Weyerbacher - Whiskey Barrel Aged

“Whiskey Barrel Aged” is a big, dark, malty Brown Ale aged in whiskey barrels. It comes in at 9.0% ABV and 27 IBU. We used a blend of six different malts to give this one notes of sweet dried fruits. The beer was then aged in whiskey barrels to impart big flavors of vanilla, oak, and whiskey. As with all of our Brewers’ Select Series, there is only a limited run of 12 oz bottles available exclusively in the Weyerbacher Visitors Center and the rest of the beer is kegged and sent into the market for select bars and restaurants. Whiskey Barrel Aged is a once-and-done beer like the rest of them. A Lesson in Labels and Names We sometimes forget, as brewers, that there are lots of questions our loyal imbibers may have with regard to why some things are the way they are on a given label. To those that have done this for a long time, it’s just business… get the labels approved so everyone can get the beer! But as a reasonably new person in the brewing industry, I often wonder what else goes into it. I’ve overheard hours of debate about the new labels as we transition the core brands and the rest of the seasonals. I’ve heard some of the roadblocks and the debates about the challenges to overcome. This beer presented me with an opportunity to understand a bit more about the seemingly crazy label process and this post gave me an opportunity to pull back the curtain for you… just a bit. The phonetic letter for “W” in the NATO alphabet is Whiskey. This should be no surprise…. nor should it be a surprise to see that it would be difficult to name a beer after another form of alcohol. It is also no secret that getting a label approved with the feds can be a bit tricky if you have to convey a point and stick within a theme which, in theory, runs against the guidelines for label approval. We thought it would be difficult to figure out how to make a beer called “Whiskey” but we were delighted to receive prompt approval for the name “Whiskey Barrel Aged”. What we really didn’t count on was how hard it is to explain this quirk of labels to the public. So, herein, we will attempt to set the record straight on what “Whiskey Barrel Aged Ale Aged in Whiskey Barrels” really means and why it is worded like that. The federal government’s label rules state that your labels must meet many criteria. With this label we had a significant challenge to overcome: Use the word “Whiskey” in the actual name of the beer yet still clearly indicate that it is a BEER and not if fact a WHISKEY. There is a requirement to specifically indicate what the product actually is; words like “Ale” and “Lager” and “Stout” are all accepted names for forms of beer. Well, Whiskey clearly isn’t. This is where the “fanciful name” and “statement of process” come in. A “fanciful name” can be nearly anything so we decided to describe what the beer is AS its name. We then indicate what it is (ALE) and then follow that up with a “statement of process”. As you look at the label, it says: Whiskey Barrel Aged ALE AGED IN WHISKEY BARRELS Why does it look like we had a lesson in redundancy from the Department of Redundancy Department? Because the “fanciful name” is “Whiskey Barrel Aged”, a description of what our beer is, however the requirement to further indicate it is in fact a BEER and further describe how the beer differs from others follows explaining how we made the beer as the “statement of process”. Here’s where it gets tricky: The word “Ale” in this case, can NOT be a part of the “fanciful name”… hence why the name seems to be a an abruptly ended sentence without a subject. Confused yet? Me, too. SO, ON THAT NOTE: We bring to you the 23rd installment in our brewers’ Select Series: Whiskey (barrel aged).


The ABV is 9.0 and the IBU rating is 27
Style - American Brown Ale
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Tumbler, Mug or Stein
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a brown color with a tan head.  Minimal lacing.
Aroma - Up front you get a bit of bourbon mixed with malt notes and vanilla and coconut. 
Taste - Malty, sweet, oak tannins, bourbon and vanilla.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body.
Drinkable - Not as much "in your face" bourbon like some of the whiskey barrel aged stouts that are on the market today.  I would classify this as a "starter" brew for someone who would like to try a whiskey barrel aged beer.  This is a hard beer to find since it is only available at the brewery in Easton, PA.  Lucky for me it's only 90 minutes away.  (Don't tell anyone I got this one in a bottle store in Philly).

