Barrel Aged Brrrbon '12
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Barrel Aged Brrrbon '12Barrel Aged Brrrbon '12
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From:
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
ABV:
9.4%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 10.26%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
43
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 04, 2018
Added:
Feb 24, 2014
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  18
No description / notes.
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Ratings by biboergosum:
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle, aged in Kentucky Bourbon (are there other kinds?) barrels, and thoughtfully aged for a couple years before being released up here north of 49.

This beer pours a hazy, medium bronzed amber hue, with one finger of weakly puffy, foamy, and bubbly ecru head, which leaves some boiling seascape lace around the glass as it quickly sinks away.

It smells of fruity (of the white wine grape, Poire Williams, and orange Stoli sort) caramel malt, soft grainy barrel notes - astringent wood, dry vanilla, and boozy rye - faint and muddled winter seasonal spices, the only one showing its face being a hint of metallic cinnamon, and a further bit of musty, leafy dryness. The taste is still quite fruity, with some mixed cold melon essences complementing the established orange, grapefruit, and sugary lemon suspects, as well as the underlying bready caramel sweetness, which all seem to hold off the gritty Bluegrass state booze barrel character (wood, spice, vanilla, repeat) with both style, and aplomb, the blended savoury spices still underwhelming in their isolation, but enjoyable all the same.

The carbonation is pretty low-key, the frothiness of the plain and banal variety, the body a decent enough medium weight, and generally smooth, with a slight airy creaminess evolving as it warms. It finishes on the sweet side, but more from fruit than any native caramel malt or barrel-borne incursions.

A surprising version of this venerable American style of brewing, as the barrel character seems to have wilted over the intervening couple of years, ceding its influence to a rather pleasant and engaging fruitiness, one that seems to have zero problem letting the big ABV in the door, but not so much as to cause any real ruckus, y'know? Easy-drinking, tasty, lightly spiced, and warming - what else do you want in a winter bevy?
Jan 06, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by heysuz from Indiana

Oct 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Oct 29, 2017
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.04/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
With a splash of malts and a spice of hops and then a patient maturity from bourbon barrel aging makes the annual hodge-podge of a beer style something kinda magical. As the Widmer Brothers venture into their 2012 version a distinctive bourbon flavor hits home. And now with another half of a decade aged in the bottle, the taste is simply sublime.

Toffee, bourbon and citrus steer the nose toward the glass even as the ale is pouring. Medium mahogany in color, the beer's shy sepia head folds back into the near nearly as quickly as it builds. Its bold malt taste leads with caramel and toffee along with a nuttiness of peanut brittle and nuances of chocolate.

As the sweetness settles on the middle palate, the hop spice resonates with a piney bitterness and the brightness of gently muddled citrus peel. Strong bourbon flavor dominates the late palate with its own caramel, vanilla, oak, char and coconut character. Spicy and boozy, there's a syntheticness to the beer's bourbon character that seems somewhat forced.

Full bodied and sweet from head to tail, the malt centric beer has a sugary maple succulence that hits home for the winter season even while the hop's curacao liquor character rivals for balance. A long bourbony aftertaste simmers long in aftertaste with a candied taste of wurther's originals.
Mar 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Cpmitchno1 from Virginia

Oct 20, 2016
 
Rated: 4.19 by Indiana_Brones from Florida

Sep 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.3 by BeerSnobRobinson from Minnesota

Jun 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by zotzot from Vermont

May 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by IckyT2012 from Florida

May 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Apr 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.06 by ChrisP802 from Vermont

Jan 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by devilfluff from New Jersey

Jan 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.54 by WynnO from Florida

Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 2.76 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.27 by Cramerican from North Dakota

May 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by gouettn from Washington

Apr 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by airpup from Oregon

Mar 31, 2015
 
Rated: 3.43 by Chrispy_Creams from Minnesota

Mar 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by Exeter from Canada (AB)

Mar 03, 2015
Barrel Aged Brrrbon '12 from Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 43 ratings