Part of the fun of trading is you never know what you're going to get, and sometimes you get beers that are completely unexpected.. aka 'extras' A very ingenious name, no?
Real Ale Brewing Co - Brewer's Cut 006 - Blonde Barleywine
a 9.3% ABV 50 IBU hybrid dry-hopped Barleywine.. hoppier and far lighter than any Barleywine I've ever seen. A hazy, deep orange pour with almost no head and no carbonation. There's a lot of floral and citrusy hops in the nose, with some thick, sweet citrus rind and cracker malts. Honey, booze.. a lot going on here with a halfway decent balance to it all. Dry-hopped is right.. this is hoppier than even the most hopped-up Americal Barleywine you can find.. Syrup-y sweet and thick, there's a ton of concentrated citrus and booze. Despite that description, it's very drinkable for the ABV and style and halfway refreshing in a sick, twisted sort of way.. image cutting an American Barleywine 4 parts to 1 with a thick citrusy DIPA and toss in a dash of a Belgian Wit.. definitely unique and rather tasty!
- - 7 Hops!
now this is what I've been waiting for..
Southern Star - Black Crack
an 8.25% ABV Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels (base beer is Buried Hatchet). Got this in a trade, and am starting to fall in love with BB stouts and heard great things about this.. tons of hype.. is it worth it? Deep mocha, almost black pour with a small tan head. Chocolate, vanilla, burnt coffee and rich dark fruit on the nose.. like a liquid tootsie roll.. with a faint touch of the bourbon. It's roasty, smooth, sweet, and far lighter in body than you'd expect from a BB Stout. Nutty, chocolatey, nice oak qualities with sweet bourbon and vanilla hints. Amazingly drinkable for the style, I would love to have this year-round. Seems more complex than I was able to pick up on.. multifaceted yet approachable. Terrific!
- - 8 Hops!
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