What I’ve tried I like very much, though I haven’t bothered with the cinnamon rum. Not my thing. The bourbon is excellent, very caramel-forward.
1 Like
I don’t know much about them, but I would bet that caramel-forward note comes from a high-extract aging, possibly in smaller barrels. This is where the craft industry is at the moment. Lots of stock in barrels under 4 years, but not a lot of older stock (because most of the distilleries aren’t even 4!).
The whiskey degrades and extracts the wood lignin components into the spirit. Over time these acids link up with fatty acid esters to create the flavors and aroma of a standard aged whiskey like biscuits, tree nuts and marzipan. In the younger stuff you are tasting those free extractives which taste of raw oak, caramel, vanilla and treacle. I don’t think anyone ever intended them to be, but these younger whiskies have really created an entirely new class of spirits with a set of flavors that would never have been released to the consumer. Pretty remarkable time for distilled spirits.
2 Likes
They have a pretty good tour (though the guide we had insisted on a weird sprinkling of tired, “amirite guys?!” sexist jokes that didn’t land), and I did think the barrels looked smaller than I anticipated.
1 Like
To dramatically oversimplify it, a big part of the US craft brewing industry came out of the Pacific Northwest, where there was a two-decade-long race to see who could brew the hoppiest, strongest IPA. ABVs rose to the mid-teen%, until people realized that super-bitter, stronger-than-wine beers weren’t very tasty.
You still find plenty of 7.5-9% ABV IPAs around, but that’s what session IPAs are for. Session ales typically have 3-5% ABV and are great for summer.
2 Likes
Speak for yourself. My particular taste prefers beers that start at 7-8% and up. I don’t mind drinking the occasional brew that has a low percentage but i don’t find them all that tasty or enjoyable. It’s just something to drink.
In fact i’ve shared some strong beers with people that typically dislike beer altogether and had them comment how good they were. Not all strong beers are IPAs or dark stouts, though i do like those quite a bit as well.
2 Likes
My favorites are typically in that range, too. I’m referring to the beers that were produced at the apex of the over-hopping frenzy in the mid-2000s. We’re talking 15% ABV, triple-hopped, 2-hour monsters that tasted like straight pine resin. Even the brewers gave them tongue-in-cheek names, warning potential consumers what they were in for.
Those are typically the unicorns i keep an eye out for. I don’t buy them often but i do like them as an occasional treat, and i’m fairly selective about what i buy as far as the really strong beers go. The strongest one i’ve had was 15 or 16%, quite tasty though it’s something i’m keenly aware that most people would totally hate it. More beer for me though 
1 Like
The strongest I’ve had is Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA. 18% ABV. Delicious; they got that one right. It just seemed that, for a while, every brewery was trying to outdo the others and putting out overhopped beers with high ABV and no balance.
2 Likes
I sure wish I had a family business. It must be nice.
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
