Ryeciprocal: Salted Caramel
4 Noses Brewing Company

it looks like they do several versions of this barrel aged russian imperial stout. this one is done with lactose, sea salt, and vanilla beans. it sounds like a lot, but it really works well. its crazy to think how well these guys are doing just about everything now, from clever fruited sours to bruising ipa types and everything in between, all of it has been excellent in my experience. one of the smart things about this is the use of rye whiskey instead of bourbon barrels. with the lactose added, all the vanilla, and the caramel theme, the corny sweetness of bourbon and the additional vanilla notes it often contributes in beers like this might make it too much, too desserty, so instead, there is this spicy earthy slightly harsh rye that calls up the bitterness of the roasted grain, the oak as much as the spirit, and balances against the tendency for this to run sweet, its not that sugary at all for what it is. the vanilla is awesome in here, really natural and super compatible with the obvious coffee character in the dark grain. the salt is subtle but does what it seems like it was meant to do, and the lactose doesnt take over later on. i like the robustness of this, and while maybe its not that caramel tasting, im kind of glad it cuts itself off where it does, leaving a great imperial stout in tact, just highlighted by these additives in unique ways. i really want to try the others in this series now!