The Barrel Lover’s Guide to San Francisco Beer Week’s Opening Gala 2017
We know you. While the mass of hipsters line up for an hour for a 2 oz pour of Pliny the Younger (SF beer geeks know it can be found elsewhere sans the queue), you stroll along Pier 48 looking for that new whale that has been aging for months in bourbon, whiskey, port, tequila, gin or wine barrels just waiting to be discovered by your palate on this, the most wonderful time of the year for beer lovers.
Below you will find a curated list of the barrel aged beauties in attendance along with the brewerys’ description of each. Enjoy!
21st Amendment
Wooden Pony
Barrel Aged Belgian Quad | 9.5%% ABV
Ale Industries
Husky Porter
Bourbon-Barrel Aged Coconut Porter | 7.2% ABV
We brewed this base beer for this creation in celebration of our newest brewery employees — two cats named Amber & Porter. It’s a chocolate, smooth creation with lots to love. Time + bourbon barrels + coconut are never a bad com
Protect Ya Nectarine
Sour | 4.75% ABV
This is a collaboration with Mission Trail Cider Co — a lactic forward, sour wheat beer blended with barrel aged nectarine lees and nectarine cake. We used two unique ingredients, both lees and cake in this beer. Lees is the awesome yeast that dropped out of nectarine cider and cake is the residual macerated nectarine fruit in the Mission Trail Cider Co barrels.
Alpha Acid
Brandy Barrel Constrictor
Barel Aged Imperial Stout | 13% ABV | 75 IBUs
Imperial Stout aged in Brandy barrels for one year.
Anchor Steam
Barrel Aged Old Forghorn Barleywine
Barrel Aged Barleywine | 11% ABV | IBUs
Anchor Brewing’s latest barrel aged release is a marriage between two classics — maybe more like friends with benefits, but you get the picture. We aged our Old Foghorn Barleywine in freshly emptied Old Potrero Rye Whiskey Barrels for one year to make a beautifully aged Barleywine with a subtle rye whiskey bite. This is a big beer that just got bigger by all that time in the barrel. The color of the beer is deep mahogany and it pours with a frothy, creamy light brown head that laces perfectly on your favorite snifter glass. The aroma is reminiscent of whiskey barrels, fine cigars & riverboat gambling. The taste is velvety smooth, thick with caramelized malty sweetness, and has a gentle slow build towards a slightly chocolaty, roasty finish. Notes of cooked fruit [think grilled peaches and grandma’s jam] and lightly charred wood linger in the background as well.
Anderson Valley
Boont Oude Bruijn
Flanders-Style Sour Red Ale | 4.8% ABV
Based on the Flemish classic (Oud Bruin) this very complex beer has many flavor facets. Brewed using redwood tips and the rare New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hop, this lively red ale is aged in a variety of wine and spirit barrels before blending. The final blend also includes a small amount of our Grand Cru (a blend of both Brother David’s Belgian ales aged in wine barrels). The resulting beer is very complex medium-bodied beer with a vinous character from the wine barrels and spicy notes from both the redwood tips and the Nelson Sauvin hops. Combined with a light sourness from the bacterial fermentation, these myriad flavors are underlined by a smooth, round Belgian character from the Grand Cru — an extremely complex yet very drinkable beer. Barrels Used: Various wine and spirit barrels. Yeast or Bacteria Used: House yeast, Pediococcus. Time Aged: 18 months-2yrs
Huge Arker
Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout | 13.5% ABV | 100 IBUs
True to its Boontling moniker, “Huge Arker” is a massive force of nature that detonates on your tongue. After primary fermentation, the beer is aged in Wild Turkey® Bourbon barrels until it fully matures. The deep mahogany color is evocative of the opulence to follow. Dark luscious aromas of burnished oak mingle with candy sugar, bourbon and hearth-baked bread. The luxurious flavors redolent of honey and molasses are intertwined with the richness of dark chocolate and the ardent warmth of alcohol, underpinned with hints of coffee, vanilla and dark fruits.
Alameda Island
Sea Haggis
Scotch Ale | 8.5% ABV | 15 IBUs
Barrel aged
Traditionally brewed to complement the brisk temperatures of Scotland, the Scottish strong ale is packed full of malt, making its consumption effortless. The residual sweetness is derived from its extremely low IBU’s, and we at AIBC like to refer to it as the antithesis of the IPA.
Bear Republic
Clobberskull
English Estate October Ale | 10.5% ABV | 35 IBUs
This English Estate October Ale is brewed with 10% raw wheat and 10% split peas. Fermented with our house Scottish ale yeast and barrel aged for 100 days in 1st beer use French Oak barrels.
