History
We find ourselves inspired daily by the masterful blenders that work their craft amongst the wine and spirit industries. We study their craft to glean their secrets, and weave their teachings into all that we do here at the barrel house in Cascade Locks. We’ve been blending barrels for over a decade now, and have learned much along the way. While there are many ways to approach a blend, our ethos can usually be distilled down to one driving goal - to create an exceptional, complex, and seamless beer, whose sum is greater than its parts.
pFriem’s 2025 Blender’s Reserve is a blended beer, comprised of our best beers and finest barrels that we’ve sampled throughout the year. When sampling for other blending projects, we occasionally come across exceptional barrels. We mark those, set them aside and wait for the right project to come along. This is that project. A blend of only 3 of our finest casks.
- 32% Barleywine 11 months in Bourbon Barrels
- 36% Imperial Brown Ale 10 months in Vermouth Barrels
- 32% Imperial Stout 13 months in Bourbon Barrels
Tasting Notes
Pours the color of dark mahogany wood, with rosy copper hues hugging the curve of the glass, underneath a creamy mocha crown of foam. Aromas of bruleed sugar and caramelized fig are followed by sticky molasses and oak driven vanilla. Sipping reveals a complex tapestry of brown sugar, milk chocolate and burnt sugars weaving across the palette. Dried fruits and warming spirits cling to the tastebuds for a long and satisfying finish.
Food Pairings
Grilled romaine caesar salad, charred broccolini, and hatch chili cornbread with honey butter for starters. Slow cooked Tex-ish barbeque from our friends at Grasslands such as their smoked brisket, beef cheek, or pork belly burnt ends. Nutty cheeses like aged parm or colby, or buttery options like brie or a mature gouda would complement the woody caramel notes of the beer. For dessert, try pecan pie with a bourbon caramel drizzle and a side of vanilla bean ice cream.
