Epic Brewing 'Big Bad Baptista' Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout 2017. 11.5% abv. Deep black in color with two fingers of creamy mocha head that slowly recedes to a thick sustaining surface. Outstanding retention and superb lacing. Nose of bourbon, almond, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder. Aroma lingers down to the last drops in the glass.

First taste is semi-sweet dark chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, oak expression throughout, whiskey coming through on the back end. Aftertaste is black coffee, vanilla, almond cookie, with an alcohol sustain and sweet finish. Big body. Mouthfeel is hot, rich, boozy, creamy, clingy.

This is an outstanding beer, a bounty of rich flavors that have mellowed well in the year since its release. The many tastes of chocolate, spice, coffee, whiskey, and wood all merge together beautifully. Each flavor can be singled out, yet they do not fight for attention, achieving a perfect balance. Each sip was savory, smooth, and slightly sweet, with a touch of boozy punch. A special, marvelous, well-crafted beer. Highly recommended.


From the brewery:

"Rare Release 2017. Big Bad Baptista is inspired by traditional Mexican coffee, Café de Olla, which is served with cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined sugar. The Cinnamon adds another layer of complexity and accentuates the earthy character of Mexican Coffee, but more importantly, it captures the essence of a place and its culture. As beverage geeks we wanted to pay homage to that rich tradition and offer our unique take. Big Bad Baptista is a combination of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Mexican coffee roasted by Blue Copper, and Solstice Chocolate cacao nibs. It’s luxurious to say the least, with a pleasant warming sensation generated by the cinnamon and alcohol. Enjoying the interplay of chocolate, malt, oak, and spice is the perfect way to spend a cool evening, with friends around a fire."
[source: epicbrewing.com]

"Inspired by the spicy and bold flavors of a Café de Olla, we added vanilla and cinnamon along with Mexican coffee beans and cacao nibs to out 100% barrel-aged Big Bad Baptist. The result is luxurious, complex, and the perfect after-dinner companion on chilly evenings."
[source: bottle]

My friend Chris and I shared a bomber of Big Bad Baptista with a couple of cigars. A perfect combination.

Indian Wells Brewing Co. ‘Whiskey Barrel Brew’ Amber Lager. 12% abv. Deep ruby color. Thin ivory head that falls to a sustaining collar. Fair retention, little lacing. Nose of sweet amber malt, grain, corn, white bread.

Front taste is caramel, herbal hops, faint whiskey, wood expression on the back end. Dry finish. Aftertaste is treacle, bitter herbal, vegetal, yeasty. Aroma of a sweet bread emerges as the temp rises. Medium body. Mouthfeel is cool at first, warm-hot as the temp rises to room. Thin, tacky, boozy, slightly carby.

This is sadly a mediocre beer at best, one that doesn’t benefit from its whiskey barrel treatment, a technique that usually guarantees some level of richness and flavor. It feels and tastes like a bourbon barrel aged beer that been watered down. The thin body betrays its image of a big beer, while the flavor profile is plain and weak. 

Mt first thought was that perhaps an amber lager is not ideal for a barrel program, because t then I remembered the world class barrel beers from Firestone Walker, whose brewmasters can make barrel aged gold from any category of craft beer. I’ve been disappointed by Indian Wells before, a contract craft brewery that seems to keep their creations at arm’s length. Today’s tasting is unfortunately no exception. Pass on this one.

From the brewery:

"Truly unique! We started with a special amber style beer to complement the beautiful glow of great whiskey and then racked our special brew - which is made with 2-row malt, Munich, and Caramel Malts with Noble & Mt. Hood hops - into freshly decanted Evan Williams bourbon barrels where it lagers until ready. The outcome is a perfect "sipping beer" with a wonderful flavor, aroma and whopping 12% alcohol content! This beer is made in very small batches, under carefully supervised conditions. We're certain every beer drinker will love our very special limited quantity 'Whiskey Barrel Amber'!"

[source: mojavered.com]

"As a young boy in the 1940’s, Cliff Fyffe used to contemplate the old, broken whiskey barrels in the Evan Williams Distillery Yard. He noticed the barrels were giving off the aroma of the aged Kentucky whiskey in the summer heat. Cliff shared this memory with the Indian Wells Brewing Co. founders, Rick and Greg, who suddenly had an inspiration! They reached out and contacted Kentucky whiskey distilleries and purchased used oak barrels for their own whiskey barrel aged beer. Indian Wells Brewing Co. then left these barrels in the direct Mojave Desert sun until ripe. When the barrels were ready, they brewed a special 'amber' style lager by using their own natural artesian spring water, filling the whiskey barrels and allowing them to lager down to 34-degrees for months. Our own delicious whiskey barrel aged amber lager. It pairs well with BBQ and is just great for sipping. We hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoyed making it."

[source: bottle]

The beer was completely flat within minutes of the pour.

