Bourbon Barrel Stout

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Bourbon Barrel Stout

Unread postby bourbonv » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:37 pm

This morning's Courier-Journal had an article in its Business Section about the Bluegrass Brewing Co. microbrewery teaming up with the Zoellers to make a bourbon barrel aged stout using emptied Jefferson Reserve Barrels. The BBC has done a bourbon barrel stout in the past but this is the first joint venture with a distiller.

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Unread postby Mike » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:07 pm

Sounds interesting! I have heard of bourbon barrel aged beers but have never had one. Have you had one of these beers from previous productions? If you have the inclination, try one and let us know what you think.

I know this is a bourbon site, and I appreciate that, but I wish we had a few more peeps interested in beer. The variety and quality of beer available today is astounding.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
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Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:30 pm

I have had the BBC Bourbon Barrel Stout in the past and quite enjoyed it. I have not seen any lately but when this new batch hits the market, I will see about doing a review.

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Unread postby dale3mike » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:03 pm

Mike,

I had a Bourbon barrel stout out of the beer engine at Richo's, about four years ago. I don't think it was from BBC, although I could be wrong. What I do remember is that it was very good, and after seeing this article in the C-J, I am looking forward to sampling this version.

Gee, do you think the 'radical publican' will have it? :roll:

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Unread postby Morti » Tue May 16, 2006 10:12 pm

I know, I'm very late, but I'm new, so you have no choice but to forgive me. I had a 4 pack of the newest BBC Bourbon Barrel Stout a couple of weeks ago.

Have you ever had a cream stout and thought, "Damn, that was a great desert... it tasted just like chocolate!". This was that stout, minus the chocolate. It was, to me, the perfect stout. Strong... robust... no overpowering taste of coco. It was very rich and creamy, just a hint of sweet, not coco.

I reccomend it to the espresso drinkers of the world.

-Your Sick Uncle Morti.
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Unread postby Virginia Gentleman » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:24 pm

The Old Dominion Brewery in Ashburn, VA makes an Oak Barrel Stout that is outstanding. They get there barrels from Virginia Gentleman. It comes in bottles and on draught. The draught is only available at the brewery pub.

http://www.olddominion.com/pg/ales

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Unread postby Oregone » Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:17 pm

Full Sail Brewery, in Oregon, put out a bourbon-barrel Imperial Stout (or did they call it an Imperial Porter?). At any rate, very rich, very dark, pretty strong and the bourbon actually adds a fairly subtle sweetness.

Allagash, from NE, did a take on a Belgian ale that spent time in bourbon barrels, but it was a very limited run, I think.
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Unread postby Mike » Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:02 pm

Well, Oregone, old buddie, I bet me and you could work out a deal to exchange a bit of Old Charter 12 YO for some BB Imperial Stout (I like a lot of Imperial Stouts with which I am familiar........Old Rasputin being one and Old Bert Grant made a good one too). Send me a P.M. and let's do some busyness!
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
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Unread postby cowdery » Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:49 am

I'm new to this thread but took a look because I have very much enjoyed every bourbon barrel stout I have had, and don't see them nearly often enough.

But I had to laugh about Mike's original post in this thread. Jefferson's Reserve barrels? I hope the barrels aren't as illusory as Zoeller's claimed "McLain & Kyne Distillery."

Actually, after just now glancing at their web site, they seem to have backed off the BS somewhat.
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Unread postby gillmang » Fri Sep 01, 2006 3:18 pm

I like to add a shot of bourbon to a good stout. Doesn't do the beer any harm and while not exposed to the wood (which may not be a bad thing as too much tannin can hurt beer) it would be difficult for many (certainly me) to distinguish the difference bewteen this and a true bourbon barrel stout.

The Guinness Extra Stout sold in U.S. supermarkets is useful for this. It is actually brewed in Canada (as careful label inspection will disclose). I don't mean the canned and shaped bottle "draft" but the older, Extra Stout version of Guinness which is still sold in Publix and similar. It's pretty good on its own but try adding a shot of rich bourbon and mix well (this is important).

It's not bourbon barrel stout strictly speaking but essentially the same thing.

For a richer effect, use say Sierra Nevada Stout, or any micro Imperial Stout (say, Perkumo's Hammer, a personal favourite, or Rogue's Imperial Russian Stout). By the way I certainly like well-flavored beers but not for "session" drinking. Beer should be balanced for that in my view. I find too if a beer is unpasteurised and fresh it gains pleasings natural flavors just from that: you don't have to load it down with mucho hops and alcohol. But I can sip Old Foghorn too, just not too much. Something about the beer ethos seems to demand quanity though (in reasonable measure, or am I contradicting myself?:)).

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Unread postby Mike » Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:17 pm

I just had my first bourbon barrel stout (an imperial stout, to be exact) from Oregon. This was courtesy of Oregone...........I sent him some Old Charter 12 YO bourbon and he sent me some Oregon beers. My friend George and I tried tha Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout. For those of you who don't know, Imperial Stout is a beer that was originally brewed by the English for the Imperial Russian family and was noticably higher in alcohol and had a unique estery (I wish I could describe the taste a bit better than estery........it is not malty sweet, yet it is sweet in its own way........a complex sweetness) taste that is attention getting in an organic sweet combination.

I waited (because the bottle Oregone sent was 22 ounces) until I could share it with my best drinking buddie. First of all, because I don't won't to take on 22 ozs of 10.5% beer myself and, secondly, because I want another trusted beer palate to help me put it in the proper beer context, and thirdly (and most importantly) I want to share a good thing.

Well, we drank the beer this afternoon and it was very, very, good. It was quite malty (as expected) and had the Imperial Stout estery complex that I like so much. There was the slightest hint of bourboness there that might have gone undetected if I had not known from the label that bourbon barrels were in the mix.

Many, if not most, 10.5% alcohol beers have an alcohol presence..........this had none. It was very smooth, robust in the stout sharpness and bitter qualities that offset the malt sweetness, but no alcohol. It was a bit chocolaty in its favor and my friend pointed out that it was also like good coffee in its bittersweet richness.

A great beer in our estimation. We went on to drink a few beers of various types afterward, but none compared to the taste of Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout..........rich, complex, tasty...................goood!!
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
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Unread postby Oregone » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:29 am

I think the FS Imperial Stout showed a little more bourbon character when it was first released. Even then, though, it just added a sort of mysterious difference to the malty sweetness. I've had a few bourbon-barrel beers where the bourbon completely dominated the beer, and I think this result is much better.

But, really, out here in Oregon we consider a 22 oz bottle of 10% beer to be a nice aperitif. Then we get out the big bottles.

8-)
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Unread postby shaggy » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:09 pm

I love the Bourbon beers and have tried several. All of which are different, but I like them all. I tried the BBC Bourbon Stout in Louisville and it was very dark, but also rich and creamy. It tasted a lot like chocolate and was very filling. I get the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale quite often in Lexington. It is more of an red ale. It is not nearly as rich and creamy as the BBC but it is a good drink off the tap serverd in a brandy snifter. You can find it on Tap at Pazzo's Pizza Pub, Billy's BBQ, Mellow Mushroom, and buy growlers at select Liquor Barn Delis. I have also tried a Winterfest Bourbon Ale. I had it last weekend at Marikkas Pub in Lexington. I am unsure what compnay makes this brew. As for darkness it was in the middle of the BBC and Kentucky Ale. It was sweet and smooth. It had more caramel, honey, vanilla and cinnamon flavors. I really like the individual characteristics of each of these beers and would encourage any bourbon loving beer drinker to try them if you have the opportunity!
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