raven, weyerbacher, whiskey barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.9/5

Blasphemy 2013 edition by Weyerbacher 11.8% ABV Belgian Quadruple aged in Whiskey Barrels

Label:
Blasphemy is our award winning QUAD aged in bourbon barrels. But not overaged, so we’ve picked up gentle vanilla oaky notes which complement rather than supersede the complex qualities that already make QUAD such an incredible beer.
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Third Time’s a charm with this one. This is the 3rd time I review this beer and every time it is always one of the best Pecan Pie Quads ever. This year they are sporting a new label. Really awesome. This one I was able to get online as it is not sold from what I have seen, here in California.

Aromas:
Lots pecan pie, bourbon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, hazelnut, whipped cream, buttered toffee, bananas, coconut, oak and a ton of dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, figs, some wine characters champagne and flan.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut, honey, walnuts, raisin bread pudding, vanilla ice cream, waffle cone, Irish cream, bananas, toasted coconut, oak, butterscotch, bourbon whiskey, cherries, dark fruits like raisins, plums, blue and black berries, port wine, apples, peaches, pears and some graham crackers and marshmallows.

Aftertaste:
The sweet vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, raisin bread pudding, rich pecan pie , hazelnut and bourbon notes linger for a while. The beer is a sipper with the alcohol only coming through as needed but not to detract from the sweet flavors. You get the bourbon and the quad flavors fine.

Overall:
Very similar to previous years and each just more exquisite. The 2 year version seems to be more hefty and buttery than this one but this is still over the top. Close to being on of my favorite quads in the world. Worth a pick up if you can find it. Belgian and Barrel Aged beer loves may love this one

Anime Corner:
Raven from Teen Titans I used for the new pairing to represent the new label colors. I used Raven to signify the raven that is on the label. I also used Dark Angel by Nezu-nyan of Deviant art in the original pairing of beer because everything from the background, to the raven, the cemetery and the blue night sky was part of the original label. Couldn’t find a better pairing

Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin by Shipyard Brewing

September 23, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Astaroth, Astarotto, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon whiskey, oak barrels, Pumpkin, pumpkin ale, Pumpkin beer, pumpkin flesh, pumpkin seeds, Shinra Bansho, Shinra Banshou, Shinrabansho, Shipyard, Smashed Pumpkin, sweet potato pie, Whiskey, whiskey bourbon | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin by Shipyard Brewing is a 12% ABV Pumpkin Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
Our Bourbon Barrel Aged ales are brewed and carefully cellar-aged in small batches in dedicated bourbon barrels at our brewery in Portland, Maine.

Hops: Willamette, Saphir
Malts: Pale, Whole Wheat, Munich
Yeast: Top-fermenting English
Color: Honey
Aroma: Oak spiced, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon
Body: Light to medium
Finish: Warming, smooth, and velvety
IBU: 35
SRM 14.85

Recommended Serving temperature is 55 deg. Fahrenheit in brandy-style stemware. Aged over 100 days. Unlimited shelf life
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As an added bonus last year, Shipyard released this hard to get beer along with their awesome smashed pumpkin yearly release (which to me is the “best common” pumpkin beer ever). Unfortunately, I was never able to pick this release up until recently. One of the local places had it in stock for a limited time. So as pay back for last year of missing out on this beer to review, I will spend no time wasted and get on with the show.

Aromas are of rich vanilla, whiskey, bourbon, oak, pumpkin, dulce de leche caramel, honey, squash, brown sugar, pilloncillo sugar cone, maple, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, toasty coconut, chocolate hints, flan, pecans, nutmeg, coriander and citrus.

The flavors are of oak and whiskey. Vanilla, coconut, pumpkin pie, pecans, nutmeg, cinnamon, whipped creamed flan, dulce de leche caramel, sweetened condensed milk, maple, sweet potatoes, marshmallows, chocolate notes, graham crackers, pumpkin flesh in pilloncillo sugar cone syrup, milk, brown sugar, cloves, coriander, citrus and ginger pumpkin bread.

The aftertaste is oaky and sweet with pumpkin and bourbon whiskey lingering. This beer is boozy and is definitely a sipper. Do not let the moderate body fool you. The mouth feel on this is close to syrupy. YUM!!

