Barrel-Aged Brrrbon ’13

Widmer Brothers Brewing

Portland, OR

An imperial version of Widmer Brothers’ Brrr Seasonal Ale, Barrel-Aged Brrrbon ’13 is aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

ABV: 9.5

ABW: 7.56

COLOR: 22

BITTERNESS: 40

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1081

AVAILABLE: Nationwide

Deep bronze, it has a pungent nose of sultana fruit, smoky and oaky whiskey and peppery hops. Creamy malt makes an entrance in the mouth, balanced by bitter hops, all overlain by a silky, bittersweet bourbon note with hints of rich vanilla and oak. It finishes with a delightful blend of smooth malt, caramel, vanilla and whiskey, on a solid base of peppery hops. It’s what Charles Dickens would call “a glass of the Old Stunning.”
- Roger Protz

It looks like maple syrup, but the foam is a dead giveaway. The bourbon wood is relatively subtle in the nose, more coconut than vanilla, plenty of caramel, a cake in the oven. The palate is surprisingly light and a bit hot, like a barley wine with a shot of bourbon blended in. The bitterness maintains a grip and the overall impression is dry. The finish is spirituous. It does have some verve—it’s reminiscent of a bourbon Manhattan. This will certainly warm you up, especially with some braised short ribs.
- Garrett Oliver

Roger Protz
Author of 300 Beers to Try Before You Die and 300 More Beers to Try Before You Die. Respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and www.protzonbeer.co.uk.

Garrett Oliver
Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.