Another special release during the Bruegala beer festival, this one sounded pretty good. I’ve had several Southern Tier beers, and they do a pretty good job with some big flavored beers. I made an IPA aged on oak chips once and was surprised by how good the mix of hops and oak flavor tasted. This one was a much bigger beer, and it didn’t disappoint with an equally big flavor.
Location: Enjoyed a 3oz sample, in a sampling glass, at Bruegala in Bloomington, IL.
Numbers: 9.9% ABV, 19.6ºL color, ~ 290 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: It had a copper-orange color with a head which fell quickly, but left a nice bit of lacing. There was a nice malty aroma, along with a bit of citrusy hop and vanilla oakiness.
Taste & Feel: The body was solid and full and it had a smoot mouthfeel with a bit of bitter crispness. There was a slight malt sweetness before the piney and citrusy hop flavor took over in the middle. In the finish a bold oak flavor kicked in, beating out even the big, intense pine-citrus bitterness. After a few sips, a bit of the alcohol warmth came in a bit in the aftertaste.
Food Pairing: This is a tough one to pair with food, as its bold flavor complexity and intense wood flavor would be tough to match. I would probably go for something simple, like a warm pretzel to help cut down the flavors between drinks, as well as to help soak up some of the 9.9% ABV.
Overall Impression: From Southern Tier, I was expecting something full of flavor and this beer was no exception. There was plenty of citrus hoppiness, and a lot of oak flavor from the oak aging. In fact, there may have been a little bit too much oak flavor in this beer. I really liked how the hop and oak flavor mixed, but I think I would have preferred for the hop flavor to overtake the hoppiness a bit. Unfortunately, it was the other way around. However, this was still a unique and very flavorful beer that you should try if you get the chance.
My Rating: 
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