Innis & Gunn Brewing 'Highland Ale' Oak Aged Scotch Ale. 7.4% abv. Copper color. Clear. Finger of foamy tan head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of scotch, vanilla, oak background. Front taste of toffee, scotch, vanilla, oak, honey back end. Aftertaste is floral, honey, golden raisins, round sweet finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, thick, clingy on the tounge.

This is a superb wood-aged beer. Its scotch whiskey taste comes through at every point, smooth, round, with slightly sweet wood notes. There is a touch of honey behind the aftertaste and a warm mouthfeel just shy of hot. This beer is aged in oak chips rather than within a barrel, which helps make it an exceptional value in its category, coming in at 1/4 the usual price. This beer makes me want to try their other offerings, all wood aged. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Following the lengthy time it's spent mellowing over oak, the beer has developed a fragrant aroma of spice and rich toffee. The wood has also imparted notes of heather-honey, raisins and marzipan, making for a beautifully-balanced, complex ale, capped with a deeply smooth finish."

[source: innisandgunn.com]

"At Innis & Gunn we've discovered over time that the key to imparting great depth of flavour lies in finding a perfect match between beer and the oak that we choose. After that, it's a rare combination of the brewers' time-served expertise and the patience and respect they have for the mystical process of oak maturation. Perhaps it will come as no surprise then that our brewers, like our beers, benefit from a degree of maturity and a commitment to the hands-on, nose-in approach that they've been mastering over the years. It takes experience, and lots of sampling, to know when the beer has achieved the perfect point in terms of flavour, complexity and balance and is ready for bottling. Innis & Gunn Highland Ale perfectly demonstrates all of these factors at work and is one we're particularly proud to put our name to. Following the lengthy time it's spent mellowing over oak, the beer has developed a fragrant aroma of spice and rich toffee. The wood has also imparted notes of heather-honey, raising and marina, making for a beautifully-balanced, complex ale, capped with a deeply smooth finish."

[source: packaging]

Lengthwise Brewing 'Zeus' Barrel Aged Imperial Ale. 9.7% abv. Hazy honey color. Thin beige head. Excellent retention and superb sweet lacing. Nose of rich caramel, toasted malt, light bourbon. Front taste of toffee, brown sugar, roasted grain. Aftertaste is where the bourbon is best tasted, along with warm brown sugar, background sweet light fruit, and sweet bread. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, thick, sweet finish.

This is the barrel aged version of their excellent Zeus Imperial IPA, which I had the pleasure of tasting a few months ago. This barrel aged version had the potential of rising well above its original, but a slight flaw keeps it from being extraordinary. The sweet malty flavors are dominant over the bourbon notes, which is actually to some beer drinkers' liking, but the wood/barrel expression is simply not there. There are notes of toasty malt which may have been influence by the oak, but these are negligible. Personally, I like a little more 'wood' in my barrel aged beers. Regardless, this is definitely worth your time, particularly if you like bourbon brews. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Also known as Zeus on Oak, this smoky flavored brew is aged several months in recently emptied bourbon whiskey barrels from Heaven Hill Distilleries."

[source: lengthwise.com]

Hangar 24 Brewing 'Hammerhead' 2012 Barleywine Style Ale. 13.8% abv. 83 IBU. Hazy dark brown color. Thin tan head that retains a nice collar. Good retention and lace. Nose is rich sweet malt, raisin, warm brown sugar, toffee. Front taste of caramel, oak, bittersweet dark chocolate, spicy bright fruity hops. Aftertaste of caramel, bright herbal hops, pungent fruit. Full body. Mouthfeel is thick, sticky, pungent, chewy.

This is an outstanding brew. The flavor profile is complex and deep, with rich roasted malt, warm sweet tones, bright fruit, woods, and a river of bourbon running underneath it all. This is one of those superbly crafted decadent beers where every sip makes me tilt my head back and mutter to myself how goddamn good it is. Hammerhead is the fourth in Hangar 24's 'Barrel Roll' series.  Strongly recommended.

NOTE: Special thanks to Tim McMahon of the Central Valley Craft Beer Drinkers for the end photo.

From the brewery:

"A well executed HAMMERHEAD is smooth and dramatic. This beer is no exception. Hammerhead is a big, complex, American-style Barleywine featuring two English caramel malts and four American hops. Hammerhead’s character is enhanced by dry hopping and then aging the deep amber liquid for six months in charred oak rye whiskey and bourbon barrels. Spicy aromas spill from the glass: rich caramel, citrusy hops, bourbon and oak. Layered flavors of toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, spice and rye whiskey lead to a warm and slightly bitter finish. This is a strong ale, meant to be sipped, savored and enjoyed."

[source: hangar24brewery.com]

I was lucky enough to enjoy Hammerhead on tap after a barrel-aged beer event at Peeve's Pub.

