Given that this month thus far appears to have been an explosion of opinions about the strategy of a certain Manchester Brew Co. (or opinions of opinions) it seems fitting that my first amateurish attempts on blogging about my interactions with beer should be with regard to Cloudwater Brew Co.
I have had several offerings from this brewery since their inception and if I recall correctly have enjoyed them all. Their IPAs and the Sorachi Grissette stick in my mind in particular for their quality and I have enjoyed the variety that the DIPA series have offered my palate. However, it was with a degree of uncertainty that I purchased a bottle of Cloudwater Bourbon Barrel Aged Tripel from one of my employers - the excellent Coppers of Gosforth.
But why the uncertainty given my hitherto positive experiences of Cloudwater? It was a 750ml bottle - if I really didn't like it there would be much waste. But that wasn't it, I have bought many a big bottle and just gone for it. It wasn't cheap - though value for money wasn't a concern. There was one thing that was gnawing away at me. Not that it was barrel aged, but that it was bourbon barrel aged. For why? Well, I realise it's not a fashionable view but I have polarised experiences with bourbon barrel aged beers. I loved Almasty's Sour Mash which was such a well rounded delivery on a complex beer. However, I guess what was too far to the fore of my mind was my experience with a bourbon barrel aged version of a base beer that had previously hit beer of the year heights for me. What had been a viscous and complex delight in it's original form, for me, became an insipid and thin variation on the base beer. A well brewed and aged beer it was, but it left me disappointed and craving it's non-BBA forbearer.
But by the Cloudwater BBA Tripel I had and I was damned if I wasn't going to drink it (all).
So I did, and here are my thoughts. Firstly it poured beautifully to present a deep golden colour with a good head atop. At 10% ABV it was always going to be a beer to sip long and savour but any concern aside from the ageing technique was fear of polishing off 750ml of a 10% Tripel given my expectation of a sweetness I sometimes find a little much in Tripels.
My first few sips certainly confirmed a level of sweetness but it was immediately apparent that it wasn't too much and that the other qualities balanced and carried it well. It delivered a floral and syrupy effervescence that challenged me as a drinker but didn't create a barrier to enjoying the other qualities.
Now the tasting notes on the bottle suggested I should be detecting tones of vanilla, coconut and pineapple and whilst I could certainly taste elements of pineapple upside down cake, what also came through for me was a hint of caramilised peaches which smoothed the sweetness off nicely. Was the bourbon prevalent? For me, no, I would suggest that it acted as a flavour enhancer rather than as a flavour to cut through the brew.
It was certainly a big beer and one that took quite a while to enjoy to the end given the quantity, but enjoy it to the end I did. It had body and depth and left a lasting mouthfeel that demanded a savouring before revisiting for another draught from the glass. My fear of the bourbon barrel ageing thinning out the beer was unfounded. Perhaps I have let one disappointing experience dominate my recollections of the impact this ageing process can have. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on Bourbon Barrel Ageing as my lay-person's approach to tasting beer is just that. Feel free to share your thoughts below or on Twitter. I'd also be interested in any thoughts on the style and length of this first blog. I'm not sure I've said much more in this piece than some get across in 140 characters!
So there we go, and I didn't mention cask once.....damn it!
Cheers,
Paul.
I have had several offerings from this brewery since their inception and if I recall correctly have enjoyed them all. Their IPAs and the Sorachi Grissette stick in my mind in particular for their quality and I have enjoyed the variety that the DIPA series have offered my palate. However, it was with a degree of uncertainty that I purchased a bottle of Cloudwater Bourbon Barrel Aged Tripel from one of my employers - the excellent Coppers of Gosforth.
But why the uncertainty given my hitherto positive experiences of Cloudwater? It was a 750ml bottle - if I really didn't like it there would be much waste. But that wasn't it, I have bought many a big bottle and just gone for it. It wasn't cheap - though value for money wasn't a concern. There was one thing that was gnawing away at me. Not that it was barrel aged, but that it was bourbon barrel aged. For why? Well, I realise it's not a fashionable view but I have polarised experiences with bourbon barrel aged beers. I loved Almasty's Sour Mash which was such a well rounded delivery on a complex beer. However, I guess what was too far to the fore of my mind was my experience with a bourbon barrel aged version of a base beer that had previously hit beer of the year heights for me. What had been a viscous and complex delight in it's original form, for me, became an insipid and thin variation on the base beer. A well brewed and aged beer it was, but it left me disappointed and craving it's non-BBA forbearer.
But by the Cloudwater BBA Tripel I had and I was damned if I wasn't going to drink it (all).
So I did, and here are my thoughts. Firstly it poured beautifully to present a deep golden colour with a good head atop. At 10% ABV it was always going to be a beer to sip long and savour but any concern aside from the ageing technique was fear of polishing off 750ml of a 10% Tripel given my expectation of a sweetness I sometimes find a little much in Tripels.
My first few sips certainly confirmed a level of sweetness but it was immediately apparent that it wasn't too much and that the other qualities balanced and carried it well. It delivered a floral and syrupy effervescence that challenged me as a drinker but didn't create a barrier to enjoying the other qualities.
Now the tasting notes on the bottle suggested I should be detecting tones of vanilla, coconut and pineapple and whilst I could certainly taste elements of pineapple upside down cake, what also came through for me was a hint of caramilised peaches which smoothed the sweetness off nicely. Was the bourbon prevalent? For me, no, I would suggest that it acted as a flavour enhancer rather than as a flavour to cut through the brew.
It was certainly a big beer and one that took quite a while to enjoy to the end given the quantity, but enjoy it to the end I did. It had body and depth and left a lasting mouthfeel that demanded a savouring before revisiting for another draught from the glass. My fear of the bourbon barrel ageing thinning out the beer was unfounded. Perhaps I have let one disappointing experience dominate my recollections of the impact this ageing process can have. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on Bourbon Barrel Ageing as my lay-person's approach to tasting beer is just that. Feel free to share your thoughts below or on Twitter. I'd also be interested in any thoughts on the style and length of this first blog. I'm not sure I've said much more in this piece than some get across in 140 characters!
So there we go, and I didn't mention cask once.....damn it!
Cheers,
Paul.
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