Lagunitas Willettized Imperial Stout

After my last blog, I felt it was necessary to not only write about a beer but write about a big beer. Yes, I am writing about a barrel aged imperial stout again. I’ll do something different next week, I promise, but I had some thoughts about a particular beer I felt like sharing and it happened to be a rye whiskey barrel aged imperial stout. 

The first time I tried a Lagunitas Imperial Stout aged in Willett Bourbon Barrels left a lasting impression on me. It was 2016, I was having dinner with friends at The Stoneyard In Webster, NY(now known as The Beer Hall) and was awaiting the arrival of apps & a smoked prime rib sandwich. I remember thinking it was very good and was happy I tried it. In the weeks that followed, I found myself thinking about it more and more. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when this beer arrived in bottles the following year and they were using rye barrels instead of bourbon barrels.  I have been eagerly seeking it out every year  since. 

I was particularly excited to see Willettized arrive on shelves here last week and immediately purchased a 4-pack at the absurdly reasonable price of 12.99. I poured one in a glass the first chance I  got. The aroma of this year's batch is particularly fabulous. A lot of oak up front, rye, a touch of vanilla, molasses, dark fruits(especially cherry), roasted malt, and caramel with surprisingly very little coffee, especially considering this is a coffee stout. I did get more of the coffee once I took a sip. It added a bit of earthiness to the flavor profile. It also played a really nice complimentary role to everything else here. Chocolate, roasted malt, smoke, oak, cherry & rye are really at the forefront here. They are smoothed out by a very pleasant marshmallow sweetness before a warm, woody, earthy, boozy finish. The coffee is present the whole time and really compliments all of the other flavor notes here. Outside of wanting a little more body here, I really do not have any complaints. This is a huge 12.4% imperial stout and with each sip, I am floored by the outrageous price point it is sold at. I strongly believe this is easily one of the best values in beer.

Right now, there are a lot of amazing barrel aged beers just sitting on shelves everywhere but there are very few that have the low price point that Lagunitas Willettized has. That makes it a pretty safe bet if you are looking for a solid barrel aged imperial stout to beat the cold weather. With each passing year, I continue to be impressed with this beer and much like the first time I had it, this stout with leave an impact on me long after my last bottle of it is gone. 

Founders Underground Mountain Brown

Whenever there is a new release in the Founders Barrel Aged Series, I can’t help but write about it. The series might not always deliver a great beer but the creativity behind each of the offerings is something that should be celebrated. The latest release in the series, Underground Mountain Brown, a bourbon barrel aged version of their coffee brown ale Sumatra Mountain Brown, feels like a more crowd pleasing entry on paper. Especially when compared to the previous entry, the margarita-inspired beer Mas Agavé. In fact, the first time I tried Sumatra Mountain Brown, I found myself wondering what it would taste like after spending some time in a barrel. Now, with the release of Underground Mountain Brown, I no longer have to wonder.

After spending a year in bourbon barrels, the barrel character is immediately noticeable in the aroma. Creamy vanilla blends beautifully with robust coffee, baker’s chocolate, oak tannins, toffee, hazelnut & a warm, boozy note. When I took my first sip, I thought I was drinking KBS Lite. It had many of the same flavor notes with a touch less body and a more acidic burn on the finish. Tons of earthy, robust coffee, as well as a big hit of roasted malt sits up front before giving way to creamy vanilla & a touch of caramelized sugar, which tries to add a touch of balance. A huge hit of baker’s chocolate then comes in before a tannic, acidic, boozy finish.

There is a large barrel presence in Underground Mountain Brown but a not a huge bourbon presence. I feel like the only time I noticed the bourbon was in the finish. I would have liked that to stand out more. I also would have preferred a touch more sweetness, to balance the flavor out. With each sip, I kept hoping the vanilla would come through more before being blasted with acidity. Another fantastic note I did not mention earlier was the subtle hint of hazelnut. I am a huge fan of hazelnut brown ales and would have really liked more of that to come through here.

This review might give you the impression I am not a fan of Underground Mountain Brown, but I actually did enjoy it. However, I will stress that one 4-pack goes a long way. I have consumed three bottles so far and plan on putting the fourth in the cellar awhile to see if the acidity calms down a bit. If you are a fan of Founders’ Sumatra Mountain Brown, KBD  or coffee brown ales in general, I feel this is a must-try. If those are not your thing, I would recommend passing on this one unless you absolutely have to try every entry in the Founders Barrel Aged Series.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

New Belgium Oakspire 2019

Last year, when I tried New Belgium's Oakspire I was a bit underwhelmed. With the market heavily saturated in quality barrel aged beers at the time of its release last fall, I felt my money was better spent elsewhere after trying a single bottle.

