Scotch Barrel Aged Beer

Yes, the Paradox beers.

They also brewed this beer with 3 Floyds some years back: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16315/68511/

It was the most ashtray I'd ever gotten in a beer. I like smoky beers so it didn't completely put me off, but it seems others really disliked it.

 

I've been wanting to try many of their beers for a while as I often see them in stores. For some reason, I always pass them up, mostly because the names are hard to remember so it's really hard to know which beer is worth a run or not. At their price, it's hard to just give one a shot blindly.

 

I'm sippin on Lagavulin now but Uigeadail is my favorite. Scotch without some peat/smoke isn't worth drinking IMO. I do like Highland Park 12 for a mellower (cheaper) dram.

 

Scotch and beer share a lot in common when it comes to what people prefer. In one hand you have those that are steadfast in their belief that IPAs, BA Stouts, or insert style of beer (or go the Scotch route with Highlands, Speysides, Islays, Lowlands) is the only style they will ever drink; and on the other hand you have people that will drink any, and every, style of beer or Scotch because it all tastes good. I usually smoke a cigar when I drink so the cigar sets my parameters for the night: 1) a Connecticut wrapper goes with Witbiers, Kolsch, Alts, or Dalwhinnie 15 Highland (very cheap and very hard to beat at the price point), 2) a Colorado wrapper goes with IPAs, Brown Ales, German Lagers, or a Macallan 18 or 21 Speyside & 3) Maduro/Obsucro wrapper goes with Stouts, Eisbocks, Wee Heavy, or an Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay.

 

Embrasse - Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar. This is a Belgian strong dark ale that drinks like a stout. They do a Ardbeg scotch barrel aged version of the standard Embrasse that is outstanding. If possible, try to track this down & enjoy!

 

Bagpipe Bastard

 

Don't forget Ardbeg. It's like drinking a barbecue, but, like, in a good way.

 

Need to try this one, I tried Cao Isla once and it was like Laphroaig light. Kindla smoky , kinda peaty, but not as intense. It was very good though, maybe a nice bottle for that first purchase of an Islay whiskey.

 

Did you smoke the malt with peat, or did you add peat directly into the beer?

 

That name is a winner in my book. We need to start a petition to make this beer with this name a reality.

 

Bourbon & Sherry casks are the main aging method for Scotch.

Due to the popularity of Sherry-aged Scotch,other methods like Port,Rum,Wine (various) casks are now used as well.
Its gotten so bad that Scotch distilleries are giving oak casks to Sherry/Port/Madeira producers for free,so that they can age the fortified wine in it asap.

 

I love multiple ones.

Glenfarclas Sherry Bombs
Laphroaig smoke Bombs

and everything in between

 

Kilted Bastard

 

OEC Brewing is owned by B. United so the last 2 years for their Festivus party they have the rum version served directly from the barrel. They actually were doing growler fills of it as well I believe starting at $26 for a 12 oz fill. Most expensive growler I've ever seen but it was so good.

 

One of the Eclipse variants a couple years ago was aged in single malt scotch barrels. I was not a fan.

 

Anchorage Brewing's Time Waits for No One.

 

I had this a few days ago:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16043/105246/

Which is a blend of peat-smoked barleywine, scotch-barrel aged smoked marzen, and a brett-fermented beer. Conclusion: it might be the ultimate in acquired tastes, but brett and peat definitely have some serious potential to work together. I don't expect to see many examples of such, but I'll be likely to jump on any of them if I do.

Also, I'm guessing the reason that we don't see many beers matured in ex-scotch barrels is that the scotch producers are happy to use the things until they basically disintegrate. They're buying used barrels for the most part (some scotch is matured in virgin oak but it's uncommon), and they almost always use them more than once. IE, a "first fill" ex-bourbon cask will be used to mature a 10 or a 12 year old expression, then dumped and re-filled by the same distillery and left to mature for 20, 30, or more years. If it was a ten year old bourbon barrel to start with, you're now talking about a barrel that's over fifty years old. The things don't last forever.

 

Agreed, though I would highly recommend H&V both regular and bourbon BA.

 

I'll give them a run next time I see them. We don't get those in New Mexico, so it'll have to be my next trip somewhere.

 

^^^This is sooo true, although it should be tongue buckling for $45 or so, all the varieties of the Xfume are stunningly good, the scotch barrel right up there, the scotch notes contrast nicely with the barley wine sweetness.