Town Hall Barrel Aged Week 2018

Of the 6 I tried this evening, this is my ranking: Kentucky Truffle > Foolish Angel > Star Barrel > Twisted Trace > Barley Vine > E.T. Wee. Kentucky Truffle tastes like fudge. Foolish Angle had the best barrel character of the bunch. I thought the Star Barrel was more oak forward than the Twisted Trace, while the Twisted Trace was bourbon forward. It was a toss up between these two, but I thought the balance of the Star Barrel edged it out. The Barley Vine was dominated by the wine barrel and I was a little disappointed by the E.T. Wee overall. I was very happy with this year’s offerings as a whole. The worst of the bunch was still enjoyable.

 

My initial thoughts about Star Barrel were, in retrospect, misplaced. I've had it three times now (two full pours, and once in a sampler), and I have to say it is both very enigmatic and very good. It leans more toward the oak side of BA with little bourbon presence, but the base barleywine really shines through. I've always though Twisted Trace is a really good barleywine in its own right. I must say that having blended some of it with this years BA Twisted Trace I prefered the blend. The Star Barrel balanced out the more bourbon forward BA Twisted Trace. Thus, I think Town Hall would have made a greater beer had they dumped this beer into the whole of the other.

Experiences like this are why I enjoy craft beer.

 

I had two of the barrel-aged beer samplers. I would rate them:
1. Star Barrel (love the oak)
2. Twisted Trace
3. Vine's Eye (I thought this was a wonderful surprise, sweet, floral, vinous)
4. Kentucky Truffle
5. E.T. Wee (use to be one of my favorites but it just did not do it for me this year)
6. Foolish Angel (This was the last of the six so that may have had something to do with it)

 

Has anyone gone there today yet? Wondering if everything is still on, I'm heading over in a few hours.

 

Everything was still on at noon Saturday other than the Nitro Truffle.

 

Star Barrel is gone now.

 

Are things still on through today or did they all come off last night?

 

If it was like last year, different from previous years, they have been taken off.

Last year they said they did this due to the year round BA tap line they have now.

 

Beers are still on. Only nitro truffle and star barrel were kicked a couple hours ago.