Barrel Aged Sure Shot
Peace Tree Brewing Co.

super unconventional, but maybe my favorite beer we had in here when we visited this awesome brewery in des moines. this is a pretty classically styled kolsch, but the twist is that its aged in local cedar ridge whiskey barrels, one of my favorite distilleries out there! its cool to have such a light beer go into the barrel, i think it showcases the spirit more than something heavier, and here we get a ton of nuance from the oak, its like liquid lumber in the nose, odd for such a pale a clear brew, hints of white wine and vanilla too even before the whiskey elements come in. it must not have spent a ton of time in there, because while the barrel character is very robust, the base beer has not lost its identity to it, and it smells and tastes very fresh to me, still german yeasty and still crisp and vibrant, smartly done for sure. i get some sweetness from the whiskey, subtle maple and char, a neat counterbalance to the minerality and brightness of the kolsch, but super cohesive all together. there is a cool richness to this as well, yet the beer remains incredibly drinkable. i really thought this was awesome, a cool idea to put a beer like this into a barrel, and to use the cedar ridge whiskey just makes it for me. loved this one!