I was going to let it pass by this year, but a friend's palate I trust asked me to give it another try. Rarely do I turn a free beer down, so I decided to bring it home and give it a try the first chance I got. I went into this year's New Belgium Knob Creek collaboration with a positive attitude and decided to write about it. It was that positive attitude that gave me hope that this year's batch of Oakspire is better than last year's. That being said, I still was not crazy about it.

Oakspire's appearance is a gorgeous deep amber with a creamy white head. The aroma is full of caramel, vanilla and oak. Hints of corn, toffee, brown sugar, dark fruit, smoke and a touch of bourbon round out the aroma. Caramel and vanilla flooded my palate on the first sip. A strong corn note also came through as well. There were hints of smoke, raisin before a very tannic, bitter finish. This finish lingers and accumulates. By the end of the glass, it is a touch overwhelming. This was by far my biggest complaint when it came to this beer. Another one, since this is a review blog is, it is a bit too thin. A beer like this should have more body to it.

Oakspire is an interesting beer. I definitely think, New Belgium & Knob Creek improved this beer. I am not saying it is going to blow your socks off, but as the weather cools, this is a solid beer to have around before stout season gets into full swing. I hope next year, this beer is even better. A bit more body and a touch more bourbon could earn this beer a regular place in my fridge. A positive thing to come out of me revisiting Oakspire is next year, I will definitely buy a bottle. I might not buy another this year but I am very open to trying next year’s batch. That is progress.


Overall rating: 3.25/5

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders Más Agave

Lately I have been all about the lighter, more refreshing beers that are best enjoyed with warm weather. That is clearly reflected in my previous blog on Naturday. For the past week or so, I have been drinking that and Genesee’s Ruby Red Kolsch. Both of those beers are refreshing and great values, and as much as I want to continue to look at lighter beers that compliment the warm weather, I can’t pass up an opportunity to blog about the latest offering in Founders Barrel Aged Series.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile now, you know I am a big fan of the Barrel Aged Series. My favorite part about it is how creative Founders gets with each new release. While I have liked some more than others, I really enjoy a brewery that continues to take chances, especially one on the scale of Founders. 

With the classics(CBS, Backwoods Bastard, KBS) taking up the last few months of releases, Founders’ Barrel Aged Series returns with an extremely fun & creative take on a beer version of a margarita. Más Agave is an imperial lime gose, brewed with agave and aged in tequila barrels. From the moment this beer was announced, I started counting the days until I could get my hands on some.

It’s fair to say I had high hopes for Más Agave and I was not disappointed. The aroma teased that Founders was successful with their take on a beer margarita. Lots of zesty lime on the nose, with agave sweetness and salt, with a touch of tequila & vanilla and spice. On the palate, Más Agave is a touch syrupy. Tart lime and sweet agave dominate the flavor. The barrel comes through as well, adding a touch of oak, tequila and vanilla. The flavors are strong here and leave little subtlety. The finish adds the perfect amount of salt, which brings a touch of balance to the sweetness and really makes this margarita-style beer work.

With a 10% ABV, the latest entry in the Founders Barrel Aged Series is deceptively easy to drink. I personally am a huge fan of it. I plan on making this the first of many 4-packs in my refrigerator throughout the summer. I also think this is the strongest entry(aside from the classics) in the barrel aged series in quite some time. Founders has crafted a fun, fantastic beer here and I highly recommend you pick it up.


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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Firestone Walker Dark & Stormy

The Firestone Walker Proprietor's Series needs no introduction. This series is so outstanding that even my least favorite beer in the series is still excellent. The only reason I would spend any time writing about it is if they did something different enough with it that I legitimately was not sure what to expect. With Dark & Stormy, Firestone Walker did just that. Dark & Stormy is a rum barrel aged blend that is 80% Helldorado and 20% Velvet Merkin, with freshly zested ginger and lime. 

When I first heard about Dark & Stormy, I was not as excited as I usually am about a new release in the series. I had no issue with the blend or the rum barrels, only the addition of ginger & lime. They felt like unnecessary adjuncts to an amazing series, but if any brewery could pull it off it was Firestone Walker.

