Ballast Point Bourbon-Barrel Black Marlin Porter

Posted by Gary Allard on Jan 27, 2011 in Craft Beer | No Comments

Wood Is Good

Colby Chandler slides a 4 oz. taster to me with no explanation. The look in his eye says it all: “You will like this. A lot.” I do. It’s bourbon-barrel-aged Black Marlin Porter and it’s got my number. Dark chocolate, caramelized malts and a nice hop note. The whiskey falls into all the right places. Some vanilla and carmel in the nose, some oak and charcoal in the finish but none of it ever overshadowing the beer.

Lately we’ve seen just about everything drinkable making its way into a wooden wine barrel or used spirit cask only to come out more mature, complex, and well rounded. Wood, charcoal, and the apparition of bygone booze does something inexplicably wonderful.

We want to store everything in barrels now.

The History
Aging or storing beer in oak barrels in not new. It goes back to about when, well, the first barrel was built. Beer likely predates the barrel and fortunately aging and storing beer in ox bladders has not come back into vogue with craft beer makers. Cheers to the coopers of the world.Have a favorite cask conditioned brew? Share it on Facebook or find us on Twitter.

Ballast Point Bourbon Barrel Black Marlin Porter
Activity: Invite your friends to bring something barrel aged to your place, and do a tasting this Thursday.Availability: Growlers currently available at Home Brew Mart. Call for current tap availability.Bitterness: Approx. 45 IBU

Alc. by Vol: 5.9%

Serving Temp: 40ºf-50ºf

Contact the Home Brew Mart at 800-581-2739, stop by the store or visit their site.

CAUTION: Even though there’s no real whiskey in that beer doesn’t mean you’re getting off easy. Some craft beers pack a heavy punch (Imperial IPA at 12% AVB, anyone?).