Per usual, on December 01 we’ll be releasing a limited quantity of another of our barrel-aged beers.

These are batches we’ve stored in wooden barrels in our Burien Brewhouse cellar, some for more than a year.

This month’s selection is a blend of two different recipes, Imperial Stout and Blackened Pilsner, each of which were aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels. We’ve released each own their on before, but now they’ve come together to provide a unique tasting experience.

The Stout does the heavy lifting, yielding rich coffee and cocoa notes while the Pilsner delivers a distinct sour cherry aroma and flavor.

This is what one Facebook Fan had to say about this month’s selection:

“The nose, you bring in as you inhale above the glass. The first taste, an impression not yet before seen. It takes you to a far away place as port, grabs you in the jaw, hints you a bit of chocolate then effervesces away into mortal memory with the hint of bourbon of yore, almost other wordly in description. I’ve done my part, four in count. Memorable and look forward to somewhere in time that it can happen again.”

Yep, we’re getting a bit of a head start this year on brewing our popular seasonal recipe, Organic Mashing Pumpkin Ale.

We have specific plans for some 50 gallons of the spiced strong ale, namely sending it into a freshly-emptied Heaven Hill bourbon barrel.

Additionally, we’re going to experiment with blending some with a couple of our aged dark, strong, and maybe even sour barrel-aged beers.

The ultimate showcase for these projects will be the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival at Elyisan Brewing on October 16-17. Stay tuned for further details as they emerge.

Given that we’re making twice as much this year as last, we should be able to spare some for sale at a few of our favorite “better beer” bars in the Seattle area.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pale, Organic Pilsner, Organic Wheat Honey malt, Organic Roast, Organic Black, Organic Caramel blend

Hop Varieties: Northern Brewer, Chinook, Magnum, Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade. Dry-hopped w/ Cascade & Chinook

OG: 17°P

ABV: 7.25%

IBU: 140

Description:

This is our house brewed version of an Imperial Pale Ale, a ramped up version (higher alcohol and hops) of an India Pale Ale that has grown in popularity throughout the country and now has its own category in major competitions.

Bronze Medal Winner at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival in the American Strong Pale Ale category.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pilsner, Organic Pale, Organic Light Munich

Hop Varieties: Cascade, Czech Saaz

OG: 10°P

ABV: 4%

IBU: 10

Description:

A mild, pale, light-bodied ale made using warm fermentation and cold conditioning to achieve a smooth finish that is crisp and refreshing.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pale, Organic Roast, Organic Caramel blend, Organic Chocolate, Organic Black, Organic Flaked Oats

Hop Varieties: Ahtanum, Cascade

OG: 16°P

ABV: 6.3%

IBU: 32

Description:
Hops do not dominate this style. Instead a smooth creaminess lingers as a result of the use of flaked oats in the mash.

Part of the bitter character of this beer comes from the roasted barley. Rich, robust, and silky smooth, our stout sports a malty aroma and mild bitterness.

Stouts are black ales that owe their character to roasted barley. They originated from England, Ireland, Russia, and Scandinavia and are found in “dry”(Guinness), “sweet,” ‘imperial,” and “oatmeal” varieties.

Our stout is most like and oatmeal stout. Most stouts, aside from the “imperial” type, are not the thick, syrupy, high-alcohol beers that many people believe them to be

Malt Varieties: Organic Pilsner, Organic Wheat

Hop Varieties: Mount Hood

OG: 11°P

ABV: 4.5%

IBU: 23

Description:

This pale yellow, slightly cloudy American Hefeweizen is brewed with 40% wheat malt, which imparts a distinct citrus flavor and aroma.

Our version is more accurately a “wheaten ale,” a beer in which wheat is used to lend a distinct flavor, but at a much lower percentage of the total grain (40%).

Also, we use our house yeast. German Weizen beers, on the other hand, are brewed with a special strain of yeast which gives the beer a unique spicy and fruity flavor, like cloves and bananas.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pilsner, Organic Pale, Organic Light Caramel

Hop Varieties: Magnum, Simcoe, Cascade, Chinook

OG: 14°P

ABV: 5.8%

IBU: 70

Description:

Belgian-inspired IPA.

Our twist on the typical Northwest IPA.

Brewed with a Belgian yeast strain, it has the character of a Belgian Trippel with the drinkability and through-the- roof hoppiness of a Northwest IPA.

A beer for the hop-head and the Belgian lover alike.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pale, Organic Pilsner, Organic Caramel blend

Hop Varieties: Magnum, Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade

OG: 14°P

ABV: 5.8%

IBU: 80

Description:

Our deep golden, classically hoppy (but not especially bitter) India Pale Ale is brewed in Burien.

Originally, IPA’s were brewed in England for consumption by the troops occupying India in the 1700’s and 1800’s.

Beers traveling such great distances were brewed to high gravities so they could slowly ferment on the journey.

They were also quite highly hopped, since hops, a natural preservative, helped protect against infection in the beer.

Malt Varieties: Organic Pale, Mild, Dark Crystal, Chocolate, Light Munich

Hop Varieties: Styrian Golding

OG: 13°P

ABV: 5.25%

IBU: 19

Description:

A malt-forward, mahogany-colored ale with a very mild touch of imported Slovenian hops.

OG: 13°P

ABV: 5.25%

IBU: 49

Description:

A copper-colored ale hopped exclusively with Cascade, including a first-wort addition.

Gold-medal winner at the 2000 Great American Beer Festival in the Extra Special Strong Bitter category.

“Pale” does not mean golden like a pilsner. Ales were originally called “Pale” to distinguish them from Stouts, Porters, and Browns.

This style has been brewed most notably in the Burton-on-Trent region of central England, where the water is famous for its high mineral content, thus lending a dry finish to the beer.