Photo courtesy of Tim McMahon of Central Valley Craft Beer Drinkers

Lagunitas Brewing 'High West-ified' Imperial Coffee Stout 2015. 12% abv. Black in color. Two+ fingers of thick mocha-colored head, rich like melted ice cream. Superb retention and outstanding lacing. Nose of rich chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, notes of oak on the back. Front taste is complex with flavors of bourbon, oak, black coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit, plum. Aftertaste is strong bourbon, espresso, bittersweet chocolate on the sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, creamy, sticky back end.

This is an extraordinary beer. The promised bourbon aging taste is clear and present from nose to finish, as is fresh coffee, roasted chocolate, and dark fruit notes. The flavor profile is definitely barrel-aged as opposed to simply tasting like bourbon was added. My friend bought me this at Lagunitas a week before release. By now it should be out on store shelves and I suggest you buy a bottle or two before they're all gone. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact. Cheers!"

[source: lagunitas.com]

"Nectar from the source, from cast-against-type Utah. Latent heat of evaporation causes apparitions to rise up the column. They rise and condense and coolly run off. Oak barrels, just wood, made Magic by a higher power, filled to the bung for a time are then drained. Potential energy. The desire to fall. The barrels rolled wear downslope out of north central Utah, outta 6,780 ft. County of Summit, into the Basin, past the temptations of Wendover, across basin through range, escaping the Great Humboldt Sink, climb the Cretateous subduction's saw-faced batholitic intrusion, down the Smartville Ophiolite through the gentle Coast Range onto delta, landing gently in Petaluma, where we just plain filled them with beer. That's all there is to it."

[source: bottle]

This photo was taken by my friend at a Petaluma campground near Lagunitas brewery moments after he bought it. He managed to buy several bottles a week before it would be released. Lucky me got one.

Highwater Brewing 'Whiskey Thief.' Tributary Series. 9.2% abv. Copper color. Thin white head that falls to a sustaining ring. Low retention. Good lacing. Nose of grain, faint spice, slightly sweet malt. Whiskey aroma appears once the temp drops. Front taste of smoke, malt, whiskey background. Aftertaste of whiskey, smoked grain, herbal. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is hot, astringent.

This is an excellent beer. The whiskey flavor profile is clear and present, especially once the temp drops. The smoke flavor is not overpowering but rather an accent on the beer. Highly recommended.

This is a collaboration brew, crafted by Highwater Brewing, Pine Street Brewery, Uncommon Beers, and Bison Brewing.

EDIT: One of our readers, Andrew S., requested the name of the pub where I enjoyed Whiskey Thief. He had spoken with brewers at Highwater, who were also curious. I can tell you that this lovely beer was on tap at Peeve's Public House in Downtown Fresno, one of my regularly haunts.

From the brewery:

"This year’s collaboration included Bison Brewing, High Water Brewing, Pine Street Brewery and Uncommon Brewers (the host brewery).... Inspired by their second favorite beverage–whiskey–the motley crew of (oddly enough) beardless brewers decided to brew a super boozy and viscously smokey Strong Scotch Ale. Aptly named the Whiskey Thief, the beer was brewed with a blend of specialty malts, beechwood and peat-smoked malts, housemade candy sugar and “dry-hopped” with heather. Whiskey Thief fills the nose with soft hints of smoke, toffee, roasted nuts and dried flowers. Once you get a sip, KAPOW!!! Rich flavors of caramel and toffee bombard the tongue––slowly breaking away to reveal a deep layer of smokey, peaty goodness. If whiskey and beer had a baby, this would be it."
[source: craftbeer.com]

Rockmill Brewery Bourbon Cask Aged Tripel. 10.5% abv. Hazy honey color. Sliver of head falls away quickly. No retention or lacing. Nose of sweet fruity malt, oak, bourbon, vanilla. Front taste of mild grain, bourbon, light fruit, apricot notes, floral hops, bread notes. Aftertaste is where the bourbon whiskey shines, leaving no question that bourbon is definitely involved, and a lot of it. Astringent. Alcohol is a big part of the aftertaste sustain. Medium-big body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, slightly sticky.

This is an nice example of its category, and holds well next to the many other 'bourbon barrel' beers out there. Rockmill chose to go big with the bourbon whiskey, which may or may not suit you. I would have liked more balance, wishing this had more malty taste and head retention. Still, this was a very enjoyable brew. Recommended if you like bourbon, because drinking this beer is akin to drinking a full glass of whiskey with a shot of beer tossed in.

From the brewery:

“Golden ale aged in oak whiskey barrels. Tripel aged in whiskey barrels from local micro-distillary Middle West Spirits. Rich vanillins intermingle with the delicate notes of the Ohio Winter Wheat Whiskey."

This beer had absolutely no retention or lace. There was a very thin collar of head off the tap, but that was gone in less than a minute. The beer looked, smelled, and nearly tasted like a tall glass of bourbon, which is good news for some bourbon beer lovers.