Tag: Buffalo Trace

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Review – Sierra Nevada Bigfoot / Colonel E.H. Taylor Bourbon Barrel-Aged

Usually, I am a little late to online beer sales. The beer goddesses smiled upon me this time though and I snared one bottle of this Sierra Nevada meets Buffalo Trace barleywine.

Here is the description from the brewery, “Brewers hand-picked vintages of Bigfoot already aging in bourbon whiskey barrels — for up to 7 years — and after a final year in E.H. Taylor barrels, the beer that emerged was simply unreal, and at 15% ABV, full of immense flavor.”

Using the same packaging as the E.H. Taylor bourbon is a great choice, that is some classy, handsome, rugged design. Having it caged and corked is another high-end look.

BBAB pours a dark brown color with a streak of red to it. On the nose, the bourbon is not super big which came as a bit of a surprise (not the biggest one, get to that a bit later). This very smooth with close to a caramel taste to it. The rough, spiky hop notes in regular Bigfoot have been completely sanded down.

The biggest surprise is that this does not taste 15% or anywhere near it. Not in aroma, viscosity or taste. This is not a beer that you need to pace yourself with.

Overall, this was really good but I was letdown by the lack of bourbon.

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No Ashes – Just a Barrel

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BBQ and craft beer both have passionate adherents and divergent styles and preparation methods. And for both, all it takes is to step a foot into a brewery or a BBQ restaurant and then another and you realize that wealth of differences.

All hokey preamble to a quick night spent at Barrel & Ashes in Studio City near the CBS lot. There is a great smokey smell inside the small place that has a nice big window onto busy all-the-time Ventura Boulevard.

I was there to sample the unique collaboration of Wolf Creek Brewing putting their Timber Wolf Red Ale into a Buffalo Trace whiskey barrel. Used but not in the normal way of being, this particular barrel had been dispensing whiskey at the restaurant. B&A is one of the rare six spots in Los Angeles that gets an actual barrel that held whiskey. (Along with an allotment of bottles too)They are allowed to taste and pick what whiskey they like from a selection to be their “house” drink. Sometimes they go oaky. Sometimes mineral.
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Due to the laws of beer and distribution, layered with spirits regulation. B&A couldn’t just ask a brewery to fill it and pay for the beer. Nope, had to find a brewery who A) self-distributed, B) that they liked and had a relationship with. Enter Wolf Creek, who has been hit or miss for me in the past but they have thought outside the box and added a red ale to the barrel.

The resulting beer pours a muddy red/brown color. Big whiskey aroma and taste to it. Vanilla and wood are the dominant notes. 7.3% is the final ABV and there is a light mouthfeel to it while some sweetness sneaks in at the tail end.
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The beer menu has a good mix of craft beers to choose from and beers to please your cranky non-craft, just here for BBQ friends. It is one of the rare spots that has regular taps. Not all are rotating. And if you need an excuse to visit then on September 10th, B&A will be hosting a Sixpoint. Night. Meet members of the NY based brewery team and try their beers.