Week 9 in The Year of Drinking Adventurously. Bourbon barrel aged beer.
Despite the growing craft beer movement, the beer industry is still dominated by large industrial brewers like Anheuser Busch. So chances are, unless you are a beer afficionado, you aren’t likely to have tried a bourbon-barrel aged beer. Just like it sounds, a batch of beer is stored for a period of time -aging- in a bourbon barrel for a number of weeks. It gives the brew a distinctive flavor. And really, it’s quite the practical reuse of something that would otherwise be discarded.
Yep, that’s right. Bourbon producers only use a barrel once. That seems like such a waste! No worries, though, the rest of the whisky producing world is happy to take America’s bourbon barrels off her hands. Canada, Ireland, Scotland… they all use old bourbon barrels to store and age their whiskies. And of course, another one of the uses for a pre-owned bourbon barrel is aging beer. Even small-time microbreweries are acquiring old barrels for this purpose.
I chose to drink Allagash Brewery’s Curieux. And what a sexy brew it is! (Thus the ‘romance’ in the title.) It’s corked – champagne style. At eleven percent alcohol. it’s another butt-kicker, so be forewarned. Curieux is made by aging Allagash’s Belgian Tripel in Jim Beam barrels for eight weeks. At that time a splash of fresh tripel is added before kegging or bottling the batch. The end result? Hints of vanilla, coconut and bourbon… Yum! And wait till you hear this –the recommended food pairing is cheesecake, roquefort or creme brulee!! I think it’s really funny that beer has gotten snobby enough for food pairing! (snort!)
Ok, so I’m sipping on it, as I write this. The flavors are subtle. Not strongly of any one thing. Not real beer-like either. Highly carbonated but without a lot of head. Crisp and… woo! going straight to my head! Bring on the creme brulee…
Don’t forget to see what Lula drank this week!
Whoa, sounds like a beer I could like a little bit of, especially with cheesecake! Yummy…
LikeLiked by 1 person
It almost has a champagne feel to it. But it is really strong!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My only other beer I like is Not your Fathers Root Beer and that’s stronger than other beer too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beer and cheescake???
LikeLiked by 2 people
Best of both worlds! ❤️
LikeLike
Well, I don’t like beer but I do like cheesecake! And Meg said they go together and she’s a doctor, Drew!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A champagne feel?! Sign me up! Love your title too. 😉 xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s tricky because it’s light and crisply carbonated so you forget about the high alcohol content and woo hoo!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had one of these once, and it was pretty spectacular, though it was definitely a stout – I believe it was from Foothills Brewing, here in NC. Yours sounds quite delicious, coconut, vanilla and bubbles, oh MY!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m pretty sure I can get Foothills beers around here! I’ll look for it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My palate must not be sophisticated enough for this! I like corona light with buffalo wings. Yum!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha! I think you’d like this! Especially with a sweet pastry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that I would, too! It’s just that I would never think of those pairings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have think outside the box with these exotic brews!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The first time that I tried something that wasn’t mass produced was a beer called Julius Echter. It was served over an orange slice and was delicious.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mm, that does sound good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that heavier beers are best in cold weather. I’m sure that after a few of these in the summer, I’d be a bit loopy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, summertime I can’t drink dark heavy beers either. And yes it doesn’t take much to make you loopy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup! No one wants to get me loopy, trust me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I might! Lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha! That would be more fodder for the library. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a great idea! 😜
LikeLiked by 1 person
then pass me a beer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You got it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok, let me smile first. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds divine! I’m adding this to my “to find” list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ll love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You had me at bourbon barrel aged. We live in the bourbon capital of the world and are within a thirty minute drive of a dozen or more distilleries, including Beam. Never tried this one, but I will. I think the craft beer thing goes a bit overboard at times, often to the point that it doesn’t even resemble a beer. But aged in bourbon barrels and 11% AC? Yes, please! 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seriously! You will love this! We’ve considered traversing the bourbon trail sometime!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let me know if y’all ever do. I’ll give ya’ some tips. If you’re a bourbon fan, it’s Mecca. 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hear that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great title and review Meg. While admittedly not a big alcohol consumer myself I still get a “kick” out of all the stories behind your beverage selections as well as your investigative, first-hand knowledge on the “kick” they each provide!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Bruce!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meg, I am sorry. lol I find it an odd combination – beer and cheesecake. My prior beer drinking usually coincided with salty treats. Perhaps, this Chimp is too old fashion. Interesting read.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Beer and dessert! Now that’s a first for me. I love cheese cakes though 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is a pretty unique beer. In fact, not really all that beer like!
LikeLike
Sounds pretty damned interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are brewers doing this kind of thing in England? I’m imagining a brew aged in a bourbon barrel with a Scotch infusion!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, we seem to have as wide a range of beers here as you do, and I have heard of beers like that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really need to visit England!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A special Beer Jaunt! I like your style!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😃
LikeLike
I believe I’ve had bourbon barrel beer before but I can’t recall the brewer. Yours sounds delicious!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even a non-beer drinker might like this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have tasted it and somehow didnt like it all that much. Maybe because I am a craft beer loyal?
Beer and creme brulee….OMG!! 😀
LikeLike
Now that looks good!
LikeLiked by 1 person