Beer of the Weekend #663: Brrr Fest Barrel Aged Winterfest Ale
Yeah. I have not felt like blogging lately.
Tonight may (hopefully) be the final time this winter when temperatures dip below zero. So to mark the occasion, I thought I would pop the cap on my bottle of Brrr Fest Barrel Aged Winterfest Ale, brewed by Backpocket Brewing of Coralville, Iowa.
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Pours a very deep mahogany; perhaps it is ruddy brown. Two fingers of dense, bubbly, light tan-colored foam leaves a ring around the edge, clusters of bubbles, and skim.
Smell: It’s barrel-aged, all right. The barrel-aged char, wood, and whiskey leftovers are unmistakable and dominant. There are also touches of vanilla, smoked malt (perhaps that is just the char), caramel, honey, and hints of booze.
Taste: It mostly mirrors the smell, offering a huge dose of barrel-aged flavors. Lots of char, wood (I assume oak), vanilla, noticeable booze, honey, and a little caramel and cocoa. A hint of dark fruit emerges after the beer has warmed. At that point, char-like bitterness lingers on the tonsils after each sip along with warming, whiskey-like alcohol.
Drinkability: I’m not a fan of barrel-aged beer, but it is tasty. The flavors and aroma imparted by the barrel-aging process overpower everything else.
Fun facts about Brrr Fest:
-Style: Barrel-aged whatever.
-Price: $7.49/bottle at New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-IBU: 25. Honestly, only IPAs should list IBU.
-“Bottle No. 214” is printed on the label. Seeing that usually signifies each bottle is individually numbered. But that is not the case here. I checked the other bottles at the Co-op and “No. 214” was printed on all of them. Hmm…
-Written on the label is this:
-Earlier tonight, Duolingo asked me to translate Meine Eltern mögen Bier. Easy: My parents like beer.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Tonight may (hopefully) be the final time this winter when temperatures dip below zero. So to mark the occasion, I thought I would pop the cap on my bottle of Brrr Fest Barrel Aged Winterfest Ale, brewed by Backpocket Brewing of Coralville, Iowa.
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Pours a very deep mahogany; perhaps it is ruddy brown. Two fingers of dense, bubbly, light tan-colored foam leaves a ring around the edge, clusters of bubbles, and skim.
Smell: It’s barrel-aged, all right. The barrel-aged char, wood, and whiskey leftovers are unmistakable and dominant. There are also touches of vanilla, smoked malt (perhaps that is just the char), caramel, honey, and hints of booze.
Taste: It mostly mirrors the smell, offering a huge dose of barrel-aged flavors. Lots of char, wood (I assume oak), vanilla, noticeable booze, honey, and a little caramel and cocoa. A hint of dark fruit emerges after the beer has warmed. At that point, char-like bitterness lingers on the tonsils after each sip along with warming, whiskey-like alcohol.
Drinkability: I’m not a fan of barrel-aged beer, but it is tasty. The flavors and aroma imparted by the barrel-aging process overpower everything else.
Fun facts about Brrr Fest:
-Style: Barrel-aged whatever.
-Price: $7.49/bottle at New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-IBU: 25. Honestly, only IPAs should list IBU.
-“Bottle No. 214” is printed on the label. Seeing that usually signifies each bottle is individually numbered. But that is not the case here. I checked the other bottles at the Co-op and “No. 214” was printed on all of them. Hmm…
-Written on the label is this:
The breweries of Iowa and the surrounding states know the challenges of a Midwestern winter. Long nights, cold temps and deep snow are the norm. That is why we are best suited to brew beers to not only make winter bearable, but something to look forward to each year. Brrrfest in Coralville is a celebration of these beers and this bottle is Backpocket’s salute to winter. Enjoy your winter!
-Earlier tonight, Duolingo asked me to translate Meine Eltern mögen Bier. Easy: My parents like beer.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