Tartare Rouge
American Wild Ale | 6% ABV | 10 IBUs
Barrel aged
Released from Foeder Number Two in our spontaneous ale program, Tartare Rouge™ is a sour red ale fermented using only airborne wild yeast and bacteria native to Alexander Valley in Sonoma County.
Black Diamond
2017 DRYED up OLD GEEZER
Barrel Aged Barelywine | 12.5% ABV | 30 IBUs
We brew an American style barelywine and age it in two types of wood barrels, Rye Whiskey to give it a spicey, yet pleasant note, and Bourbon barrels to give a nice smooth, woody bourbon characteristic. This ain’t no chuggin beer.!. Sip enjoy, sip again.
Buffalo Bills
Devil in the Barrel
Strong Ale / Barrel Aged | 7.5% ABV | 23 IBUs
Our Tasmanian Devil Strong Ale aged in a Jack Daniels whiskey barrel. Nuances of oak and bourbon, balanced with a sweet malt character.
Calicraft
2017 Barrel Project Zinfandel Sour
American Sour Ale with Zinfandel Pomace | 8.5% ABV | 5 IBUs
Seasonal;
“We took the refinement out of the barrel and brought the funk from the farm. Using wild wine yeast straight from the vineyard and pomace straight from press, we infuse this sour ale with Dry Creek Valley zinfandel skins. Tart and jammy, juicy but dry. It starts fruit-forward with notes of bright red berries and finishes with wood spice and soft tannins. Blur the line between beer and wine. Drink up: with Sunday dinner or any day after 5
2017 Barrel Project Cabernet Sauvignon Sour
American Sour Ale with Cabernet Pomace | 8.5% ABV | 5 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off; First-time release; Barrel aged
We took refinement out of the barrel and brought the funk from the farm. Using wild wine yeast straight from the vineyard and pomace straight from the press, we infuse this sour ale with Cabernet grape skins. Tart and bold, full-bodied and dry. It starts with dark fruit flavors and finishes with tannins, tobacco, and vanilla. Blur the line between beer and wine. Drink up: to impress wine geeks”
Camino
La Rioja
Belgian Dark Strong Ale | 10% ABV | 21 IBUs
The first appearance of our first special release beer, a Belgian Dark Strong Ale aged in Tempranillo wine barrels. This beer is characterized by dark fruit and tobacco notes.
Cleophus Quealy
Aviato
Sour ale aged in gin barrels with cherries, lemon, and violets
2017 Cherry Red
Flanders Red | 7.2% ABV | 8 IBUs
Barrel aged Flanders Red with cherries
Eel River
Twenty-One
Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Ale | 11% ABV | 80 IBUs
Marking our first 21 years of brewing excellence with this special release! Twenty-One is a big, bold brew that takes on flavor notes of bourbon, toffee, toasted malt, and ripe fruit while its aroma is reminiscent of vanilla, oak, molasses, and caramel
Firestone Walker
Agrestic
Wild Ale | 6.6% ABV
Rare, limited or one-off
The 2015 Batch #2 begins its journey as DBA, then transforms into Agrestic by a “chrysalis” process involving 85% French and 15% American oak barrels and our proprietary collection of microflora. To blend, we selected beer matured eight to 36 months in barrels, creating a synergistic beer. Like Batch #1, Agrestic Batch #2 signature flavors and aromas shine. Toasted oak, lemon pith, and rosewood swirl on the nose and palate, followed by an amazing harmony of vanilla, coconut, Earl Grey tea, dark cherries and spice. The finish is crisp, with a mouthwatering acidity and chewy tannins.
Krieky Bones
Wild Ale | 5.7% ABV
Rare, limited or one-off
What began as a birthday gift, took on a life of its own. Proprietor David Walker cornered us one day and requested a sour cherry fermented beer for his 50th birthday. Done. A handful were sold at a Liberation, after which our loyal patrons demanded more. Voilà, Krieky Bones Batch #2! This beer begins its life as a Flanders Red style beer aged 24 months in a 2200 gallon French oak foeder. Sour Montmorency cherries are added and allowed a secondary fermentation. The aroma is of cherry pie complete with flavors of pie crust and spicy notes. Vienna malt notes give way to an assertive acidity, and a bright carbonation.
