Red Baron (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
Lucky Labrador Brewing Company

An 11 oz. pour to follow a filling Italian grinder at the 'new' Lucky Lab on N Killingsworth. I overheard that this would be the last Red Baron keg 'for a while'.

A: Ruby-tinged dark auburn, almost clear when held to light. Minimal head, but a lasting cluster of bubbly, light tan cream and sturdy, hugging ring. Sheeting lace that disintegrates as it falls, leaving rippling bands and smaller flecks.

S: An alcohol tickle inside a fruity (grape, citrus) sweetness. Grainy malts, plenty of caramel and and bit of brown sugar. Strong, but not overly complicated.

T: This may have started as a Red Ale, but now we've reached Strong Ale territory. Hop bitterness falls by the wayside at times, as sticky malts, bright and slightly tangy fruits (everything from grapefruit and orange to grape and cherry), and grassy-green spiciness are allowed to move to the forefront. Pleasant woodsy/'barrel' brings a fair spice and booziness. Nicely balanced, I suppose.

M: A smoldering mouthfeel, every bit of a near-10% abv shows. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, but does overshadows creamy and smooth-as-velvet feel.

D: Moderately easy to drink, though a sipper at this strength. Take equal parts water and beer to quell the effects of higher alcohol and hotter woody notes. Certainly try-worthy, though not a 'must' beer.

A friend in Portland shipped this to me and I had to drink it within a few days. The bottle was hand-labeled "Red Baron" over a "do not drink during pregnancy" warning label. Kind of funny.

I found the Baron to be very expressive. It was dark amber in color and poured smooth. Body was balanced and bright. Toasty with undertones of sweetness/richness-Oak? Vanilla?

I let the beer warm up while I sauteed some Padron peppers to munch; the peppers went great with the colder Baron. Once the beer warmed up it showed depth and was more intense. It got sweeter and richer and the subtle nuances of vanilla really came out. On it's own, drink it when it's not so cold.

Overall, a great, complex amber. Send more!

On-Tap @ Lucky Lab Beer Hall poured into Shaker glass.

Pours a slightly murky deep copper color with thin off-white head that leaves a nice medium-sized ring around the glass through the drink. The aroma is vanilla, oak and some sweet malt but the bourbon is definitely pronounce. The flavor is malt forward with some oak, vanilla and earthy hops in the background. Its medium bodied with a nice amount of carbonation. I really like this stuff once it warms up. When it is cold the bourbon overwhelms all the other flavors.