Bourbon Barrel Aged Old No. 55
Marshall Wharf Brewing Company / Three Tides Restaurant

 

 

 

 

Shared with Alex. Big thanks to beerworld for generously sending this our way.

A - Dark brown beer with some red on the edges. A bit of tan head that rose up and left some lace and spots on the sides.

S - Oak and earth notes with some nice caramel, brown sugar, a little nuttyness. There's some very mellow bourbon, this beer is exceptionally smooth. Some moderate roast, little bit of smoke. Was hoping for something like BB4D and the nose is a pretty solid start.

T - There's nothing wrong with the taste on this, but it's a bit of a let down. It's so incredibly smoothed out that it's actually too smooth, and needed something to give it a bit of a kick. Makes me think of drinking a mild chocolate milk. Little bit of oak, some wood, smoke. No trace of alcohol. Fine, but boring.

M - Medium bodied, very smooth.

O - This was very well made, and gives me interest in trying Marshall Wharf's other brews. Was lacking in distinct and sharp flavors oddly enough, but it's a very nice and highly drinkable old ale.

Thanks to Mike for sharing this one. Another beer and brewery of which I'd never heard. Bottle #239, dated 12-17-10. A blend of 50% barrel-aged old ale from 2008, and 50% fresh "old" ale. Served in a Russian River tulip.

A - A half-finger of tan foam settles to a wispy, thin cap, slightly thicker collar, and many tiny spots of lace. Dark brown body with some reddish transparency.

S - You can tell that this (or at least some of it) was in barrels for a long time - lots of sharp oak and earthy character rather than over bourbon, although there's still some whiskey present. There's also the faintest sharp acetone note that I get from occasional barrel-aged beers (like BA Everett). Very mellow, with notes of chocolate, brown sugar, a bit of smoke and leather, and a touch of oxidation.

T - The taste is pleasant too, but lacks oomph. There's a bit more oxidation present, obscuring the milk chocolate, smoke, char, and wood flavors. Finishes with some mild oak bite after mostly caramel mid-palate. Super mellow, with no alcohol but unfortunately not enough flavor too.

M - Medium body that seems about right for 8%. Chewy, and a bit sticky, with some tannic dryness in the finish. Low, but sufficient, carbonation for the style.

D - Extremely drinkable, particularly for a barrel-aged old ale, but ultimately lacking in strong or memorable flavors. I'm curious if this was better ten months ago, or if it was extremely subtle from the beginning. In any case, I'd like to try more Marshall Wharf offerings in the future.

From notes. Pours chestnut brown, or a hair darker, with modest short lived tan head. Activity is evident early, but dissipates quickly. Backlight reveals good clarity with red/orange highlights. Thin film remains for a while, and only spotty lacing is left upon head recession.

The oak bourbon barrel is prominent in the nose up front. Aside from that it is boozy but not quite hot, malty sweet, and just a hint roasty. Faintly discernible floral hops are unfortunately buried early in the sample. As time passes, and I nurse the nectar, the hops shine brighter. It's a nice aroma, I like it very much. But the oak and bourbon are so strong that it wouldn't be quite honest to call it balanced.

Much like in the nose, the oak and bourbon take the lead in the taste. If memory serves me correctly, the regular version of 55 has more hop character. The hops are hard to find at first, but I do get some light floral and vaguely fruity hop flavors, despite the dominant (and enjoyable) oak and bourbon. It also has a low level layer of roastyness, and is somehow kind of chocolaty malty sweet ase well. I can taste the booze, but it is not strong. Or is that just the bourbon barrel? ... It just keeps getting better with each sip. The hops are coming through more clearly and with a little more strength now. The eclectic mix of flavors and layers are coming together with great synergy. I'm so glad that half or more of the bottle remains...There is some very light roasty bitterness toward the finish.

Low but adequate carbonation, med/strong alcoholic warming sensation, full body, medium viscosity and a barely bitter finish.

Upon opening the bourbon barrel and oak dominated, and finding other elements took effort. But within a few minutes the other influences emerged, if still somewhat in the background, resulting in a uniquely complex and flavorful special treat. And to the extent that some may find the barrel aging elements to be too strong, at least fair warning is given in the name and description. This isn't one of those chocolate or coffee (or whatever ingredient) beers where you can't find the chocolate of coffee.