Seeking recommendations for barrel aged beers

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Mshea805, Jun 29, 2014.

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  1. Mshea805

    Mshea805 Initiate (0) Apr 12, 2014 California

    Hey guys I would appreciate any info and recommendations you can throw my way. I'm trying to get more into barrel aged beers and finding it pretty hit and miss and it can be a little expensive so Im looking for some advice. I really prefer and enjoy the aged beers that have a very unique and different taste compared to standard beers if that makes any sense. I absolutely love every Firestone Walker BA beer ive had (Parabola, XVI & XVII, Stickee, ect) especially due to that sweet, brown sugar, molasses taste and the fact that they taste nothing like an average stout or belgian/ whatever the base beer is. Also Sucre from Bruery was spot on for what i was looking for. On the contrast Ive tried the oak aged Yeti's (not barrel aged I understand) and they were good but pretty much like a regular stout to me, more bitter and none of that awesome flavor I had come to expect of aged beer. Also tried others like Sea Legs and Gonzo which I felt were great and half way in between the two but still not quite what I was hoping for. Can you guys recommend me some beers that will have that same type of flavor profile or be pretty similar to beers like Sucre and the FW BA stuff? Id love to try more but it sucks to spend 15-25 bucks on a bottle to be disappointed.
     
    #1 Mshea805, Jun 29, 2014
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  2. tzach

    tzach Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 California

    It sounds like you're looking for dark beers, but if you want to expand into barrel aged sours I recommend everything from Almanac except for Sourdough Wild and Russian River Supplication which made it's way around CA this week (Southern California at least). As for barrel-aged dark beers, there are tons of good options but it would probably be easiest for you to track down Lost Abbey Track #8 (a bourbon-forward BBA quad) or trade for a bottle of Bourbon County Stout.
     
    #2 tzach, Jun 29, 2014
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  3. BourbonJersey

    BourbonJersey Pundit (823) Jan 18, 2014 New Jersey

    CLOWN SHOES BILLIONAIRE. If you can find it out in CA. Not sure about the distro. NJ gets it but NY state doesn't, so go figure.

    Bourbon County anything.

    The Bruery Smoking Wood. If you like Rye. And smoke.

    Allagash Curieux is fantastic as well.

    Not sure about the distro of any of these in terms of CA though
     
    #3 BourbonJersey, Jun 29, 2014
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  4. gatornation

    gatornation Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,388) Apr 18, 2007 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Try some Clown Shoes Very angry beast i think CS has a great BA program going
     
    #4 gatornation, Jun 29, 2014
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  5. Mshea805

    Mshea805 Initiate (0) Apr 12, 2014 California

    Cool, thanks for the tips. We get a good selection of Clown Shoes in my area but I haven't seen any Billionaire yet. I did see the smoking wood earlier today and almost bought it actually, ill have to go back and give it a try. Im currently working out a trade for KBS and BCBS as Ive heard they are both very good.
     
    #5 Mshea805, Jun 29, 2014
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  6. Loco_Joe

    Loco_Joe Initiate (0) Sep 3, 2013 New York

    any of these...

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    ​
    the coffee is especially good, the vanilla was terrific when fresh (if they brew it again, grab it!) and the regular is super tasty from fresh to with 1 - 5 years on it.

    try any barrel aged beer you can get your hands on and enjoy, cheers.
     
    #6 Loco_Joe, Jun 29, 2014
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  7. Donco

    Donco Pooh-Bah (1,639) Aug 12, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    My favorite type of beer too. Agree that Clown Shoes (Very Angry Beast, Luchador En Fuego, Billionaire, Hammer of the Holy) is top notch. And of course anything Bourbon County. And if you can find them, Cigar City Hunahpu (several variants)...which is VERY hard to find except maybe in trades.
     
    #7 Donco, Jun 29, 2014
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  8. BH712

    BH712 Initiate (0) Jan 29, 2014 District of Columbia

    I don't know what their distribution is like, but I'd imagine you can get Deschutes Abyss or one of the Black Butte anniversary beers. If you happen to find yourself in New England at some point, I highly recommend Jack's Abby Framinghammer. It's a Baltic Porter that comes in several barrel-aged variants. Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Stout is supposed to be pretty good too.
     
