Disco Beer - Red Chardonnay Barrel-Aged
Evil Twin Brewing

Disco Beer - Red Chardonnay Barrel-AgedDisco Beer - Red Chardonnay Barrel-Aged
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From:
Evil Twin Brewing
 
New York, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 8.45%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
53
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 11, 2022
Added:
Apr 30, 2012
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  5
Special version of our infamous Disco Beer, this time brewed with a slight darker malt profile and aged on Chardonnay red wine barrels instead of the usual white wine barrels.

Red cap.
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Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.44/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Cloudy brown colour, huge off-white head. Sweetish aroma of old jam, malts, herbal hops and oak. The flavour is medium sweet and vinous, notes of raisins and oak.
Jan 11, 2022
 
Rated: 3.42 by thatoneguymike from Georgia

Feb 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by kscaldef from Oregon

Oct 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Kylemif from Oregon

Aug 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by rogerdandy from Canada (AB)

Apr 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Beervana from Canada (BC)

Apr 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Azeotrope from Nebraska

Mar 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by HoppyBastard1 from Pennsylvania

Feb 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jspaner from Maryland

Dec 28, 2013
Photo of JasonLovesBeer
Reviewed by JasonLovesBeer from Canada (BC)

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Well I bought this bottle without much thought (a few months ago) and didn't even pay attention to what style it was until I was opening it tonight. I think that ended up being a wise choice, as I see that many hop-heads have been disappointed by it. I mean, a 10.5% ABV "IPA" has to be a BIG IPA, no?

A: The ruby red body is beautiful though not what you'd expect from anything calling itself an IPA. The head is cream in both colour and texture, thick and healthy. Reduces to a thin coat after a little while.

S: A fruit bowl of sweet, red fruits like plum, cherry, and raspberry. Still an earthy character remains as well a vinous acidity but it is overall quite sweet.

T: Caramel sweetness combined with the cherry and plum that overtakes but doesn't erase the oak, pine, and earthy bitterness that the muted but obviously notable hops presence brings. It's on the sweet side but not at all cloying. Also, this beer's alcohol is ridiculously well hidden and if I am not deliberate about spacing out my sips, the bottle will disappear real quick.

M: Full bodied for what calls itself an IPA and the carbonation is great. Slightly acidic and slightly dry towards the finish.

O: Between this and Burton Baton I've come to realize that wine barrel aged IPA's are very much up my alley. Maybe not for everyone, and yes it's like a baby barleywine, but it's a damn good style in itself if you ask me.
Nov 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Caudalie from Canada (QC)

Sep 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by jklecko2 from California

Sep 25, 2013
Photo of corby112
Reviewed by corby112 from Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Draft at Tørst in Brooklyn.

Pours a dark ruby red color with plum edges and a one finger, off-white head that quickly settles into a thin ring.  Splotchy lacing left behind.  

Sweet vinous aroma with a strong grape-like presence likely resulting from the combination of piney/citrusy hops, sweet malt and red wine barrel.  Subtle dry oak with a very prominent vinous grape/red wine flavor but still has some sweet malt and a surprising hop presence.  Resinous and piney with tropical and citrus fruit notes along with caramel, biscuit, toffee, grape, plum and currant.  Smells really good.

Medium bodies and really complex with nice balance of bitter, earthy hops, tropical fruit, sweet malt, dry oak and vinous dark fruit notes.   Aggressively hoppy wih resinous pine needle and grass countered by sweet citrus grapefruit and pineapple. Sweet malt backbone with hints of caramel, toffee and a nice barrel presence giving off hints of subtle toasted oak and a strong vinous red wine character.   Lots of grape, dark cherry, plum, raisin and currant.  Really well balanced with great barrel flavor but you can still tell it's an IPA.  Goes down way to smooth for 10.5.  Abv perfectly masked.  
Sep 21, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by hilgart1 from Illinois

Jun 21, 2013
Photo of FondueVoodoo
Reviewed by FondueVoodoo from Canada (BC)

3.83/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: Pours a ruby copper colour with 1-2 fingers of bone white head leaving minimal lacing along the sides of the glass.

S: Wood, red grape skins, tannins with slight notes of herbs and pine.

T: Follows the smell together with dark fruit of plums and grapes. Finishes with a fair amount of alcohol esters.

M: Medium bodied and dry, finishes like a dry red wine, quite a bit of tannins.

O: This tastes more like an american barleywine then an IPA to me. The red wine tannins are a bit too strong for me, and I would prefer the white chardonnay version.
Jun 03, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Rihup from Illinois

Jun 02, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by DRBiser from Maryland

May 06, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by taospowder from New Mexico

Apr 22, 2013
Photo of ericj551
Reviewed by ericj551 from Canada (AB)

3.13/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
The label says Chardonnay barrels, but it has a red cap so I'm not entirely sure what I'm drinking. Right off the bat the color screams barleywine to me. It's hazy with a decent head. The aroma is moderately dark, fruity malt, leaning much more towards malt than hops. The alcohol is apparent in the aroma, as is a hint of oak. Vinous is a good discription in the flavor, with tons more dark fruit, a bit of caramel and more oak. There is an odd, complex and maybe a little bit sour flavor in the finish, with a lingering sweetness that overpowers the hops. The bitterness is moderate for the strength.

Overall, as an Imperial IPA this beer falls flat. If judged as a barleywine, it's good but not great. The hops are lacking and the best before date of 2015 should have been a clue that this might be the case. I'm glad I dropped $5 on the 12 ounce and not even more on a bomber.
Mar 25, 2013
Disco Beer - Red Chardonnay Barrel-Aged from Evil Twin Brewing
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 53 ratings