New Beer Friday, Buffalo Trace Edition (November 3)

Preamble by John Barecki

With the popularity of last year's single-barrel 1792, we decided to have a go at it again and were lucky enough to procure for your enjoyment a Buffalo Trace single barrel. The interesting thing about a Buffalo Trace single barrel is that the usual bottle you see on the shelf is comprised of multiple barrels ranging from 8 to 10 years old that are blended together in order to form continuity in the brands overall characteristics. The single barrel variety allows the consumer the ability to experience one part of the whole spectrum, which can differ from barrel to barrel and can only be found in stores that participate in the barrel program.

Earlier this year we were treated to a handful of different barrel samples each containing different intensities of flavor, aroma, body and balance in the final spirit. We deliberated on each one and made a mostly unanimous choice on the barrel that now resides in our store. It was laid down in October of 2008 making it 9 years old, and we believe it to be a fine bourbon that contains a wonderful harmony of spirit and barrel notes that can be equally enjoyed as a sipper as well as a wonderful accompaniment to your favorite cocktails.

In comparison to the original Buffalo Trace bourbon, our single barrel holds more weight on the palate, and contains flavors and aromas of brown sugar, baking spice, orchard fruit, roasted corn, leather and charred barrel notes. While these are similar to the regular bourbon, they are amped up in our barrel giving more complexity to the final spirit. That said, there were only sixteen cases of fifths and four cases of pints that were bottled from this barrel due to evaporation over the years, so stocks are limited, and at $29.99 a fifth and $16.99 a pint it is an affordable way to enjoy a “rare” bourbon when many of the special releases around this time of year can climb into the triple digits.