The aroma of Dark & Stormy is very rum-forward. There is a nice honey sweetness as well, along with ginger, lime, a hint of chocolate, vanilla, coconut, caramel and spice. I grew optimistic from the aroma and that was rewarded when I took my first sip. Rum dominates initially before the ginger & lime are showcased. The creaminess of vanilla from the barrel finds its way in, along with the familiar graham cracker from Helldorado and a touch of chocolate from the Velvet Merkin. I wanted more of the Velvet Merkin to come through but I found myself enjoying Dark & Stormy for what it was. A fun, yet different addition to an illustrious series. However, I would not recommend this to any one who does not like rum. Rum is the dominant note here and I could see that being off-putting to some. 

Dark & Stormy is another great addition to the Proprietor's Series. I will admit it rates on the low end for me as far as the series goes, but I still think it is excellent.

Overall rating: 4/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders Barrel Runner

I am a bit obsessed with the Founders Barrel Aged Series. If you have been following this blog, you already know that. I love writing about each new release for two reasons. The first being that the beer is usually great. The second being that you can clearly tell the brewers at Founders are having fun pushing the limits of creativity with this program. Dank Wood, the previous release in the series took an underrated style of beer(Red IPA) and added a whole new layer of complexity to it with the barrel aging. When I first heard about Barrel Runner, the latest release in the series, I was intrigued but disappointed. I was disappointed only because I wanted to see a different style outside of an IPA go into a barrel. However, I was intrigued because the tropical fruitiness of a mosaic hopped ale seemed like a perfect compliment for a rum barrel. It had potential to deliver a fruity, strong, summer-like cocktail take on a beer. I became further intrigued when I saw the early reception was very polarizing, much like my favorite release in the series DKML. I had no idea which side of the fence I would be on for this one, but I had confidence that if any brewery could pull a beer like this off, it would be Founders.

For Dank Wood, the previous release in the series, the barrel presence was a bit more dialed back. It acted as a compliment to the bold flavor of the Imperial Red IPA. When it comes to Barrel Runner, things are much different. The dominating aroma of rum was noticeable while standing a few feet away from the glass. There were hints of caramel malt, coconut, pine resin, grapefruit, and vanilla, but the stars of the show here are rum, oak and pineapple. The first sip and every sip after that is very sweet & very boozy. The fruitiness(pineapple, mango, papaya, tangerine, berries) tries to shine initially, along with a healthy dose of pine and caramel but is immediately overshadowed by rum, vanilla, oak spice, coconut, and booze(lots of booze). I like rum, so I liked this beer. It reminded me of the tropical drinks I had on my honeymoon, as well as the low-proof fruity rums I sampled irresponsibly when I was younger. This might sound silly but Barrel Runner tastes like a hangover to me. It reminds me of mixing way too many sugary drinks and spending the next day in bed. I purchased a 4-pack of Barrel Runner and found it impossible to open a second one in a single sitting. 

One thing that would have made this beer better would have been a bit of balance. The barrel is clearly all that is showcased here while more balance between the fruity, syrupy sweet IPA & the rum barrel would have greatly improved my thoughts on this beer. Put it this way, if you like your Rum & Cokes with just a splash of Coke, this beer is for you. If rum hangovers do not bother you, this beer is for you. If you don’t like rum at all, spend your 15+ dollars elsewhere.

Overall rating: 3/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders Dank Wood

Writing blogs about new entries in the Founders' Barrel Aged Series has become a formality at this point. Personally, I am a huge fan of the series and judging by the feedback & web traffic the blogs get, you all are just as curious about the new releases as I am. My favorite of the new releases last year was DKML(Dick Kicker Malt Liquor). The beer was big, dirty and boozy. I found it to be absolutely delicious and loved every single second of drinking it. At the same time, I could also see why someone would absolutely hate DKML for the same reasons I listed. Either way you felt about DKML, the creativity & courage to brew and then barrel aged malt liquor should be admired.

My least favorite entry in the Barrel Aged Series was Doom. The thought of an Imperial IPA aged in bourbon barrels was intriguing but it just missed the mark for me. It reminded me too much of a less boozy and slightly aged Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. While that's not necessarily a knock on the beer, it just didn't deliver in the way I hoped it would. I remember it being mostly malt and vanilla while I wanted a bit more of a hop bite. Speaking of hop bite, that brings me to the latest release in the Barrel Aged Series, Dank Wood.

