‘Tis the Season for Distiller Barrel Aged Beer

As we transition into the colder months, our seasonal offerings also shift to commemorate this time of year. Fire up the wood stove and enjoy the robust, bold distiller barrel aged beers we have to offer.  

Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Inspired by brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volume and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced, to aggressive.

We take our Imperial Stout and put it into a mix of Blantons, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, and Buffalo Trace barrels and age it for one year. Over the course of these twelve months, the beautiful tannins of the oak and bourbon seep into the beer. We then blend the aged beer from the different barrels with some young stout for the roundest, softest, most decadent yet most complex Bourbon Stout we've ever offered." 

 

Maple Syrup Barrel Aged Smoked Porter

Before kiln drying dominated malted grain, all malts were dried by sun or open wood flame or a combination of the two. The open flame from would impart a rich smoky flavor to the beer.

Beginning in the 18th century, kiln drying of malt became progressively more common and, by the mid-19th century, had become the near-universal method for drying malted grain. Since the kiln method shunts the smoke away from the wet malt, a smoky flavor is not imparted to the grain, nor to the subsequent beer. Thus, smoke flavor in beer became less and less common, and eventually disappeared almost entirely from the brewing world.

Certain breweries, however, maintained the smoked beer tradition by continuing to use malt that had been dried over open flames. Two brewpubs in Bamberg, Germany- Schlenkerla and Spezial—have continued smoked beer production for nearly two centuries. As craft beer has grown in the United States, so has interest in rauch (smoked) malt, and it wasn’t long before American brewers began experimenting. Thus, the American Smoked Porter was born. A distant relative to their German counterparts, these beers often balance smoke with a subtle sweetness and flavors of dark chocolate and are often barrel aged. In this case, we’ve used a barrel that was first used for bourbon, then for maple syrup, and finally for our Smoked Porter. The result is a cozy delight to the senses, like eating pancakes in a Vermont cabin, while coffee brews on the wood-fired stove. 

 

Scotch Barrel Aged Imperial Brown

An Imperial Brown Ale lives in a similar realm as an Imperial Stout, but more malt focused, full, strong, and balanced. We use heritage malt varieties such as Marris Otter and Golden Promise to drive this complex and luscious beer. We then take this round beer and age it for one year in barrels that previously housed Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. These Scotch Whiskey barrels had an additional life before the Scotch where they were home to Sherry from Spain. We hope you enjoy this alluring beer that is complex and dynamic.

Rum Barrel Aged Porter

Common porter was the dominant brew in England during the cusp of the 18th and 19th centuries, bringing rock-star fortunes to the beer barons of London and great beer to a global clientele. Porter was sent to the East Indies well before India pale ale, and it was just as revered in the Baltic regions as it was at home.

The heartiest forms of the style survive today as Baltic and imperial porters. These two porter progeny represent a harkening to British maritime roots as well as a Continental modification. Siblings to the more famous imperial stouts, the strong porters became templates for brewers in Scandinavia, Russia and Poland and adapted to local brewing practices and preferences. Some versions are bottom-fermented, others top, and they range from malty brown to roasty black. They are malty, full, and round on the palate.

We age our pFriem Imperial Porter in Caribbean Rum barrels for one year. Over the course of the twelve months, the beautiful tannins of the oak and Rum seep into the porter. The result is a luscious, round, and captivating beer.

 

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