Old Man Dirk 2023
Barbarian Brewing

 

remarkable beer, this is the first vintage i have had of this, bourbon barrels, wintery and delicious, not too heavy or sweet which is common in this base style, strong too as these go, but not boozy to me, even at temperature, really impressive overall. a mahogany hue and some shine to this, short and short lived on the head, not as dense as expected given its strength. aroma is killer, earthy toasted malt, light peat and minerality, cigar and raisin, brown sugar and toffee, with the richness of the bourbon barrel treatment also evident, old felt, cedar, vanilla, fig, and brandy, just lovely, super wintery and cozy too, nice for this time of year. the flavor follows the nose, rich malt layers, graham cracker, dry cocoa, black tea and drier herbal character, almond and brittle, subtle maple, and a warm baked bread element, really cohesive and delicious, even before the barrel, but the bourbon adds a lot, a bitters thing, barrel char, vanilla bean, somehow a light floral aspect rises through it all too. delightful mix of flavors on this, not too heavy in body or alcohol, and with less body than expected, smooth and festive for this time of year without being spiced, really cool take on the style overall, sure to age well. i should have grabbed a bottle for the cellar when i was there! dont miss this one, it bangs!