From the moment Founders announced the release of Dank Wood I had high hopes for it. Red IPAs are one of my favorite styles of beer. I think it is a style that is tremendously underrated and I hope to see it make a comeback of sorts in the near future. My initial complaint about Doom was that I wanted more hoppiness from it, Dank Wood did not disappoint in that department. The aroma of Dank Wood lives up to its name. It is super dank, full of sticky pine and oak. There are also notes of grapefruit, caramel, toffee, vanilla and earthy, spicy hops. The 12.2% ABV comes through in the aroma as well. The alcohol is so strong in Dank Wood I felt it warming my nostrils. I anticipated the noticeable alcohol content to play a big part in the first sip I took, and I was right.

Dank Wood's flavor is bold and full of booze. The heat from the alcohol provides the kind of warmth one would expect from a beer that came out during the winter months, not the warmer days of late spring. If you are looking for a smooth, easy drinking experience, I would suggest looking elsewhere. Underneath the alcohol, Dank Wood aggressively hits the palate with oak tannins, caramel, toffee, vanilla, grapefruit, spicy hops and loads of pine resin. I did not get bourbon in the aroma but I got a bit of it in the finish and I thought that was a nice touch. Mostly everything about this beer clicked for me. The only thing I would like to see differently is the alcohol scaled back just a touch. I look forward to placing a bottle in the cellar to revisit down the road, as I am very curious to see how this one develops. As for right now though, Dank Wood is big, bold, monster of a beer and much like DKML, I could see it being quite polarizing. I personally enjoyed it and look forward to buying another 4-pack of it. However, I would suggest approaching it with caution. As I mentioned earlier, if you are looking for something easy drinking, look elsewhere.

Overall rating: 4/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Jack's Abby Bourbon Barrel Aged Graham Cracker Framinghammer

Whenever the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammers come out I usually treat myself to one or two if I come across them but I do not seek them out. My main reason for this is, while I like them, I always want to like them more than I usually do. This all started with the first time I tried their PB&J variant. The flavors it promised were under delivered and they clashed with the base beer. The other variants I have tried were fine but were always a touch too boozy. Each time I drank the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer or its Vanilla, Mole or Brandy Barrel Aged variants I wanted each of them to finish smoother than they did. While aging them might have helped this problem, not everyone has the patience to see how that turns out.

My thoughts towards the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer Series changed in the summer of 2016. I was at Jack's Abby and had a taster of their draft-only BBA Graham Cracker variant. From the first sip to the last, I was blown away. Graham cracker is not usually a flavor that shines nicely in beer, but it did here. It was the undisputed star of the show and I instantly caused me to fall in love with the beer. Since that day, I have been waiting for an opportunity to try it again. That chance finally arrived with this year's Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer releases. I honestly could have cared less about the regular BA version or any of the other variants released. I just wanted the Graham Cracker version and I wanted it to live up to the incredible beer I remember trying almost two years ago. After a full week of sitting in my refrigerator, I was finally ready to find out if it did.

From the moment I took in the wonderful aroma of graham crackers, chocolate, vanilla & caramelized sugar, I knew I was in for a treat with my first sip of BBA Graham Cracker Framinghammer. This beer is without question the best example of a s'mores-style beer I have had yet. All of the elements are there in the flavor, and there is a huge amount of graham cracker present. As I mentioned earlier, in s'mores style beers I feel the flavor of graham cracker in particular is usually lacking. Here it is front and center along with lots of chocolate, vanilla, caramelized sugar, smoke and a slight hint of oak from the barrel. I got practically no bourbon in the flavor but I am not complaining. All of the elements I wanted were there. To be a bit critical though, it does get a touch sweet as it warms and the trademark booziness is noticable in the finish. As far as the sweetness goes, one should expect that in a beer designed to taste like a dessert. The booziness in the BBA Framinghammers seems to be unavoidable no matter which one you try. I am looking forward to aging a bottle a bit to see how it develops. Rest assured, I will report back with my findings. Outside of those two small criticisms, I have no complaints, this beer is wonderful and I highly recommend seeking it out.

Overall rating: 4.5/5



Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale

Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. makes a lot of barrel aged beers. I love barrel aged beers so this should be a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, I have yet to have anything from them I really enjoyed. The most disappointed I have been trying one of their beers was the first time I tasted their BA Barleywine. It was thin, lacked depth of flavor, and since I was in Tampa it took away from precious time drinking Jai Alai & Red Tocobaga from Cigar City. Their products make it to NY but I rarely purchase them. I keep waiting for one of my beer enthusiast friends to tell me I have to try one of their beers. That day has still yet to come. In fact I have heard that for the price, try anything but their stuff. I have stuck to this up until the last time I visited a bottle shop. It was there that I came across their Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. For some reason, I could not pass up the opportunity to try it. It just sounded like a beer I wanted to like, I just wondered if I would.