Headlands
Lightship Sour Solera 2016
Barrel-aged sour | 5.5% ABV | 38 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off
The story behind this beer is that we filled a barrel with our first beer that we brewed as Headlands. Each year at beer week we drain the barrel, but leave 5–10 gallons to inoculate the next batch and also add 1 more barrel. As this is the 4th year, this year we will be blending liquid from 4 barrels with fresh beer. The base beer for this sour solera is our award winning Pt. Bonita Pilsner.
Highwater
West Meets East
Sour Ale | 6% ABV | 10 IBUs
Seasonal
Sour ale with kumquots and kiwis sourced from Northern California. Barrel aged for a year. Slightly tart and earthy
Lagunitas
High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout
Ale Brewed with Coffee, Aged in High West Whiskey Barrels | 12.2% ABV | 40 IBUs
This beer couldn’t have been done without the help from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, UT and Chicago’s-own Metropolis Coffee. We brewed a rich, malty Imperial Stout with some of Metropolis’ Spice Island blend, then let it vintag-ize in High West Rye and Bourbon Barrels for up to 17 FREAKING MONTHS. It’s good to have friends!
Laughing Monk
Barrel Aged Peach Pulpit
Belgian Tripel | 8.9% ABV | 17 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off; First-time release; Barrel aged
A perfect peach cobbler in every sip. Rich oak notes from the Wente Vineyard Chardonnay barrels combine with bright fresh peach flavors to create a beer lovers tribute to one of our favorite southern desserts.
Local
Bourbon Barrel-aged Sutro Tower Stout
American Stout | 6.2% ABV | 59 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off; First-time release; Barrel aged
Bourbon barrel-aged version of our flagship Sutro Tower Stout. Aged in just one Buffalo Trace Barrel, you’ll get big vanilla, chocolate, oak and warming alcohol on the nose. Extremely limited, and featured only at our Local Barrage and Bourbon Beer & Tartine
Mad Fritz
The Wind and Sun- Coffee Infused Ethiopian Fully Washed
Golden Strong Ale | 7.5% ABV | 32 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off; First-time release; Collaboration; Barrel aged
Our Golden Strong Ale was aged in neutral french oak barrels with freshly roasted Ethiopian Full Washed Coffee bean sourced from Royal Crown Coffee. The Caffeine content is nearly a cup of coffee per 8 oz! A light amber color given to this beer by the whole beans offers an array of spice, toasted notes, and subtle red fruit in the aroma and a elegant yet powerful balance of coffee as well as malt and yeast flavor in the pal
Moylan’s
Little Chief
Flanders Sour Red/Brown | 5.5% ABV | 8 IBUs
Made with the second runnings of a huge malty Wee Heavy, we brewed a small beer we called Little Lifter. We racked Little Lifter into our solera project barrels which are Pinot Noir barrels that have a wide ranging array of microflora. After aging in there for 8 months, it had developed a nice level of funk and fruitiness. Named after one of our vertically challenged bartenders.
North Coast
Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XIX
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | 11.2% ABV | 38 IBUs
Every year we age a special batch of our much-loved Russian Imperial Stout in Bourbon barrels. The depth, intensity, and complexity of the flavor profile of this special release, like its predecessors, make it a worthy tribute to Old Rasputin. This years release was aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels.
Novel
Imperial Affliction
Imperial Stout aged In Bourbon Barrels | 9% ABV | 42 IBUs
Rare, limited or one-off; First-time release; Barrel aged
A boozy yet dry Imperial Stout aged in Woodford Reserve barrels yielding bourbon aromatics and roasted coffee and chocolate flavor notes.
OL’ Republic
Conn of the 100 Battles — Barrel Aged
Imperial Red Ale Aged in Scotch Whisky Barrels | 10% ABV | 30 IBUs | Near Gluten
Legend says a mysterious woman with a chalice of red ale marked Conn’s ascension to the unified throne of Ireland. This ale is truly fit for a king. Aromas of biscuit hover over this ale’s creamy, mocha-colored head and caramel-red body. This beer is reminiscent of a barley wine style with its huge malt profile. The rich toffee notes and natural carbonation create a velvety mouth feel that satisfies to the bottom of the chalice.
Chocolypto — Barrel Aged
Chocolate Oatmeal Imperial Imperial aged in Tequila barrels | 9.5% ABV | 50 IBUs
This stout is infused with an impressive five pounds of cocoa husks per barrel. On first sip, this ebony ale will coat your tongue with a rich, creamy warmth. It finishes softly. No harsh aftertaste! Before you know it, it’s gone and you’re lips are beckoning for another taste. Imagine you’re cuddled up on a bearskin rug in front of a fire in a blissful state of delirium. But watch out, this silky-smooth sleeper will creep up on you — designated drivers highly recommended!
