Sign of the Wolf
Fort George Brewery + Public House

 

 

It's not pretty, but the toasted caramel appearance is appropriate, comforting, warming. There's no perfect clarity, if anything, it's rustic, primitive even. But beautiful. Amber highlights shimmer around the edges, with oranges and reds blending into that walnut brown, like the turning fall leaves of our deciduous friends. A thin lightly tanned foam disappears almost immediately giving no option but to look at the still liquid itself.

For a beer that's aged in Cognac and Bourbon barrels, you'd expect an explosion of aromas. In fact, it's rather subtle. An almost sweet and sour approach in my opinion. Dried cherries and golden raisins dance around light brown sugar and clean wooden barrels. Everything is encompassed by just a touch of dessert spices, and though this is not old by any means, there is a touch of oxidation like must lingering around the surface.

The first sip suggests a citric inspired marmalade. Orange and lime are quickly overcome by cherrywood, nutmeg, and raisin. A mild tartness comes though in the form of red grapeskins, and the wood of the barrels linger long in the finish.

Hardly a knock, but it's a bit thin. Other than that, this has it all. Sweet, tart, bitter, woody, dry, crisp, slick. The elevated abv is virtually, and dangerously, undetectable. The barrel influence is well detected, but compliments rather than overpowers throughout.

Another fantastic offering from Fort George's Sweet Virginia Series. To be honest, I am not sure if this would benefit from age or not. It's already wonderfully smooth and I doubt any richness will develop. My only regret was not buying more than one. Cheers.

 

 

 

Really... really refined barleywine brew
Cognac and whiskey barrel aged. Big, dynamic head.. slow, steady, diesel carbonation... this ale has seen some times fermenting open and closed. deep deep deep oak and wood flavors mingle and combine so so so well over the malty biscuit and maple and apple and pear and cherry. Bready, fall spice vaguely. Cinnamon and vanilla swirl. An elegantly dry, almost smokey lick tidies up the almost cacao like back end, and this english inspired, PNW Imbued masterpiece twists on a dime like the last smoke of a harvest time bonfire, leaving only haunting swirls behind

Growler; poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque in the glass with a thin khaki head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of biscuit and lightly caramel malt, dates, raisins, a little dried plum and bourbon; nice English barleywine profile. Flavor follows with this same profile of malt and fruit, but with a little vinous note in the finish, a little hot. Medium bodied with light creaminess. A spot English barleywine in the aroma and initial taste, with really excellent malt and dried fruit flavors. A little wine tartness in the finish is not to style, but fitting for the barrel sequence used here. Very nicely done and tastes exactly as presented. A little boozy as expected for the robust ABV. I'd probably rate this a little higher, except I'd personally rather have deeper malt notes in the finish instead of the wine barrel treatment. Still one of the better barleywines I've had. Hope this sees bottles some time; I'd age this one.