2beerguys beer blog

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

I have to share a really great beer I got on draft at Agave in Newburyport. Kentucky Ale makes an ale aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. Okay, so it seems that it is a fad here of late for breweries to do this aging-their-beer-in-a-bourbon-barrel thing, but this one was far superior to any I have tried to date.

It had the lovely, warm, bourbony nose that you’d expect from an ale that had aged six weeks in a recently decanted bourbon barrel, but it wasn’t overpowering as many others I’ve smelled. It was like soft caramel and vanilla melting together in a smooth aroma that mimicked the feel of a well made bourbon on the palate. The flavor was also fantastically smooth.

A good number of bourbon ales have a severe alcohol charactor to the flavor that assaults the taste buds rendering them nearly unable to detect anything else. But the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale gave the slightest sensation of warmth, an echo of the bourbon with which the ale had been infused. It was smooth, with rich flavors of vanilla, caramel and malt. It seems to be the perfect marriage of bourbon and beer, still keeping the best qualities of both with out giving an overbearing impression of either. And, the alcohol content of this beer is much lower than most others of its type. Its listed at 7-9% ABV (depending on the batch), while many others are 10+%, thus allowing you to enjoy more than one glass in a sitting.

Needless to say, I enjoyed this beer very much and will be using to warm my palate during the upcoming cold months.

~Lisa