New and Returning Beer

• Mikkeller SD Windy Hill, $3.29/16oz - "Windy Hill IPA dry hopped w/Mosaic & Simcoe" (source).
• Mikkeller SD Beer Geek Vanilla Shake, $8.99/16oz - "Oatmeal stout brewed with coffee & vanilla" (source).
• Prairie No Chill, $3.89/12oz - "Milk stout conditioned on Mexican coffee beans sourced from Spaceship Earth Coffee in McAlester, OK" (source).
• Bernard Bohemian Lager, $2.29/12oz - "This unpasteurized light lager is a beer with a balanced bitter taste in harmony with its tasty fullness, hop aroma and rich foam" (source).
• Bernard Dark Lager, $2.29/12oz - "This non-filtered dark lager with a fine yeast culture is an unpasteurized beer brewed from four types of malt, with a distinctive full taste and a fine bitterness. Its special flavour makes it unique on the Czech beer market" (source).
• Bernard Bohemian Ale, $3.09/12oz - "Spice up your day with top fermented special beer Bernard Bohemian Ale. The beer is bottle conditioned. Despite its 8.2 % alcohol has a fresh fruity scent, clean malty flavor with a pinch of spicy coriander and subtle warmth in the aftertaste" (source).
• Short's Sticky Icky Icky, $1.99/12oz - "Sticky Icky Icky is a radiantly dank, clear copper-colored American India Pale Ale loaded with citrusy hop aromas. This light, yet full-bodied, ale seems perfectly balanced by equal parts sweet malt and fruity juicy hops. A medium bitterness lingers in the finish with a subtle earthiness" (source).
• Short's Double Magician, $1.99/12oz - "Double Magician is a dark red Double London-Style Ale. Deep mahogany in color with an off white head,Double Magician has aromas of toffee, light citrus, and just a hint of roast. Double Magician is medium-bodied with flavors of raisin, toffee, and a slight hop bitterness. The finish is balanced and dry" (source).
• Southern Tier 2xMas, $1.99/12oz - "2XMAS ale combines traditional brewing ingredients with figs, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger root. It’s a holiday addition to the 2X line and another reason to toast to the season, but unlike Glögg, we recommend serving this one chilled" (source).
• Southern Tier Old Man, $1.69/12oz - "Our winter offering is here to quell your shivers and get you through the coldest of nights. A rich marriage of hops and barley to cast light upon the evening and melt your mind out of the snowdrifts. Old Man Winter’s earthy hue and thickness lace around the glass, inviting you to linger in its warmth and share the spirits of the season with your friends and family. A deceptively strong brew, it’s best to sit and ponder with this old man, sip by sip" (source).
• Odd Side Citra Dank Juice, $2.19/12oz - "This is our take on an N.E. IPA. Low bitterness gives way to juciy hops and a smooth, creamy, hazy beer" (source).
• Odd Side Passion Fruit Dank Juice, $2.39/12oz - "Dank Juice, our East Coast IPA with passion fruit" (source).
• Odd Side Barrel Aged Night Man Leaveth, $7.49/12oz (1 per) - "Rye whiskey BA imperial milk stout with vanilla" (source).
• Odd Side Barrel Aged Sweet Potato Soufflé  Rye Ale, $7.49/12oz (1 per) - "A big, warming spiced (cinnamon, nutmeg, and lactose) strong ale brewed with sweet potato and aged in rye whiskey barrels" (source).
• Odd Side Hazel's Nuts, $7.49/12oz (1 per) - "Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee and natural hazelnut flavoring" (source).
• Odd Side Barrel Aged Mayan Mocha, $5.99/12oz (1 per) - "Stout with coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and habanaeros added then aged in bourbon barrels" (source).
• North Coast Laguna Baja, $1.99/12oz  - "Laguna Baja is a classically styled Vienna lager (in the Mexican mode), rich dark amber, with a malty aroma and a full, creamy body" (source).
• North Coast Cranberry Quince Berliner Weisse, $6.49/22oz - "The third offering in our spontaneously soured seasonal Berliner Weisse series, North Coast Brewing Cranberry-Quince Berliner Weisse is made with the juice of Oregon cranberries and the pear-like quince—the perfect accompaniment for all your autumn celebrations" (source).
• North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin, $23.39/500ml (1 per) - "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" (source).
• Great Divide Hibernation, $1.99/12oz - "This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop profile and hearty, warming character" (source).
• Great Divide Chai Yeti, $10.79/22oz - "Our beloved Yeti is going back to its roots with this Himalayan-inspired variation. Traditional Chai spices of cinnamon, green cardamom, black pepper, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla blend seamlessly with Yeti’s rich, roasted malt backbone for a spicy beast fit to tackle Everest" (source).
• Bell's Christmas Ale, $1.89/12oz - "This traditional Scotch Ale is rich and malty with notes of caramel and a warm finish. Certain to make any occasion festive, or at least a bit more bearable. Enjoy with the company of friends and family" (source).
• Bell's Winter White, $1.99/16oz - "Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley and wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Winter White is a beer for embracing winter" (source).
• Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Aged Quad, $4.09/12oz - "Barrel aged Quad is brewed in the spirit of collaboration. We combine traditional techniques and ingredients like Belgian candi sugar with American innovation and experimentation by the use of bourbon barrels" (source).
• Griffin Claw 3 Scrooges, $2.19/16oz - "Brewed with Orange, Honey & Clove! NYUCK, NYUCK, NYUCK Bah Humbug" (source).