This beer pairs very with cheese and chocolate.  Can be enjoy with grilled meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+
BeerAdvocate Rating =88
Ratebeer Rating =97

Maine Beer Co - Mean Old Tom

Our American-style stout aged on organic vanilla beans.  Intense notes of coffee and dark chocolate lead way to subtle notes of natural vanilla.  Flaked oats generate a silky mouth-feel.

Malt – American 2-Row, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Midnight Wheat, Caramel 40L, Flaked Oats
Hops – US Magnum, Centennial
O.G. – 1.067

The ABV is 6.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Stout
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Tumbler, Mug or Stein
Delivery 500ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a very dark brown with a tan head.  Some lacing.
Aroma - Heavy on the roasted  malts, slight spice scent I'm thinking coco NOT vanilla. 
Taste - Roasted malts just like the nose, dark coffee, .
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body.
Drinkable - It's been awhile since I've had an American Stout.  This one is true to the style. I did not notice any vanilla hints in the nose or taste.  Sad, I was looking forward to see what vanilla adds to the style.

This beer pairs very with cheese and desserts.  Can be enjoy with most meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B
BeerAdvocate Rating =86
Ratebeer Rating =98

Dogfish Head - WorldWideStout (2006)

Dark, rich, roasty and complex, World Wide Stout has more in common with a fine port than a can of cheap, mass-marketed beer. Brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley. Have one with (or as!) dessert tonight.

2001 - (18%) displays the unaltered words "Vim and Vigor" on the label and with gold cap.

2002 - (23%) "Vim and Vigor" is crossed out with gold cap.

2003 - (18.8%). No "Vim and Vigor" present, gold cap.

2004 - (20%) Bright yellow cap, no date stamp.

2005 - Bright yellow cap, date stamp

2006 - Dark green cap, date stamp

2007 - Yellowish-green cap, date stamp

2008 - Yellowish-green cap, date stamp

2009 - (18%) Yellowish-green cap, date stamp
2010 - (18%) Yellowish-green cap, date stamp
 

World Wide Stout is one of the world’s strongest dark beers. It is brewed using six different yeast strains over seven months and then aged for half a year. World Wide Stout  is released in early winter with very limited availability.

This post is for the Nov 2006 vintage.  Look in this blog for the 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2009 vintage.

The ABV is 20.0 and the IBU rating is 70
Style - Imperial Stout
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Dark brown almost black in color and a no head.  Clear coat lacing.
Aroma - Slightly peaty nose up front but no noticeable after it warms up.  Molasses, plum and raisins and chocolate. 
Taste - Coffee, bitter chocolate, boozy, dark fruits, some vanilla and a slight peat taste.
Mouth Feel - No to very little carbonation, full body. Smooth finish.
Drinkable - This WWS bottle did not age as well as others I have had. It was still a great brew.  Got much better as it warmed up, which is typical. 

This beer pairs very with cheese and desserts.  But enjoy it as an after dinner drink if you can find an old bottle.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating =100

Dogfish Head - 120 Minute IPA (2007)

Too extreme to be called beer? Brewed to a colossal 45°P, boiled for a full 2 hours while being continually hopped with high alpha American hops, dry-hopped every day in a fermenter for a month, and aged for a month on whole leaf hops, 120 Minute IPA is by far the strongest IPA ever brewed. And at 18% ABV and 120 IBU’s, you can see why they call this the Holy Grail for Hopheads.

