Bourbon Barrel Aged Acceleration
Gravity Brewing

750 ml
Capped

Poured into a Trillium glass a pretty nice clean/clear dark golden copper color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger off-white head, which also leaves a pretty nice medium size island, and some nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a nice touch of bourbon/oak, vanilla, slight coconut, some sweetness. The taste is pretty nice, hoppy, malty, with a nice touch of bourbon/oak, really nice touch of vanilla, sweetness. Medium body, ABV is hidden pretty well, a nice complex brew, with a nice little bitter/dry finish. Overall, a tasty brew, yes, like the bottle sez, a different take on the style.

750 ml bottle into a snifter.

Pours a hazy, light amber. No real head, a little cling. Looked kind of flat on first pour. Smell is of bourbon, vanilla, oak, lighter malt, a hint of licorice. No trace of an IPA in the aroma, but smells pretty good. Taste again leads with the bourbon, oak and malt, less vanilla. There's definitely some resiny and citrusy hops in there, but they're in the background. They do lend a good amount of bitterness throughout, especially on the back end. A little boozy. Good body, smooth for the amount of alcohol taste that comes through. Does not drink as flat as it looked at the start, appropriately carbonated.

Had some doubts about this one at the first pour, but it really opened up as it warmed. Think I've had two other BBA DIPA's, and this has been the best. A very nice beer, worth a try.

 

 

 

 

750 ml bottle, with no apparent bottled on date or batch information present. My first beer from Gravity Brewing, out of Louisville, Colorado, acquired as an Xmas gift from a friend. "Double IPA aged in Fireside Whiskey Barrels". I'm not familiar with the base beer, so I'm unable to say how they compare.

Poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

A - It pours a nice dark burnt sienna orange body. Murky, and awash with hues of brown. About a finger of frothy off-white head, that leaves behind good sticky lacing. Looks very nice.

S - The aroma is very nice; the bourbon barrel aging has pleasantly done it's thing. Vanilla, cream, oak wood, mustiness abound. Perhaps a very minor but detectable note of citrus when I really look for it.

T - Taste is the same, but as others have noted, any real hop presence has been lost to the bourbon barrel aging. Waves of caramel, vanilla, oak wood, and alcohol take over.

M - The feel is smooth & creamy. Medium-full bodied, with good carbonation, and a bit of alcohol warmth.

Overall, a very nice representation of a bourbon barrel aged DIPA, and a very nice introduction to this brewery for me. Definitely looking forward to more.

Gravity Brewing Barrel Aged Acceleration -----4/5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

a huge ipa, not imperial stout as is listed here, that has spent some time in bourbon barrels. its a really good base beer, and the barreling was definitely successful, but i have the same critique of this as i do of most other wood aged hoppy beers. the hops are lost to the barrel, almost entirely. fanboy from elevation is one of the few i can think of that doesnt have this issue, and i know they dry hop that post barrel. this one is mostly bourbon, which comes across as unbalanced and too sweet, although i really do dig the intensity of the wood and the way it has helped all the big flavors (and booze) to integrate and mellow out a lot compared to the base beer. i like the frothy feel to this, not hot at all, but the sweetness lingers a bit, and without any carbonation to it, it gets heavy and hard to drink after a few ounces. a cool winter sipper, but dont come into this one expecting much real hop character, its really faded or covered up by the barrel character. better as an american strong or barleywine i think stylistically.