Driftwood - Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged
Kane Brewing Company

 

 

Pours very dark with a quickly fading foam head. Brandy barrel treatment gives it a boozy aroma, along with the dark fruit and brown sugar. Flavor is molasses and brown sugar, tastes sweeter than the other two variants, and less flavorful (but still delicious). Thick and syrupy like the other two. Overall delicious, aged well.

2/8/20
Bomber from 10/2018
4.5 rating

the highlight of big beers for me this year, one of the best festivals of the year, and this was the standout. an exceptional beer, super unique, and i like everything about it, not least that its packed with quality maple syrup. kane really has a knack for these big unique barrel aged beers, but this one is a little different still. i love that it isnt a stout or a porter, but rather a big sudsy oat based brown ale, with rich chocolate overtones, earthy cereals, and the right amount of long cooked grain sugar to it, plenty of body but without the roasty depth of something darker, which leaves a ton of space for the maple syrup as well as the molasses, which are both big in nose and taste. i smell more of the maple sugar, and taste almost burnt bitter sugar element from the molasses, but they didnt let this stay overly sugary, as is sort of is continually working towards drying out on the palate. the cocoa flavor of the grain melds with the maple so well, and i get a warming toasted chesnut or even walnut aspect as well, so cool. the apple brandy barrels make this though, supremely autumnal, red apple and booze can be tasted throughout, with the oak quite persistent as well. the apple, the booze, and the maple are a dream together, while the deep brown ale malt with the hearty oak is right there with it. smooth and rich feeling, surprisingly bubbly too, and just as interesting as can be, warming up and opening up at the same rate. im floored by this, but often have been when i drink beer from kane. this is special. id love to try the other barrel editions, but i have a feeling this is the gem among them!

This is a long way from a mild brown ale. Barrel aging, molasses and maple syrup give this a rich, sweet full-bodied taste. Sip this on a cold winter night--heaven! Only complaint is that booziness does creep in--no surprise with its force-to-be-reckoned-with 14% abv.

L:750ml bottle poured into a snifter glass. Pours dark black. An agressive pour yielded less than a finger of head with almost no lacing.
S: mostly apple with some vanilla, chocolate, maple, and some brandy boozy scents.
T: Apple brandy, maple syrup, molasses. Very little heat compared to other Apple Brandy stouts I've had.
F: Low carbonation and a full, almost chewy, mothfeel
O: Fantastic barrel aged brown ale. If you enjoy apple brandy this beer is as good as it gets.