This review id for the 2007 vintage.  To see other 120 Minute IPA reviews, click the dates 2008, 2003 

The ABV is 18.0 (20.0) and the IBU rating is 120
Style - Imperial IPA
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy copper color with a tan head that vanishes. Good lacing.
Aroma - Boozy, dark fruit like plum, dates and cherry. Also some orange and caramel. Complex sweetness.
Taste -  Wow! Very sweet, dark fruits same as the nose. 
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation, syrupy.  Full bodied and a some alcohol burn.
Drinkable - Another well aged 120 minute brew. It is a sugar bomb though.  Very similar to the 2008  I had earlier this year.(Check the review, click on the link above)

This beer pairs well with bread and cheese.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =87
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Koningshoeven - Dubbel (2010)

Beer Brewery de Koningshoeven, the only Trappist brewery in The Netherlands!  Koningshoeven is also know as La Trappe in the states.  Worldwide, only seven Trappist beers remain. Six of these come from Belgium, one comes from The Netherlands, and that is La Trappe. The beer can only be called a ‘Trappist beer’ if it is brewed at a Trappist monastery under the supervision and responsibility of the monks. 

The dubbel is an authentic Trappist beer with a deep red-brown colour. Through the use of a.o. caramel malt, it has a soft aromatic, caramel-like character. A little bit sweet in taste with a fresh aftertaste.

The ABV is 7.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Dubbel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pour dark brown color with a small tan head that dissipates. some lacing.
Aroma - Not much up front, as it warms a nice sweet nose appears, some spices (coriander), brown sugar.
Taste - Mostly sweet, a mixture of molasses and brown sugar.
Mouth Feel -  Medium carbonation, medium body. 
Drinkable - Aged much better than the tripel, could have aged another year or two.  No over the top fizz that's typical for a Belgium brew.  Does have a traditional yeasty Belgium backbone. 

This beer pairs well with Mediterranean food, cheese and meat.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =88
Ratebeer Rating = 94

Koningshoeven - Tripel (2010)

Beer Brewery de Koningshoeven, the only Trappist brewery in The Netherlands!  Koningshoeven is also know as La Trappe in the states.  Worldwide, only seven Trappist beers remain. Six of these come from Belgium, one comes from The Netherlands, and that is La Trappe. The beer can only be called a ‘Trappist beer’ if it is brewed at a Trappist monastery under the supervision and responsibility of the monks. 

The tripel is a special and powerful Trappist. Including the use of coriander owes it its spicy character. Golden in color with a fruity, bittersweet taste

This is from the same case I reviewed back in 2010, click here for the link.

The ABV is 8.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Tripel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pour dark orange color with a small tan head that dissipates. Good lacing.
Aroma - Fruits, sweet, some spices as it warms up (coriander), caramel and brown sugar.
Taste - Not as prevalent and the nose, orange is dominate characteristic, sweet, a mixture of caramel and brown sugar.
Mouth Feel -  Medium carbonation, medium body. smooth and a bit sticky. 
Drinkable - Much sweeter than a usually Belgium tripel. I like how it aged, though I think I opened it at the right time.  This bottle has just a hint of a peaty aroma from the aging.  No over the top fizz that's typical for a Belgium brew.  Does have a traditional yeasty Belgium backbone. 

This beer pairs well with Mediterranean food, cheese and meat.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =87
Ratebeer Rating = 95

Uerige - Doppelsticke (2011)

Since 2005, UERIGE has been brewing a special extra strong beer for the US market. DoppelSticke has an astonishing 8.5% abv and yet there’s no mistaking its taste: Dat is dat leckere Dröppke, as they say (that is the delicious droplet).

After the ‘gigantic herbal aroma of hops’ (Michael Jackson) that surprises the palate at the first tasting, aromatic sensations follow midway: caramelized sugar, malt and herbs, rich nuances of dark chocolate and rum, rounded off with a smooth and shimmering finish.

Apart from being sold in the USA, this rarity can only be obtained at our STICKUM bar – that is, if we have it in store. This beer also has a guaranteed minimum storage period of four weeks, but true aficionados take this to be a mere suggestion – they swear by storing their DoppelSticke in the cellar for another whole year. But then...!