    #8 BH712, Jun 29, 2014
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  9. Vitacca

    Vitacca Pooh-Bah (2,250) Sep 15, 2010 Montana
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have Abyss, KBS and Bourbon County for you if you can get your hands on Deschutes XXVI or anything else interesting! Black Note is my weakness...
     
    #9 Vitacca, Jun 29, 2014
  10. robear

    robear Initiate (0) May 24, 2014 Wisconsin

    You're in CA, not sure if Epic is out there yet. Big Bad Baptist is really wonderful, around $12 a bottle. Bourbon, coffee, & chocolate... a step up bourbon-wise from Chocolate Oak-aged Yeti, which of course has no bourbon to it.

    CW Bourbon Barrel Stout is worth trading for, as is the BB BW.

    Oh- and it will be in that $15-20 price range, but you can't go wrong with Barrel-Aged BORIS.
     
    #10 robear, Jun 29, 2014
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  11. Mshea805

    Mshea805 Initiate (0) Apr 12, 2014 California

    I just recently picked up a bottle of big bad baptist and have a bottle of 2010 abyss that I've yet to try.
     
    #11 Mshea805, Jun 29, 2014
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  12. Rav4pudge

    Rav4pudge Initiate (0) Apr 6, 2014 Massachusetts

    Barrel aged biscotti break
     
    #12 Rav4pudge, Jun 29, 2014
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  13. hoppytobehere

    hoppytobehere Pooh-Bah (2,046) Aug 10, 2012 District of Columbia
    Pooh-Bah

    Any Russian River sour you can get your hands on.
     
    #13 hoppytobehere, Jun 29, 2014
  14. neurobot01

    neurobot01 Maven (1,289) Jan 25, 2014 Germany

    Unfortunately, if you've had XVII, Parabola, and Stickee, you're not going to find too much that's distinctly better. Not saying there's nothing better, but that's pretty damn near ceiling. Obviously, other FW stuff (DDBA and §ucaba particularly) are definitely worth trying. I'd also say some of Stone's Quingenti Millilitre series offer similar profiles, though generally with more hop presence (fresh, anyway).
     
    #14 neurobot01, Jun 29, 2014
  15. cyrushire

    cyrushire Initiate (0) May 25, 2012 Florida

    Melange 3 from the Bruery is where it's at given your local. Definitely worth seeking out.
     
    #15 cyrushire, Jun 29, 2014
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  16. McStagger

    McStagger Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2005 California

    If you can still find it, Stone's BA RIS is absolutely amazeballs. Fyodor's Classic, I think is what it's called. It's the most bourbon heavy BA stout I've ever had. To be completely honest, though, I think you've started at the top. Firestone has the best barrel program on the west coast, if not in the entire country. Matt Brynildson is a goddamn wizard.
     
    #16 McStagger, Jun 29, 2014
  17. McStagger

    McStagger Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2005 California

    Big Bad Baptist is out here, at least where I am. And it's awesome.
     
    #17 McStagger, Jun 29, 2014
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  18. Metllica97

    Metllica97 Zealot (540) Apr 27, 2014 Illinois
    Trader

    If you like sweeter stouts and can get your hands on it, I'd definitely recommend Bell's Black Note Stout. Bourbon County's great too, as is KBS, although they're not as sweet as Black Note. When they're available retail, they run around $6.00 - $8.00 a 12-ounce bottle, but they're pretty tough to find retail. Much easier to get in trade.

    Proprietor's and Barrel Aged Abraxas are probably the two best beers I've had all year, stout or otherwise, although you'll only be able to get those in trade.
     
    #18 Metllica97, Jun 29, 2014
  19. LaneMeyer

    LaneMeyer Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2011 California

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    #19 LaneMeyer, Jun 29, 2014
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  20. BubalooBrewMaster

    BubalooBrewMaster Savant (1,164) Feb 24, 2013 Kentucky
    Trader

    Welcome to the club buddy...just about my whole cellar is BA beers.For sure those are some the priciest beers you will find.I think BC variants drop around Nov...those are always really good.Look for some trading ammo in your area and trade for some....it can happen.
     
    #20 BubalooBrewMaster, Jun 29, 2014
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