Oskar Blues G’Knight (Port Wine Barrel)

Brewed by Oskar Blues Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Longmont, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Draft and unlabeled tallboy can at Fobab. The can was much better than the draft, imo. That is what I’m rating. Pours a deep and rich reddish amber with an off-white head. The nose is caramel and rich. Soft portwine notes come through as well. Fruity notes, both from the hops & from the barrel, make this shine over the base. On tasting, plenty of fruitiness to overcome the caramel sweetness. Big hop bitterness supports the sweetness as well. light tartness from the wine barrel. Found this to be a really balanced and nuanced beer worth drinking. Keg version lacked the brightness overall and seemed muddier. That would have been a 3.3-3.4.

Sampled at FoBAB 10 - 2012 (Chicago, IL). Pours a ruch deep copper amber hue, good haze, mellow frothy whitish head atop laces ok. Aromas are gentle oak, hops, earth, and florals. Some toffee, toast. Initial is mellow body, a bit dissappointing, flabby sweetness. Middle is a bit more dry, hops come in, earth, florals, gentle citrus. Backend shows toffee, toast, oak, and heat. Finish is gentle heat, oak, sweetness. Gentle malts, toffee. Toast. A bit odd and clumsy at times, I’m not a huge fan of the base.. the barrel adds some solid flavors but doesn’t integrate well for me with the beer. Perhaps it’s more the base’s fault though.

Fobab.Clear deep dark red/brown - offwhite head. Roasted. Light red berries. Nice hoppy. Fruity. Toasted. Dried fruits. Light cocoa powder. Nutty. Ok bitterness.

Just not a good idea in my opinion. I already think the base beer is decent but nto amazing but port hindered it.

On at @ Beer Junction. Labeled as wine barrel aged G’Knight, but obviously the same as Gordon. Pours murky reddish brown with no head. Pretty flat actually. Aroma is port and a hint of bourbon. Taste is big bourbon, rich Cabernet flavors, and a caramel malt body. Almost total lack of hops, they noted that this was added to wine barrels before dry hopping, so this was expected. A bit odd, since the hops were a big part of the appeal of G’Knight... Big alcohol, very notable. One of my favorite base beers, and I love the bourbon and wine added, but the lack of hops holds this back from being great. A rare treat though, and appreciated.

Tap. Pours cloudy light brown with thin, creamy off-white head; short retention and spare lacing. Aroma is heavy oak, light grapes, cereal and cookie malt, and faint floral hops. Flavor is malt forward with supporting fruit esters and faint hops; dry, chardonnay finish. Medium body, low carbonation, and medium warmth. Barrel notes seem to dominate and throw off the beer’s balance.

(Draught) Pours a cloudy orange body with a medium creamy head. Aroma of apricot, nuts, wood, port, and raisins. Flavor of vinous, caramel, herbs, grass, citrus, and banana.

Draft at Avery Strong Ale Fest 2010. This was pretty terrible. I know it cause I didn’t have too much to say about this one and because I poured out 80% of my 3 oz sample. Very chemically and plastic-like flavors combine with sweet woody tones. Not very good.

draft. unfiltered caramel colored body; heavy cloudiness. nose of hair spray-like chemicals, perfume and oily, sharp white grape skins (candy/chemical in nature, and artificial smelling). notes of white port and tonic water up front (a white port spritzer?) with some offensive perfume oil flavors across the middle. petrol/plastic/solvent bag flavors are noticed across the back. messy overall, and lacks any resemblance to Gordon.

On tap at Avery Strong Ale Fest poured a hazy reddish amber with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of apple, white grapes, light oak and light vanilla. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of white grapes, oak, apple and light vanilla with a crisp dry fruity finish.