Dark Matter — Barrel Aged
Black Scotch Ale aged in Laphroaig whisky barrels | 9.8% ABV | 30 IBUs | Near Gluten
Ol’ Republic’s version of this classic is a purple-hued black ale with a light mocha-colored head. It has a rich, silky mouth feel, bold malt flavors and aromas and a creamy finish. Hop character is low, empowering its toffee and caramel malt profile to be the highlight while not losing the subtle smoky character inherent to this style.
Russian River
Supplication
Sour Brown Ale aged in Pinot Noir Barrels with Tart Cherries | 7% ABV
Year Round
San Francisco Brewing
Miner Sourdough Sour Aged in Port Barrels
Sour | 6.5% ABV | 12 IBUs
Pucker up folks! At long last beer meets bread and the combination of the two is pure gold. So whether you are new to the 415 area or an original 49er you knead to try this classic sourdough yeast brew. Not for minors (get it?), this nontraditional sour promises seasonal tartness to satisfy any gold-seeker. The pale ale grain recipe has been kettle soured with one of the oldest yeast starters in San Francisco and the result is a slice of heaven with a kick
Speakeasy
Syndicate #03
Barrel-Aged Vintage Ale | 10.5% ABV
Barrel aged
Syndicate Series №03 pours black as night with a golden brown head. Aromas of vanilla, coffee, oak, molasses, licorice, dark chocolate, and toffee, rise from the glass. Upon first sip, chocolate and coffee flavors continue to build, coalescing with raisins, dates, currants, a touch of black pepper, and tobacco. This beer is dessert, reminiscent of rum cake and tiramisu, but it’s not overly sweet. It’s balanced, creamy, and medium to full bodied
Tahoe Mountain
Aurelia
Sour Golden Ale | 5.5% ABV | 15 IBUs
A solera golden ale aged in a French Oak foudre. Myriad strains of Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus give this beer a pleasant lemon tartness and subtle fruity funk.
Old Bayard
Sour Brown Ale | 7% ABV | 30 IBUs
A sour brown ale, which spent 18 months aging in wine barrels. Notes of fruit leather are balanced by a strong oak character.
The Rare Barrel
Soliloquy ’16
Golden Sour Beer Aged in Oak Barrels with Rose Hips and Orange Peel | 5.6% ABV | 5 IBUs
Soliloquy is a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with rose hips and orange peel. Fermented with Brettanomyces and Saccharomyces yeast and soured with Lactobacillus and Pediococcus bacteria, this sour beer features aromas of citronella and jasmine with flavors of fresh squeezed orange juice and lemon zest.
Shadows of Their Eyes ’16
Dark Sour Aged in Oak Barrels | 7% ABV | 5 IBUs
Year Round; Barrel aged
Shadows of Their Eyes is a dark sour beer aged in oak barrels. Fermented with Brettanomyces yeast and Lactobacillus bacteria, this sour features aromas of dark chocolate that compliment notes of black cherries, strawberries, and tart plums.
Map of The Moon ’16
Golden Sour Beer Aged in Oak Barrels with Apricots | 6% ABV | 5 IBUs
Map of the Moon is a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with twice the amount of apricots that we normally use in our fruited sour beers. Fermented with a special blend of microorganisms, this sour beer showcases notes of both ripe and dried apricots. Bright and juicy, Map of the Moon will guide you to a realm of apricot bliss.
Impossible Soul
Golden Sour Aged in Oak Barrels with Tart and Sweet Cherries | 7.2% ABV | 2 IBUs
Impossible Soul is a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with tart cherries and sweet cherries. Fermented with Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and some other special microorganisms, this blend displays notes of cherry preserves with hints of lemony tartness. At the heart of this beer lies an Impossible Soul: seductively tart, yet timidly sweet.
Thirsty Bear
Stave Series # 17: Spirit Works Stave
Barrel Aged Rye | 8% ABV | 30 IBUs
Rye ale fermented with Belgian yeast, aged in American White Oak barrels for 7 months that previously held Spirit Works Distilling “Straight Rye Whiskey” from Sebastopol CA, Sonoma County. Stave Series #14: Bugs & Cherries
Kriek | 5.3% ABV | 22 IBUs
Light Belgian ale split between American Oak barrels inoculated with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and French Oak barrels inoculated with Brettanomyces Clausenii. Aged eight months with cherries.
Track 7
Barrel Aged Sour Stout
Sour Stout | 7.9% ABV
