3 Barrels Deep
Oxbow Brewing Company

 

Bottle: Poured a deep brown/burgundy color ale with a large foamy head with light retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of tart notes with some woody notes and some string bourbon notes are also part of the mix. Taste is a complex mix of bourbon notes with some woody notes, some oak and a tart finish with light cherry notes. Body is quite full with good carbonation. I loved the mix of bourbon notes with the tart notes of the Flanders red.

August 2018 bottle from Blending and Bottling in Portland, ME. Pours a clear dark amber mahogany with a flash of off-white head boozy lacing, smell is sour tannic red grapes, jammy red wine, bourbon, fruit leather, and oak, hints of rain, soil, and tart cherry, taste is sour tannic red wine grapes, pomegranate juice, red current hard candy, hints of cinnamon, bourbon, oak, and leather, feel is light, bright, and dry, assertive acidity. Acidic grape/wine, bourbon, and oak goodness.

 

Poured a fizzy and lighter mahogany brown, with a tan head that fades away quickly. Great barrel character in the nose: red wine and bourbon especially are present, with the wood giving up aromas of grape, plum, cherry, vanilla, flowers, and wild yeast. Taste has incredible depth, take everything from the smell and give it another layer of barrel, including the white wine this time. One sip has some additional cola, the next some grape must and raspberry, another has brown sugar and wood tannins, so much complexity. Feel is boozy and wild, slightly acidic, definitely tart but has some thinning out by the finish.

 

500ml at home with Dan

Drank from a 1pint.9fl.oz(500ml) bottle purchased at Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA
Bottled: August 2018
Served in a tulip

The beer poured a clear light mahogany, not too dissimilar from an aged sherry. A fluffy, finger-tall, light tan crown topped the liquid, but it quickly fizzled away. No lacing or head retention whatsoever.

The nose was really unique. Tart and super Brett forward but very well balanced. Somewhat musty and funky. Red wine notes came through big time. An oaky Cabernet perhaps. Bit of fruity sweetness. Cherry notes were apparent. Bit of vanilla and caramel too. Perhaps this was from the bourbon barrel aging.

The flavor profile was basically a ramped up version of the aroma. Crisp, tart and Bretty. Fairly acidic but still remarkably well balanced. Big red wine and red wine vinegar notes. Some dry oaky barrel came through on the back end and the finish. Hint of sweet, spicy booze. For 9% ABV, however, the alcohol was very well masked.

Fantastic crisp, fluffy mouthfeel. Medium bodied for the style. The liquid contained a sprightly, larger bubbled effervescence that turned light and frothy on the palate.

Oxbow’s 3 Barrels Deep is a fantastic American wild ale that demonstrates a rare combination of complexity, intensity and balance. I hope Oxbow, and other breweries as well, continue to experiment with aging sours in various types of spirit barrels.

Very beautiful red color to this beer as well as solid fruitiness. I thought a bit to tart for my liking but of course still an amazing brew and very drinkable.

 

 

I don't usually post my reviews on here, but I feel like a beer with this kind of stature deserves it.

2016 release, poured from a 500ml capped bottle at Birreria Volo. Many thanks to Giulian and Tomas for providing these to a few lucky people in Canada.

L: Mohagany in the bar atmosphere, but approaching something closer to maroon when held up to the light. Pours a thick beige-brown head, silky smooth, that dissipates quickly into a lasting cap of trace foam and a beautiful crown.

A: Fragrant from across the bar, with notes of vanilla and cherry from the bourbon and red wine literally wafting through the air. Closer inspection reveals a more nuanced profile - cherry, vanilla, wood, oak, acetic acid, and raspberry all compete for the nose's affection.

T: One of the most complex and marvelous beers I've tasted, period. Opens with a delicious savory palette of Brett phenols - smoky pig roast comes to mind, but in the most complimentary way. Cherries follow, along with delicious vanilla balanced perfectly with darker tannins from the red wine. Light acidity and pear from the white wine are present, but almost undetectable.

M: This beer is an absolute pleasure. Silky smooth, but with the light carbonic burn of a Lambic-carbonated beer. The tannins coat the mouth and are just as drying as the wonderful balanced acidic is mouth-watering.

This beer is special in every way. I have never had a beer that is so flavourful but still manages to be perfectly balanced - innovative but on-style, intensely creative while achieving all of its goals. This beer is amazing. Tim, wow. Just wow.

 

Quite intense, with the barrels coming through heavily (well, bourbon and red wine at least). Pretty good, but not exactly subtle! Finish a bit astringent. Mild tartness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shared this on 1/4/14 with tasting notes. Bottle 7/150.
The anniversary party where this was released was something I stumbled upon during a visit to the Portland area, and I was floored after going. The whole day was great, very chill, tons of different taps with several different things going on after one kicked. Live bluegrass, awesome food carts, beautiful setting, lots of good people. This bottle was my prize souvenir but every beer I tasted was extremely well crafted.

A. Coppery brown/amber shimmers through a slight haze. Light head with a steady cap and decent lace.

S. Pleasant sourness, oak. Pretty basic smell, but its very nice.

T. Immediately tart, acidic followed by an interesting wine barrel character. It finishes with a strange aftertaste that I'm thinking must be the bourbon not playing well with the wine flavors. Up until the finish, it tastes great.

M. Medium-light body, medium-light carb while still staying bubbly enough.

O. Interesting one-off, mostly very well done. I'd be curious if the different barrel characters mellow and blend better with more time in the bottle. Pretty good overall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brewed in the early days of Oxbow's existence and aged in 3 different barrels, 6 months in each (red wine, white wine and bourbon). One time release at their 2nd anniversary party. Bottle 74 of 100. 750ml swingtop bottle

I'm reviewing from memory as I cracked this one open a few days ago. I remember it being an amber/brown color with basically no head except a little on the pour. Aroma was very inviting - sour cherries, light oak and vanilla, bourbon and a hint of dark fruitiness which I guess is from the red wine barrel. Taste was basically in line with the nose. Not incredibly sour but enough, a little vinegary and tart. Mouthfeel seemed spot on for the style. Well done guys