Highwaymen (Double Oaked)
Wren House Brewing Co.

 

No bottling date (released on 1/11/21, so presumably bottled within a few days of that date); consumed on 9/29/21

Pours a crystal-clear deep ruby hue capped with just over a finger of near-creamy, off-white foam; solid head retention leaves a thin veil of cap alongside a large, frothy collar and moderate spread of temporary, webby lacing strewn around the walls of the glass.

Aroma shows tinges of brown sugar sweetening oily toffee tones as a firm oak barrel with lesser bourbon is imbued delicately across the bouquet; wisps of grapefruit zest meet suggestions of warm apple strudel to a caramel close.

Taste produces toffee with mild bourbon edges upfront, careening toward a rich caramel syrup accented with flambéed grapefruit and wispy oak over the mid-palate; the finish culminates with dusty cocoa arising from bourbon-tinged oak and a soft char lingering.

Mouthfeel gives off a firm, medium-full body sporting a low-lying carbonation evening to a creamy texture with minimal grit over the mid-palate; a steady warming washes over the back end, with a suggestive stickiness building, though embracing some drying sensations for a more cumulative balance on the finish.

Richly textured and with a saturated malt profile deftly amplified by background hop resins, a mild barrel character brings an attenuated bourbon twist to a steady barleywine base.