Top 10 Barrel Aged Beers

top new-to-me Barrel Aged beers of 2008. sour barrel aged beers found in the sour beer catergory. All time favorites include Allagash Curieux.

Deschutes Abyss
Wow. I didn't know you could make a beer this intense and delicious. A jet black imperial stout with one third of it barrel aged in French oak and bourbon barrel oak. Chocolate, roast, coffee, licorice, molasses, this is a velvety warm beer to be sipped and cherished. There is no overt bourbon barrel presence, you find more of the trace elements (vanilla, tobacco, toffee, smoke) from it in the highlights. At 11% ABV, its is amazing how good this beer is young.

Firestone Walker Velvet Mirkin
This is an Oatmeal Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels. Deep licorice, dried fruit, smoke and chocolate flavors. This whole beer has a slight vinous quality, but is well rounded and smooth around the edges.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
Brown ale brewed to imperial strength and then aged in 10,000 gallon vessels made of Palo Santo wood from Paraguay! Supposedly the largest of such vessels since prohibition. Needless to say a very warm beer, with hints of chocolate, licorice, molasses, toffee, hazelnut and vanilla. This has big barrel written all over it. Port like, slightly sweet, slightly vinous, with a dry finish.

North Coast Bourbon Barrel Reserve Old Stock Ale
Another great cellar find at the North Coast shop, this is a rich Barleywine aged in oak whiskey barrels. Nose of caramel, dried fruits, cherries, with a upfront flavors of caramel, vanilla, and traces of hazelnut, oak earth and dried fruits in the finish. Very warm and rich throughout, but a dry, bitter and roasty finish.

Allagash Odyssey
Only their second attempt in their barrel series, this is another hit. A dark, dunkel like ale with 10% wheat added to the recipe. A portion of this is then aged in medium toast American oak for 6 months minimum before blending. This is a really well balanced, complex, malt influenced ale. There is a slight bitterness and vanilla from the barrel, notes of cherries, toffee, chocolate, coffee, prunes, earth, pine and roast. This beer is warm and finishes rather rich and creamy.

Firestone Walker Abacus
Barleywine aged in 5 different types of oak barrels for 9 months. Should have asked more questions on this one. Really dark, almost port like beer, strong bourbon, caramel, toffee, oak, chocolate and raisin. Really warm, rich, medium mouthfeel, slightly slick, with more dry but slightly hot finish.

Allagash Interlude
This could have easily gone in the sour beer category, or neo-belgian, but placed it here due to the really distinct use and profile of the barrel in this ale. A dual fermented beer golden strong ale (a farmhouse ale yeast and Brett for the secondary), the beer is taken from the stainless and aged in French Merlot and Sirah barrels, a very bold move. A very tannic, plum like character is added to an otherwise light and refreshing ale. Nose is of oak, red wine, brett, apples, with additional earthy, pear, toast, grape and berries in the flavor. Mouthfeel is medium, with a very tannic and slight acidic and tart aspect. Very unique ale.

Firestone Walker Parabola
Imperial Version of their Velvet Mirkin and also an extension of their Quercus Alba Program, so maybe we'll see this soon in bottles. Laid on bourbon barrels for a two year maturation. Very boozy, bourbon quality, this beer is warm and almost more barleywine like. At %14, this is a bomb, and the alcohol overcomes. Notes of chocolate, coffee, but really sweet, caramelly, and estery from the heat. Traces of vanilla, toast and dried fruits underneath all of this somewhere. Lay these in a cellar for a few years.

Green Flash Bourbon Barrel Double Stout
One of my favorite imperial stouts of the year laid on Bourbon Barrels. In the non barrel aged version, the luscious chocolate flavor dominated, but now, there is a much more chewy, earthy, bourbon and vanilla presences. Took a pretty straightforward Imperial and turned it on end. Hints of oat, caramel and toffee notes. There is a more of a warming in this beer, and more complexity and dryness in the finish.

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout
Imperial Stout aged in oak Bourbon Barrels. Dark chocolate and a slight spicy rye and vanilla character dominates this beer. Notes of coffee, roast, caramel, oak, and earth. Quaffable, rich and warm.