The ABV is 8.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - DoppelSticke
Glass to use- Pilsener Glass, Mug or Stein
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy dark brown with a tan head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Molasses, a touch of brown sugar, some peat.
Taste -  Caramel, toffee, some dark fruits as it warms up, hints of chocolate.
Mouth Feel - Medium body and carbonation, very smooth.
Drinkable - I should have opened this as soon as I purchased the bottle.  The reported hoppy taste is non-existent. I will need to try a fresh bottle. The alcohol is very well hidden.  The peat or leather aroma is from aging, but it is not that strong.  Still a nice brew.

This beer pairs well with pungent cheese and grilled meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B.
BeerAdvocate Rating =92
Ratebeer Rating = 98

Weißenoher - Bonator (2011)

Liquid does not break fasting - fasting rule was in the days of the Benedictine monks in Weissenohe.

We have for you, in this tradition, our strong brewed Bonator as dark Doppelbock, physical and spiritual refreshment in the "dignitaries" time.

Here's a little anecdote to smile: As the Benedictine monks feasted in the more austere Lent Bock brewed beers, it aroused the envy of other religious communities, who complained about the Pope in Rome, that the Benedictine Bock beers with their non-fasting, but feasting. The Benedictines sent upon a complaint by a barrel of Bock beer to Rome by the pope himself free, and decide to leave. Because it's your beer and durability at the time in the Middle Ages weeks and months of traveling from Bavaria to Rome knew you did not do so without ulterior motives. Because the beer was spoiled sent as expected, so unpalatable sour in Rome. Whereupon the Pope after a careful cost did the saying: "Those who drink such a beer Ghastly, is a true penitent." This repented the Benedictine love to continue and fasted with (fresh) bock beer.

Of course, we drank the beer, not only because of alcohol. Beer contains many minerals, vitamins, and sugar in open-minded so easily usable form. The monks did as they were well versed in health and medical contexts that beer prevents deficiency symptoms. Thus was the first beer a fast food supplements (as we would now call it) in the diet of mankind.

The ABV is 8.2 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Doppel Bock
Glass to use- Pilsener Glass, Mug or Stein
Delivery 500ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy dark amber with a tan head. Good lacing. Chucks of yeast settle on the bottle of the glass.
Aroma - Malts, molasses and a touch of brown sugar, a bit yeasty.
Taste -  Malty, wheat bread, dark fruits start to come through as the brew warms up.
Mouth Feel - Medium body and carbonation, very smooth.
Drinkable - A very nice traditional German Doppel Bock. I should have opened this 6 months ago but it is still good.  I will need to try a fresh bottle. 

This beer pairs well with goulash, Schäuferle, roast, savory snacks and rich game dishes.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B.
BeerAdvocate Rating =87
Ratebeer Rating = 90

Brooklyn Brewery - Monster Ale (2010)

Brooklyn Monster Ale is a classic barley wine, a style of ale originally brewed by the butlers to the English and American aristocracy. It is brewed from three mashes of heirloom British malt and spiced with aromatic American Willamette, Cascade and Fuggle hops. After four months of aging, it has a magnificent burnished copper color, an aroma redolent of sherry, citrusy hops and fruit, a soft, warming, complex palate, a spiritous finish, and a strength of 10.3%. It is vivacious when young, but will age gracefully for many years, becoming more complex over time.


The ABV is 10.8 and the IBU rating is 47
Style - Barley Wine
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Snifter or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark amber color with a head tan head appears. Good lacing.
Aroma - Up front are plums, figs a bit of orange, and other dark fruit and malts.
Taste -  Malts, caramel, not really tasting any fruits.  Slightly hoppy after taste.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and full body. Very smooth.
Drinkable - One of the best Monster Ales I have had, given that they had not been aged.  The alcohol is in your face, which is not a bad thing. I like the nose, very complete but I am slightly disappointed with the overall taste.  But I will get over it, try one for yourself.  I have several other vintages in the cellar including; 4-pack 2011, 2009 and a 2007.

This beer pairs well with cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B.
BeerAdvocate Rating =84
Ratebeer Rating =95