Barrel Aged Beers

Barrel-Aged Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.

 

I stopped reading after "it's good, not great."

 

Bell's Black Note

 

As far as barrel character goes, I'm not sure how you don't consider Parabola "great." IMO it's one of the only mass produced BA stouts that does hold up those flavors. But we all have different opinions. Fresh BCBS is always up there, KH had an amazing barrel character fresh but has since died down, Black Note, The Event Horizon, Sucaba, BA Speedway...I consider these all on par with BCBS but that's just me.

 

Depends on your definition of better barrel. I had an older viscosity last night and it had as much or more barrel than the BCBSs I've had, but it was definitely not better IMO. I don't like to drink a BA beer and taste nothing but barrel like I did last night. Parabola hits the balance without going over better than many, many more.

 

Its funny, I get more barrel from parabola, BCBS tasted more like bourbon and less like bourbon barrel. Parabola has the wood coming through and BCBS taste like, well, bourbon.

 

exactly this. bourbon county is only aged in bourbon barrels for 100 days whereas parabola is aged in various different barrels (bourbon, red wine, barrels previously used to house other beers, etc) for upwards of a year. I definitely get much more barrel out of parabola and just more of an overall bourbon flavor in bourbon county. Having said all this, both are still on par with "great". Maybe try more barrel aged beers and do a little reading into them and find out a little history and develop your palate to be more in tune with the different flavors associated with the various types of barrel aging (wine, congac, bourbon, rye, etc) and the flavors imparted over time. Cheers man!

 

As for what barrel aged beer I like, I've been into the BA wilds lately. That french oak really compliments brett.

 

KBS and BCBCS.

 

Haven't been a huge fan of the barrel aged beers, mostly because the ones I've had I felt ruined the base beer, particularly BA Moo Hoo. However, last night I had a Brandy BA Huna and it was fantastic. It added significantly to the flavor and was a great improvement on the original.

 

BBPt5....oh my!

 

It's a BA Barleywine, not stout, but Weyerbacher Insanity is everything you could want in a BA beer. It's got an awesome mouthfeel, vanilla and coconut undertones, and comes in an affordable four pack. Plus, judging by the ones I had last week, they seem to be getting better at it.

 

BBPt5 is the best bourbon barrel stout I have had. Strikes such an amazing balance between barrel character and stout flavors. For me, it is the referent against which all other barrel aged stouts are compared.

 

BCBS doesn't get the barrel that well at all. It gets a ton of bourbon and slams you over the head with it. The subtle oaky notes of the barrel are drowned out.

 

BBA Big Sound. From the chats I've had with their staff, I believe they only barrel age the Big Sound for 3 months, which isn't terribly long, making me think they are fresh unused (in beer aging) barrels.

Williams Brothers from Scotland had the 2nd best barrel aged beer I've ever had, Fraoch Vintage Cask No. 22, freaking amazing stuff if you can ever get your hands on it.

 

As for barrel stouts and barley wines BCBS is more bourbon than barrel but definitely amazing, melange #3, barrel aged old Rasputin is fantastic, any of PEGS (aka cycle brewing) barrel aged beers are off the freakin charts.

BA Bigfoot didn't work for me, it seemed the barrel competed with the beer, BBPt5 was over rated, parabola was one of the weaker BA beers, good but not great.

Now barrel aged saisons/sours/wilds that's where it's at for me. Peche n Brett anyone? Fantastic. Any barrel aged beers from SARA (bright sea, west Ashley, appreciation) , Fantasia and Blend love, everything from crocked stave and Hill farmstead aged in Barrels.

 

Agree. I'd also hold Blasphemy up to a similar high standard - incredible value for a BA quad..

 

I've got a 3 year vertical going with Parabola so I'm either going to be pleasantly surprised or very let down. Although I've learned to try and expect low things from beers. It's way to easier to be gladly surprised than very letdown.

 

I'm pretty sure bcbs uses fresh barrels every time it's brewed maybe thats it. Also have to agree with insanity, that's an awesome beer.