Overall, this is way better than the original smashed pumpkin. I think I drank this way too fresh as the booze was not well hidden. It is not a problem at all as I rather enjoyed those sweet oak and whiskey notes. They compliment the pumpkin very well. This, however, needs sometime to sit in a cellar for a while in order to become exquisite or exceed expectations. Nevertheless, An awesome beer that has become on par with some of my other Barrel aged and non-barrel aged pumpkin beers I have reviewed here.

Original Smashed Pumpkin Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/smashed-pumpkin-by-shipyard-brewing/

Bird on a Wire by Crispin Cider Company

July 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged american whiskey, apple wines, Bird on a wire, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, bourbon whiskey, Cider, cider apples, Crispin Bird on a wire, Crispin Cider, Dulce de leche, flan, hard apple cider, Hatsune Miku, Mexican Flan, mexican vanilla, Miku, Rye Whiskey, Whiskey, whiskey barrels, whiskey bourbon, whiskey cask | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5 *Rating based on ciders reviewed and compared so far only

Bird on a Wire by Crispin Cider Company is a 6.9% ABV Blended Hard Cider aged in Bourbon whiskey casks with Tupelo Honey.

Label:
Authentic American alt.country cider. Not forever, just for now.

Dances across the palate, like a band playing and people swayin’. Spend some time, wait a minute. Set it free.
Blended using 4 unique apple-wines aged in both rye and Bourbon American whiskey barrels. Apple-wines fermented with:Irish Stout yeast, Belgian Trappist yeast,Sake yeast and our original Colfax Classic.

The final blend is finished with Tupelo Honey aged in Bourbon barrels and a lingering open-mouthed kiss of fresh-pressed apple juice.
Balanced and very smooth, toasted oaktannins, whiskey notes, with soft rye spice, cask-woody vanilla and cinnamon.

Blended straight from whiskey barrels.Give a solid bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse sediment evenly and best enjoy whiskey aromas and unique bouquet.

Enjoyed at cellar temperature, 50/55F.With or without 1 or 2 ice cubes. Age-worthy.
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Regardless of being a Coors subordinate, they make some hell good ciders. So far I have reviewed the ciders fermented in Irish Stout yeast and Trappist yeast, the latter being my favorite. Now I think I have a new favorite with this one.

First aromas that come as soon as you open the bottle is whiskey and rich stuff at that. It is followed by that bourbon vanilla sweetness, caramel, coconut, rye bread, cinnamon, apple, honey, oak, spices and brown sugar.

The flavors are of cider apples, whiskey, bourbon vanilla, oak, slight coconut notes, dulce de leche caramel flan notes, honey, crème brulee, white wine, champagne, brown sugar, cinnamon, french toast with apple butter, rye bread and cinnamon, bear claw doughnut with apples and cinnamon, and apple pie with rich caramel.

No doubt about it, a little at that, but still freaking amazing. Really brings about great Cask/Barrel aged goodness as some of the best bourbon liquors and bourbon aged beers can bring but in cider form. Who knew cider can deliver a good level of craft in its own way. I gotta find more of these bottles. They need to make 22oz. Bottles of this or even make like a 6 pack. This would make for a great cider for people to try for those that are skeptical of trying the Craft Cider side of beverage connoisseurship.

Beer Barrel Bourbon by New Holland

May 6, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged american oak barrels, Beer Barrel Bourbon, bourbon barrels, bourbon whiskey, Dragon's Milk, Imperial Stout, liquor reviews, New Holland Brewing, Stout Aged Whiskey, Whiskey Aged in Beer Barrels | Leave a comment

Beer Barrel Bourbon by New Holland is a 40% ABV Bourbon whiskey finished in oak beer barrels.

Label:
Many craft brewer’s will attest that whiskey barrels make great beer, and our Dragon’s Milk, a stout aged in bourbon barrels, is a delicious example. Beer Barrel Bourbon goes to show that the opposite is also true; beer barrels make remarkable whiskey.