As I poured Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, I could not help but notice its similarities to cream soda. It was the same color, had a fizzy white head and had a massive amount of vanilla in the aroma. Due to my love of cream soda, I began to get a bit more optimistic about this beer. There was also a fair amount of graininess(corn) to the aroma as well, with a touch of biscuit. From the aroma alone, I could not tell that this beer was barrel aged. The flavor of the beer pretty much matched the nose. It was very grainy, with a lot of vanilla sweetness and a touch of biscuit. The graininess carried into a finish that balanced the sweetness of the vanilla, with a welcomed amount of hop bitterness, an occasional touch of whiskey and some oak spice. The barrel aging is only slightly there but you really have to look for it. The finish also leaves a fairly unpleasant grainy, bitter aftertaste that seemed to only grow in strength the further I got into the glass.

I was not disappointed I purchased the Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. I am happy for the opportunity to try it. However, I can safely say that I will not be purchasing it again. Everything seemed a touch muddled here and nothing really flowed together. Also, what is the point of barrel aging this beer for 2 months if there is practically no presence of it in the flavor? That just seems to me like an irresponsible business decision on the brewery's part. I am fairly certain this beer would taste close to the same with or without that short time in a barrel. Either way, it is nothing that special.

Overall rating: 2.5/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders DKML

When Founder's first announced the 4th release in their Barrel Aged Series I practically jumped for joy. The idea of an imperial malt liquor aged in bourbon barrels seemed to satisfy both College Sean as well as Adult Sean. Some of my favorite nights in college came from walking to the corner store near my friends apartment to purchase a 40 oz. bottle of Mickey's Malt Liquor or Old English 800 and pairing it with a Friday night of vintage video games. Based on that previous sentence I am sure you can tell I was a pretty cool guy back then. Years later, I find myself far removed from my college experience, my days of drinking a 40 oz. bottles of malt liquor are few and far between. The main reason for this is malt liquor is not typically enjoyed for its flavor. It is enjoyed because it is inexpensive, can be purchased in a large quantity and has a higher ABV than your basic lager. Frankly, most of it is gross. I think Magnum 40 for example, reminded me more of gasoline than an actual alcoholic beverage. I spoke affectionately of Mickey's Malt Liquor earlier, but it is terrible. Aside from the cool grenade-style bottles it comes in now, I can't remember anything else nice about it. I actually found Old English 800 to be drinkable, but steer clear of it because the day after drinking it is always unpleasant. This blog seems to have gotten away from me because I am spending more time giving you reasons why malt liquor is terrible and not telling whether Founder's DKML(Dick Kicker Malt Liquor) is worth a purchase or not. I guess the easiest way to answer that is, it is and it isn't. It depends what kind of drinking experience you are looking for. If you are looking for a polished alcoholic beverage, you are in the wrong place. If you are looking for a unique spin on a style typically ignored by beer enthusiasts, you might find something you love here.

DKML delivers on exactly what the bottle promises. It is a big, boozy, barrel aged malt liquor. The alcohol is not hidden at all and in this case I loved it. This is an aggressive punch in the mouth or better yet a kick “where you most expect it” as the bottle promises. Toasted bread, sweet corn, a pleasant fruitiness greeted my palate before the barrel notes of oak, bourbon, vanilla, coconut and lots of booze came through in the finish. The 14.2% ABV hits the hardest in the finish but it is there the whole time. The barrel aging shines the most in the flavor and transforms this beer. It is hard to explain that a beer hit every flavor note you wanted it to, but in this case it did. I did not expect a world class beverage here, I expected barrel aged malt liquor and that is exactly what I got and I loved it
.
Everything about DKML worked for me. It is a messy, boozy, aggressive brew that I feel will get “love it or hate it” reactions from anyone who drinks it. There is no middle ground with DKML. I absolutely loved it and I am happy to sing its praises. However, for everyone like me, there is someone like my wife who thought this was one of the worst beers she has ever had. Obviously, she was too cool to spend a Friday night in college drinking a 40 and playing vintage video games to appreciate what Founders accomplished here. Or maybe, my wife realized that this is by no means an easy drinking beverage. She explained it was gross, boozy and one sip was more than enough, but at least it gets you buzzed quickly.. When she heard it cost around 15 dollars a 4-pack, she thought I got ripped off for buying it. Naturally, I rejected that notion and told her I thought DKML was one of the most unique beers I had tried in awhile. As I finish this blog, we remain a house divided.

