Three Matts' Barrel-Aged Reserve Blend (2019)
Fremont Brewing Company

Cellared 5 years. Opaque black body with a beige cap that slowly fades away. Smells of bourbon backed old leather and tobacco with toasted caramel and date hints. Taste has a prune and tobacco combo right away, then the full barrel with leather, light dry dark yeast, mild caramel, smoked date, earth and a whisper of licorice as it warms. Feel is lighter than expected by more thick than thin, velvet smooth with plenty of booze though I admit the finish is a bit flat even for the style but not to the point of ruin

Bottled on 2/2/2019; consumed on 3/11/2023

Pours a deep, coal-black body capped with two fingers of densely soapy, khaki-hued foam; solid head retention leaves a near-blank surface, slight, temporary ring of collar, and minimal-no lacing holding with any longevity to the walls of the glass.

Aromas of raw dark cacao settle to dark cherry and smoked licorice undertones, with a bevy of red fruits contrasting ample char and barrel tannins while hints of leather and caramel linger.

Taste offers dark cherry tobacco and baked fig upfront, with accents of leather sweetened with cocoa char over the mid-palate as smoked caramel fades through spent bourbon barrel on the back end of the profile.

Mouthfeel brings a medium body and lower-end carbonation, levying a level char expanse across balanced bittering and slick undertones before fading to a moderately dry and warming finish.

A cohesive blend seeing through an effective harmony of rampant char tempered to rich bittersweetness and detailed red fruit accentuation; exceptional variation of tone and texture on display.

 

 

very dark appearance with slight off white head. Aroma is a slightly sweet malt with a touch of bourbon. Taste is also a slightly sweet malt with a touch of bourbon and some alcohol bite that can be eliminated with a little aging.