Olde Hickory Release - Spectrum?

They aren't the adjuncts I would choose for an Apple Brandy Barrel for sure. Also, mint failed terribly in BA 17 from Perennial according to my friends that have had it. To each their own but I just feel like it a very weird choice of adjuncts.

 

BA 17 is not a failure, it’s fantastic. I’m optimistic but Brandy and mint sound like a strange combination.

 

BA 17 is amazing this year. But then again, the sweetness of the barrel balances the roasty stout used for the base of 17, and the mint; well its a lovely Andes style beer that's not too sweet.

Mint is definitely difficult to work with in stouts, and I have only had a few examples that blow it out of the park. If anyone can do it amazingly though, it would likely be Olde Hickory.

 

You ever eat Andes mint coated figs?

 

Sounds delicious.

Usually figs in beer (at least the ones I have had), add slight sweetness and a little earthiness, which both should go well to balance the sweetness of the barrel and to calm the often medicinal qualities that you get on the finish from a mint infused beer.

I am not going to knock the beer at all until I try it. As a scientist and avid homebrewer, I love seeing unique and interesting combinations, especially when they work out well.

 

#2 sounds like a cross between a Stinger and a Brandy Alexander (ode de @JdoubleA ?)... with figs added. Its not exactly what I'd have come up with, but I'm interested in trying it. #1 sounds like straight fire though (and not fire like the first #1 did with all cinnamon).

 

Did you just argue that sweetness & earthiness could balance out barrel sweetness? I'm a fan of experimenting with home brew as well but I'm not stoked to see the AB barrel get these adjuncts considering we haven't even been able to try AB Event horizon before.

 

I wouldn't sweat the figs too much, if it is like the adjuncts in the last spectrum set (except cinnamon) they will not be very heavy/strong.

 

Wonder where they got the bourbon BA coffee beans from? I actually have some from a place here in Raleigh (Larry’s Beans) that they aged in a barrel themselves. It is some seriously intense stuff, great idea to use that for a beer it should work well.

 

I simply do not enjoy mint in my beer. Tried many times, never remotely enjoyable.

 

Why are people assuming that the brandy in #2 is apple brandy? Plenty of other brandys out there other than apple brandy (and in general brandy is made from wine or grapes).

 

Good point. Regardless, I don't believe EH has ever been aged in Brandy barrels so it has my intrigue.

 

-They barrel aged them in house too. Fingers crossed... there may be some for sale at the release.

In other news,

Spectrum 3 ---- Bourbon BA with vanilla and cherries.

 

I'm in a love/hate relationship with whoever came up with this 'release a label a day and the release date on Friday' thing. On one hand, I can't stand the anticipation. On the other hand, its kinda cool. @JdoubleA admit it, it was you wasn't it?

 

This label should've been used for Figs, Mint & Chocolate, not Cherries & Vanilla.

 

-No, but I do like it though. It's sorta like an advent calendar. Even though, you know that I know them all already and have tried most of them.

 

Would love to get my hands on 1 and 4. What have the limits been for the past
Spectrum releases?