Sean's Rating: 4.5/5

Alicia's Rating:  1/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Breckenridge Stranahan's Well Built Burton Style Ale

Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter is a beer everyone into craft beer should try at some point. If you have yet to try it, do so, you might not be blown away by it now, but understand that beer was a big deal several years ago. I remember trying it for the first time and being absolutely loving it. I revisit it from time to time and it brings back fond memories, but it is now overshadowed by better local offerings in my area. The whole point in drinking it now is to “respect the classics”. I tended to stay away from many of Breckenridge's other offerings because a lot of them are average or completely unpleasant to drink. Recently, I sampled their Salted Caramel Brown Ale and could barely get through 3 ounces of it. Their Breck IPA is as uneventful as it gets. Their Oatmeal Stout had a decent flavor but was incredibly thin. I honestly can't remember anything else I have had from them outside of this. Recently, my Uncle Jeff(thank you!) brought me an incredible amount of beer from Colorado. Most of it I had never heard of, but I am extremely excited to try all of it. In the incredible amount of beer my Uncle brought to NY, he brought a Burton Style Ale aged in Colorado Whiskey Barrels from Breckenridge Brewery. This sounded creative, exciting, and if I was going to try a memorable beer from Breckenridge Brewery, it was going to be this one.

Stranahan's Well Built Burton Style Ale poured a deep reddish amber with a thin white head. The barrel aging in particular shined in the nose. Oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, spice, raisin, brown sugar and hint of cherry greeted me and continued to raise my hopes that Breckenridge had made something special here. Unfortunately, when I took my first sip, things started going downhill. A big hit of dark fruit, bourbon, vanilla, caramel and toffee greeted me immediately before giving way to a dry, oakey, astringent finish. At first, I liked it but held off on judgment until it started to warm. As it warmed, the flavors started to became disjointed and the astringent finish began to wear on me. On paper, the maltiness of Well Built should have blended nicely together with the barrel aging. Instead the beer and the barrel seemed to be at war with each other. Drinking Stranahan's Well Built felt like more like I took a shot of whiskey and then used a malty beer as a chaser to wash it down than anything else. Even more unpleasant, the more it warmed, its thin, oily mouthfeel only enhanced my dislike of everything going on here. It is a shame because the base beer alone might not have been bad and the whiskey aged in the barrels might not have been bad. Together however, they left me not wanting to try either.

This beer may have been named “Well Built,” but I assure you it is not. This is a messy barrel aged beer from a brewery that aside from their classic Vanilla Porter, seems to offer very little for a repeat purchase. I really wanted to like this beer. There are some nice things going on here initially but if you treat this like a sipper and you should, it all falls apart. I really want to find a beer from Breckenridge that justifies their national distribution but I am not holding my breath that I will.

Overall rating: 2.25/5. Stranahan's Well Built is another forgettable offering from Breckenridge with a higher price tag.

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders Doom Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial IPA

The Founders Barrel Aged Series has been fantastic so far. The first entry, Frootwood is a creative example of using a bourbon barrel that held maple syrup to completely transform a cherry ale into something truly unique. The second entry, KBS, needs no introduction. It is an amazing beer that lives up to the hype it generates every single year. The third entry in the series, Doom, is the subject of this blog. Doom is an imperial IPA aged in bourbon barrels that clocks in with an ABV of 12.4%. Due to my love of everything Founders has put in a bourbon barrel(except Lizard of Koz), I had high hopes that Doom, like the others in the series, would deliver another incredible drinking experience.

Founders Doom is a big, interesting beer. From the moment the crystal clear amber-colored liquid hit my glass, I got a whiff of its complex aroma. Caramel, vanilla, oak, spice, bourbon and citrus stand out beautifully. These same notes are what dominate the flavor. When I took my first sip, grapefruit and pineapple greeted me before giving way to caramel, vanilla, bourbon, oak spice and booze. The barrel really shines in the finish here and I absolutely loved that. Then again, this is called the Barrel Aged Series for a reason.

