12th Anniversary Ale
As our Anniversary approached we began to taste through our barrel stock to find the perfect blend to help celebrate 12 years. ⁣ We ultimately chose two different base beers that were aged in a combination of four different brands of bourbon barrels.⁣ The beers began as two rich, high gravity Imperial Stouts—one brewed with Vermont Maple Syrup, the second with a touch of lactose. ⁣ These two Imperial Stouts were aged in a combination of Buffalo Trace Stagg Jr., Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace Weller and Buffalo Trace Blanton's bourbon barrels. The average age for this blend was 15 months. ⁣ Once these barrels were blended into stainless, they were left to cold condition for close to a month to allow the flavors to mellow and come together. ⁣ Then we conditioned the blend on a mix of cacao nibs from Ghana and Haiti and the highest quality vanilla beans from Brazil, Madagascar and East Timor. Finally, we conditioned the chocolate and vanilla blend on a combination of fresh and lightly toasted shaved coconut.⁣ 4383 pours a deep, dark brown, with a rich, mocha head. This full bodied, Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout blends the richest fudge brownie flavors from the cacao, with the smooth and creamy sweetness of the vanilla beans and coconut. ⁣ All these flavors are layered on a base that pulls burnt sugar and caramel from the Maple Syrup that can stand up to 15 months of aging in bourbon soaked oak.