Beer Barrel Bourbon is first aged in new American oak barrels for several years, before a three month beer-y slumber. The beer-barrel aging lends biscuity notes and a smooth malt character to the robust whiskey tones of toffee and caramel.
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I am usually not very good at hard liquor reviews. In fact this on is my first. The reason I wanted to do a review on this hard liquor is because it is something that is not seen in many occasions. It is the opposite of bourbon barrel aging a beer. What they do is actually take the Dragon’s Milk Stout beer barrel and add whiskey to it. So the end result is a whiskey that has notes and flavors of the stout.

The aromas of the whiskey are or maple, caramel, honey, oak, grains and very faint what seems to be malt, not sure if that’s chocolate.

The flavors are or whiskey for sure but of course it is hard liquor so you will get the alcohol rush. After the alcohol goes away it is followed by oak,caramel, biscuit, malt sweetness, maple syrup, faint chocolate notes and coconut.

Not sure how to rate this whiskey. I think the idea was awesome, hence the reason I wanted to try this. It is definitely a sipper instead of one shotter. Either way, I would only recommend it if you really want to try it. I am sure there are other awesome bourbons out there but the concept is awesome for sure.

Dragon’s Milk Review (2011):https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/dragons-milk-by-new-holland/

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6

April 2, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 2013 Series, Batch # 6, best beers in the world, bourbon barrels, bourbon whiskey, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, hop flavors, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, kentucky whiskey, Liquid poem to the glory of the hop, Quingenti Millilitre, Quingenti Millilitre Series, Stone Brewing, Stone Company Store, Stone Ruination, Stone Ruination IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6 is a 7.8%ABV Imperial India Pale Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
Brewed September 17th, 2011
Our “Liquid poem to the glory of the hop,” Stone Ruination IPA has been assaulting palates for 11 years with over 100 IBUs of deliciously intense bitterness and vibrant hop flavors

In the mash
Pale & Crystal malt

In the boil
Columbus Hops

In the whirlpool
Columbus hops

Unfiltered and aged
16 months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

IBUs 59 ABV: 7.8%
Bottled February 2013

Cellar Notes: Intense hop flavors still shine brightly despite the lengthy aging time. The barrels lend a pleasantly astringent aftertaste with plentiful walnut and almond tones. Despite an expected loss of IBUs from aging, a robust hop bitterness lingers to meld effortlessly with the oak tannins.
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I first had the honer to try this with my friend Rich at the Stone Company Store in Pasadena California. We were able to pour a bottle at the cafe area to taste it. It was then that I realize this was something very special. Even if it was 500ml, which I wish they sold if for less than what I got this for or atleast had it on tap, regardless it was good, unique and quite the different Gold Ruination. I have tried the Gold IPA standard, Ruination IPA and the 10th Ruination IPA before and I realize that these beers are very good so I wanted to see how epic this beer was true to the original. Upon opening the beer, there was an aggressive yet tamed rush of grassy, piney, grapefruit hops which I am used to but then they were immediately followed by bourbon whiskey, vanilla, citrus, caramel, flan, herbs, wine grapes, flowers, honey, almost like an expensive wine cheese, apples, raspberries, peach, mango, oak, almost like a champagne and tamarind. The flavors are of rich oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, non-over-powering whiskey, expensive wine cheese, rich grassy and piney bitterness, grapefruit, coconuts, citrus, mango, tangerines, kumquats, Italian herbs, spices, Sweetened condensed milk, maple, crème brulee, flan, burnt sugar, hazelnut nectar, walnuts, pecan pie, mint, flowers, peppercorns, tamarind, raspberries, champagne, bready banana and vanilla cake. As the beer gets warmer that is where you start to get more like a berry taste. While yes it is not the the usual IPA that is best drunk fresh, this is is like taking that same Epic Gold standard and equipping it with golden armor ready to take on years of aging. Almost like sending a man to the moon, this beer explores for the first time (at least to my knowledge) the idea that India Pale Ales CAN be aged… give the right preparation… Go on golden hop warrior and evolve into a heavenly knight of justice ready to strike all the evil beers with less flavors… YES!!!! Just remember, I came into this beer with a very open mind considering the IPA loss vs the Bourbon gain. So if you go into this believing in pure IPA, it may not fit you really. Many IPA lovers might find this one a bit not right but those that love both IPAs and Bourbon beers will ascend into a new realm of nirvana. Enjoy this one if you find it…

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