What I had trouble with here is thinking of this an IPA. I know it is, but reminded me more of a hoppy barleywine than anything else. If I had to compare it to another IPA, I could easily compare it to Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA after it had been sitting for a year or more. While I do enjoy drinking an aged Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, at 10 dollars a bottle, I think you should just put that money towards a really nice barleywine instead. In the case of Doom, you get all the benefits of aging 120 Minute IPA, for less money and you do not have to wait to make it drinkable. I think Doom is delicious but as far as the 2017 Barrel Aged Series goes, I think it is the weakest of the 3 releases so far. Do not let that discourage you though, I feel the first 2 released in the series have been particularly strong and it is hard to top KBS. If you are interested in trying Doom, I would highly recommend doing so.

Overall rating: 3.75/5. While I enjoyed Doom, I can't wait for the next release in the series, DKML. The thought of drinking bourbon barrel aged malt liquor is just as exciting to me now as it would have been when I was in college. Look for a blog on that as soon as it hits Upstate NY.

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Saranac Basking in Bourbon

I tend to avoid purchasing a 4, 6 or 12-pack of beer with the Saranac name on it because frankly, I do not like much of it. To keep up with their new beers, I usually buy a single bottle hoping to find something I enjoy. Truth be told, I have not had much luck lately. I have mentioned before that during college I would buy their mixed packs to get more familiar with different styles of beer. I found most of the beers in the pack to be underwhelming but nevertheless continued to keep trying them. However, I feel like I should say my relationship with Saranac beer is not all bad. In college I drank my fair share of Saranac Black Forest. On dollar pint nights, drinking that particular beer was a no-brainer over Labatt, Budweiser or the other domestic beers you commonly find in college bars. Sadly, outside of an appearance in a mixed pack, Black Forest has vanished from their lineup, and so has the opportunity for feeling the positive vibes of nostalgia along with it. So where is this all going? Well, I wanted to paint this picture so you would understand my reluctance to purchase a 4-pack of Basking in Bourbon Imperial Stout.

On several visits to my local grocery store over a week-long span I would stare at the shelf containing Saranac Basking in Bourbon. Normally, I would take any chance I could to buy a new barrel aged imperial stout from a brewery I enjoyed. Having the name Saranac on it caused me to leave it on the shelf. Each time I looked at it I would check Untappd to see it's rating. Over the span of the week, the rating kept going up. Then I started hearing some positive word of mouth about the beer and its price point. A 4-pack of an imperial stout sitting in barrels for over a year costing under 15 dollars was definitely priced right. After a week of deliberating, I went back to the store and picked up the last 4-pack on the shelf. It felt like it had been waiting there just long enough for me to buy it. Now, putting my past judgments of the Saranac Brewery aside, I opened up a bottle of Basking in Bourbon for this review.

I have set the stage for this review long enough, so I will cut to the chase. Basking in Bourbon is really good. I had a feeling I would enjoy it from the aroma. Judging by the aroma, Basking in Bourbon certainly lived up to its name. It was full of bourbon, oak, dark chocolate, caramel, spice, tobacco and a hint of smoke. It felt like a vast departure from anything else I have tried from the Saranac Brewery. The aroma told me there was a lot going on here and my first sip confirmed it. Basking in Bourbon is boozy, chewy, full of bourbon, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, with a smokey tobacco, spicy finish. As it warmed, the vanilla and chocolate sweetness became more pronounced. A small complaint I have is that I wanted just a little more carbonation. Basking in Bourbon is by no means flat but I think a little more carbonation would have added to the mouthfeel. The strong tobacco-like finish was interesting at first but I would have liked to see that scaled back just a little bit as well. Those complaints aside, this is by far the best beer I have had from the Saranac Brewery. It's full bodied, complex and most importantly, it tastes great. I hope Basking in Bourbon becomes a regular yearly release from them. Next time, I would purchase it without an ounce of hesitation.

Overall I would rate Basking in Bourbon a 4/5. It was good enough to open my mind up to future new releases from them. Also, if they could just bring back Black Forest that would be great.

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Founders Frootwood

I have been writing this blog for 3 years now. In that time, I do not think I have been asked about a beer more than I have about Founders' Frootwood. Whether it's a face to face conversation, a phone call, a text message, an email or a carrier pigeon letter, it seems like everyone wants to know how this maple syrup bourbon barrel aged cherry ale is. I think there are multiple reasons for this, the first being that Founders is a great brewery that makes some wonderful beer. The second being, Lizard of Koz was a surprisingly disappointing barrel aged offering from the makers of CBS, KBS and Backwoods Bastard. The final reason is a maple syrup bourbon barrel aged cherry ale sounds crazy. My initial reaction when Frootwood was announced was a mixture of excitement, confusion and curiosity. Since I was not the only one feeling that way, I picked up a 4 pack and made Founders Frootwood the subject of this week's blog.

