Tag Archives: barrels

En Blanc (Barley Wine) Cellared 10 Months – Steel & Oak Brewing

by Mike

From New Westminster’s Steel & Oak Brewing comes their “En Rouge (Barley Wine)” a Barley Wine aged in Chardonnay Barrels.  This beer was cellared for 10 Months after beeing aquired on November 10, 2016.  The beer pours a deep red almost brown with a tan head.  The aroma consists of dark fruits, mild chardonnay, sweetness and almost a candi sugar finish.  The flavour is of dark fruits, toffee, caramel, roasted malts, coconut, oak, chardonnay and grapes in general, leather, hint of bitterness and a mild lingering alcohol bite.  The alcohol content comes in at 10% with an IBU of 15.  Now that the Chardonnay is stepping back a bit I really enjoy this one not being a wine fan.

Commercial Description: En Blanc and En Rouge are the same 10% abv barley wine fermented with wine yeast, and aged for a year in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels respectively. En Blanc is described as having notes of “vanilla, coconut, apricot, peach, molasses and fruitcake with a touch of citrus,” while En Rouge offers “black currant, dark cherry, leather, tobacco, plum and dates.”

Original review

Barrel Aged Sparkling Wit – Dogwood Brewing

by Mike

From Dogwood Brewing in South Vancouver comes their brand new “Barrel Aged Sparkling Wit” a beer aged in Pinot Noir barrels.  The beer pours a cloudy orange colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of wheat, yeast, lemon, wine, vanilla and some mild oak.  The flavour is of Wine but more of a white wine than a Pinot Noir, vanilla, lemon, citrus, yeast, bubblegum, mild oak flavour and a sweet although dry finish with some tannins.  The alcohol content comes in at 6%.  This is one of the most complex beers that I have enjoyed from Dogwood Brewing.  Head over to the brewery to give it a try as this will only be available at the tasting room and select taprooms around town.

Commercial Description:  This Organic Belgian Wit was brewed with Coriander and Black pepper, then aged for 3 months in Organic French White Oak Pinot Noir Barrels. Delicate spicy esters create the perfect base for layer after layer of Flavour that Evolves as your glass warms, creating a thoughtfully refreshing drinking experience. Bright Lemon plays counterpoint to the deeper flavour of vanilla and oak imparted by the young barrels which; like a good pinot noir, pairs well with all types of food. Made with all Organic Local B.C ingredients, this creamy Wit is beautifully rounded in its complexity and finishes Dry with a hint of tannin. We’re very proud of this limited release and sincerely hope you enjoy.

Powell Street Craft Brewery – Vancouver

by Mike

On December 15, 2012 Powell Street Craft Brewery opened their doors on Powell Street in East Vancouver.  They were such a success that they could never keep their beer in stock.  Months back they realized they needed to move to a new bigger location.  Luckily they found one about a dozen blocks West of the old location.  If you are reading this blog post then you should rush over to the new location as it is now OPEN!  The address is 1357 Powell Street and is a huge step up from the old location!  This is no longer the Nano Brewery of old but a full out Micro Brewery!

Starting in the tasting room is a large room with lots of tables and chairs.  The bar has one side to fill growlers and one side to pick up glasses of beer for consumption on site which should cut down on the old lineup issues.  I love the fact that they have not lost the gallery space either.

Knowing the old space really well I was blown away when I saw the brewery!  It is huge compared to the old location.  Talking to David they have already made more beer in this location than they ever did at the old location.  This should really help getting their beer out to more locations be it kegs and bottles.  It was great to see some barrels on site with some already full of beer.  The brewery has two coolers one for all of their kegs and bottles for sale off site and the original cooler from the old space that acts as a walk in fridge for the tasting rooms tap lines.

I am very excited that Powell Street Craft Brewery has moved and expanded and I look forward to what the future brings to this great brewery!  Keep up the great work guys.

Full Sized photos found here

1357 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC
info@powellbeer.com
http://www.powellbeer.com/

Consecration – Russian River Brewing Company (Aged Around 2 Years)

by Mike

From Russian River Brewing Company out of Santa Rosa California comes their “Consecration”  an American Wild Ale or Sour Ale.  This bottle has been sitting since 2011 and is from batch 007 (Brewed August 21st, 2010 and bottled October 21st 2011).  This sour is aged for 4-8 months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with black currants, brettanomyces, lactobacillius and pediococcus.  The beer pours a brownish copper colour with a very small white head.  The aroma consists of cabernet, tartness, dark fruits, currants and lots of sour notes.  The flavour is of cabernet, grapes, big sourness, currants, oak and dark fruits.  This beer does not have an alcohol heat which is surprising as it has an alcohol content of 10%.  Finally I have been able to have a good amount of a beer by Russian River and I am super impressed!  It is to bad it is so hard get your hands on this beer unless you live in California.

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La Roja Artisan Amber Ale – Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

by Mike

From Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales out of Dexter, Michigan USA comes the “La Roja Artisan Amber Ale” a sour amber brewed in the Flanders tradition.  The beer pours a cloudy redish brown with an off white head.  The aroma consists of an obvious funk from the Flanders style as well as sweet fruits and some oak.  The flavour is of a small puckering sour funk with oak, fruits, caramel and some hops bitterness to finish it off.  This beer is a blend of batches of this beer which have been aged for a 2 to ten months.  This bottle was from Blend 13 bottled on 5-24-2013.  The alcohol content of this amber is 7.2%.  This is a great sour and I look forward to making friends with one or more bottles of this great brew in the future.

Commercial Description:  La Roja – An artisan amber ale brewed in the Flanders tradition.  Deep amber with earthy caramel, spice, and sour fruit notes developed through natural barrel aging.  Unfiltered, unpasteurized and blended from barrels ranging in age from two to ten months.

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