• Dark Horse 4 Elf, $2.09/12oz - "4 Elf is holiday cheer in liquid form. Spicy aromas like cinnamon and clove give this dark brown winter warmer a proper holiday welcome. Balanced between malt, hops, and spice at 8.75% ABV this beer goes great with all holiday foods—from sweet snacks to the roast beast" (source).
• Latitude 42 Mayan Sunrise, $2.29/12oz - "A stout with Mexican Chocolate, Guajillo and Habenaro Peppers, finished off with 6 gallons of espresso" (source).
• New Holland Cabin Fever, $1.79/12oz - "Cabin Fever is a roasty brown ale and a hearty, comforting companion for long, mind-bending winters" (source).
• North Peak Gnarl, $1.79/12oz - "Chestnut Amber Ale" (source).
• North Peak HooDoo, $2.29/12oz - "North Peak Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA is the first of it’s kind. Brewed with fresh from the farm Michigan hops for exceptional flavor. Hoodoo is hops from start to finish with a little malt in the middle, just enough to keep Hoodoo from going Voodoo on you. not to worry - pretty much nothing but hops" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods, $19.69/750ml (1 per) - "Narwhals are things of legend, myth, and mystery. Every so often, a rare specimen surfaces for a moment, but then dives back into the deep, never to be seen again. This very special version of our Narwhal Imperial Stout was brewed with toasted coconut and then left to mature in Kentucky bourbon barrels for nearly a year. To the barrels, we added additional coconut and cocoa nibs to create a uniquely rich and decadent stout. Catch a glimpse while you can before this rare treat slips below the surface forever" (source).
• Spencer Holiday Ale, $3.69/12oz - "Mahogany in color, wholesome in body, lightly spiced, a heart-warming feast day ale from our table to yours" (source).
• Spencer Imperial Stout, $3.69/12oz - "A massive, roasted, malt-forward American Trappist take on the Anglo-Russo Imperial Stout tradition.  Luxuriantly frothy foam, waves of coffee, chocolate and caramel sensations, a generous blend of dark fruit flavors.  Intense and robust" (source).
• Spencer Festive Lager, $2.19/12oz - "A Trappist Lager inspired by German tradition! Smooth, russet colored, hearty and malt-forward, hints of smoke and spice. Balanced by noble hops and a bitter finish" (source).
• Sam Adams Winter Lager, $1.69/12oz - "German brewers were onto something centuries ago when they created rich bock beers for the winter. Our version is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel for a deep flavor and malty finish that will warm you on a cold winter night" (source).
• New Belgium Accumulation, $1.69/12oz - "This winter, IBUs start accumulating like snow in Colorado with our new Accumulation White IPA . Brewing a white IPA was not only a way to salute the white beauty falling from the sky, but a direct revolt to the longstanding tradition of brewing dark beers for winter and winter seasonal beers . At least that’s what our rebellious brewers like to claim as they shovel in plenty of mosaic and Amarillo hop varietals and a bit of wheat for a smooth mouthfeel. Stack up a few cases of Accumulation White IPA to keep your long nights glowing blizzard white" (source).
• New Belgium La Folie, $15.99/22oz - "La Folie, French for "the folly," is a beer steeped in New Belgium brewing tradition. This wood-aged, sour brown spends one to three years in big, oak barrels, known as foeders. And when the beer finally hits the glass, La Folie is sharp and sour, full of green apple, cherry, and plum-skin notes. Pouring a deep mahogany, the mouthfeel will get you puckering while the smooth finish will get you smiling. Not a beer for the timid, La Folie is a sour delight that will turn your tongue on its head. Find out why it's considered one of the best sour beers around" (source).
• Arcadia Deliverance, $12.59/750ml (1 per) - "Semi-sweet, warm yet crisp flavor with intense notes of malty bourbon" (source).
• Frankenmuth Christmas Town, $1.79/12oz - "Measuring in at 6.8% ABV and 24 IBU, Christmas Town Ale balances a nice fruity aroma with a moderately carbonated body, sweet dark malts, and fresh American hops. Since Christmas Town Ale’s inception in 2013, the winter ale has quickly grown to become one of the Frankenmuth Brewery’s most popular and recognizable seasonal Michigan craft beer releases" (source).
• Rochester Mills Red Velvet, $2.19/16oz - "Red Velvet Ale is Rochester Mills’ Winter Seasonal offering for 2016 – A decadently dark ale with the rich velvety chocolate notes reminiscent of the popular" (source).
• Deschutes Jubelale, $1.79/12oz - "Warm spiciness and tradition grace this bold, complex winter ale. The deep garnet color pairs perfectly with holiday celebrations. To celebrate the 30th bottling, for the first time ever, this year’s packaging features not one, but a series of custom snowflake themed illustrations" (source).
• Deschutes Hop Trip, $1.99/12oz - "Vine to kettle in less than four hours, we wait restlessly all year for the hop harvest celebration. After bagging these aromatic jewels, we hustle back and toss them into the brew kettles within hours of picking. It’s our one chance to capture the bright citrus and pine essence of fresh hops" (source).
• Deschutes Chasin' Freshies, $1.99/12oz - "Like fresh powder, it’s a seize-the-moment thing. This year we’ve chased down fresh experimental hops #431 from Haas in Yakima, Washington. At harvest, we rush the hops from the vine to our kettles to ensure we capture the purest, juiciest essence of the hop flower in every beer. Enjoy the bright, bold aroma and flavor that comes but once a year" (source).

Video of the Week |  Beer/Pancake Breakfast

Here's one for your brunch menu this weekend.

Cheers!