I am glad I picked up a four pack of Frootwood because trying to figure this beer out with just twelve fluid ounces was not happening. The aroma was interesting. The cherry is tart, not sweet and significantly scaled back behind oak, bourbon, vanilla, bread and a hint of maple sweetness. I honestly did not know what to think from the aroma. It seemed like whatever expectation I had for this beer was out the window. Then from the first sip of my first bottle to my last sip of my third bottle, I found Frootwood to be one of the strangest flavor combinations I have ever experienced in a beer. The barrel is out front and center. Oak, vanilla, spice and bourbon are on full display initially before giving way to tart cherry and bready malt. The finish is where the maple syrup sweetness comes into play, providing balance to the tartness of the cherry. This might sound very strange and it was, but I liked it. These flavors may not work in perfect harmony together but they do work. I think it was smart to feature the barrel more than anything else here. In Lizard of Koz, the barrel took a backseat to the big sweet flavor of chocolate. That proved to be a costly mistake as I assume you will find 2016 Lizard of Koz bottles on shelves until at least 2020.  Frootwood works because the flavor of the cherry ale is pleasantly subdued allowing the barrel to shine. This is definitely one of the most unique beers I have tried. Founders is off to a great start with their new Founders Barrel Aged series. I am now looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for 2017.

Overall I would rate Frootwood a 4/5. Strange, unique and a lot of fun. A really nice showcase for barrel aging.

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

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For my most recent appearance of 13 WHAM's Good Day Rochester: Click Here!

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Hel & Verdoemenis (Aged in Scottish Barley Whiskey Barrels)

I do not drink a lot of scotch. However, I have enjoyed mostly every one I have tried. I find the rich, smoky flavor, as well as the vast differences between the blends and the single malt scotches to be particularly fascinating. I do not typically buy a lot of scotch because I buy a lot of beer. I have been told that once you really get into single malt scotch, it becomes a very expensive venture. I already have that with beer, I can't justify both. However, I got a chance this week to try a beer that brought both worlds together. From Brouwerij De Molen in the Netherlands, a variant of Hel & Verdoemenis(Hell & Damnation) combined scotch & beer by taking a smoked imperial stout and aging it in Scottish barley whiskey barrels. The bottle also describes the beer as “heavily peated,” and I would want and expect no less. Everything here sounded fantastic but if you read my blog, you know I have said that before to disappointing results. So would these complex flavors work well together? Or would this purchase be another expensive mistake?

If I had to describe this version of Hel & Verdoemenis in one word it would be smoky. That dominates the aroma, as well as the flavor. Charred caramel, dark chocolate and a lot of alcohol also come through in the aroma as well. Actually drinking this beer was a bit of a journey. Initially the strong flavor of peaty smoke, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla and oak delighted my palate. The 11% ABV was very noticeable as well, especially in the finish but it worked here. As I made my way through the glass I began to notice a sea salt-like finish begin to come through. I know that some scotches have a slight saltiness to them, so this was nothing unusual. Unfortunately, it just did not work in the context of this beer. The more it warmed, the more the salt water flavor clashed with the smokiness, chocolate, and caramel of the stout. The finish also began to develop a sort of vegetal flavor which I am assuming is seaweed. The more it warmed, the stronger this got. It got so potent, I began to dread taking a sip for about the last third of the beer.

As I finished the beer, I could not help but think of what a missed opportunity this beer was. I was hoping not to say it, but the truth is I did not like Scotch Barrel Aged Hel & Verdoemenis. However, this is a style I definitely want to see more of. Bourbon Barrel Aging is wonderful and I believe Scotch Barrel Aging has potential to do some really nice things in the beer world. I really want to see more breweries taking chances on the style like Brouwerij De Molen did here.

Overall I would rate Hel & Verdoemenis Smoked Imperial Stout aged in Scottish barley whiskey barrels a 2/5. There are some really nice flavors here, unfortunately they just do not work well together.

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://www.acraftylook.com

For my most recent appearance of 13 WHAM's Good Day Rochester: Click Here!

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!