Asmodeus - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Ethereal Brewing

 

Belgian abbey-style dubbel is its underpinnings, but bourbon, oak and time is its gusto. The spirited brewers at Ethereal Brewing stow away their prized dark, moderately strong and spicy Asmodeus ale in bourbon barrels, and then patiently wait.

The transformation that comes out the other side of that slumber yields a rich aromatic display of dark fruit, sherry, spice, yes... obvious bourbon and its caramel and vanilla nuance. Though light on carbonation the beer looks like olde ale as it sits with a masculine mohogany hue and a scant swirling creme. One sip reveals a plethora of sweetnesses. Brown sugar, almond, caramel, toffee and hard candy roll onto the tongue with a lightly syrupy texture.

Flavors continue to meld upon the middle palate where the fruit and spice spring to life. Plum, raspberry, prune, date and fig carry a spiced demeanor, spiked with cinnamon, peppercorn and red wine. Even a mystic taste of marzipan become a prominent feature as the oak, sweetness, coconut, vanilla and cherry character of bourbon barrels mingle with that of sweet ale. Peppery, complex and lightening into a cola-like finish, the senses cannot help but to drift to memories of Dr. Pepper soda in a not-so-subtle fashion.

Full bodied, lavish and rich, the beer's lightness comes way of strong attenuation, then back sweetened with bourbon and oak influence. Light carbonation allows the malt to sit in saturating fashion upon the tastebuds much like English barleywine or olde ale. But with the balance and profile of Belgian dubbel, we have a strong, spicy, warm and sweet Gulden Draak-like beer on the deep palate, leading to a deep and simmering afterglow.