Oskar Blues Gordon (Whiskey Barrel)

Brewed by Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Lyons, Colorado USA

On tap at Trappeze. Poured very dark with a decent beige head, lot of lacing. Aroma of whiskey, little hops, malt, vanilla, fruit. Taste was also heavy on whiskey and oak, and light on Gordon. Some fruit as well. I’d be hard pressed to tell you this was Gordon; the whiskey really takes over. Nice brew, though I’d prefer a little less whiskey on this.

Stranahan whiskey barrel version on tap at the Brick Store. Pours a dark, hazy iced-tea color with a short-lived head that dissipated to a swirl on the top. The lacing was good. I could smell the whiskey from a mile away. It is certainly the dominant aroma with hints of caramel malts and hops in the background. The taste is just as hot as the aroma with tons of whiskey. However, there is more complexity than the nose as the earthy, grassy hops come through more. There is also a more noticeable caramel malt presence as well. The mouthfeel is super smooth with the carbonation toned down from the barrel. This is a good barrel-aged beer, though I think it’s probably a little over-the-top for me. Definitely worth trying and thanks to Dave at the Brick Store for scoring this one.

Draught. Low white but lasting fluffy head. Hazy dark brown body. Sweet whiskey caramel vanilla aroma and flavor and a fair amount of hops bitterness. Alcohol well hidden. Low carbonation and a long aftertaste.

Draught at the brewpub. Hazy orange coloureed with a medium sized off white ehad. Aroma of malts, caramel, dried fruits and whisky with notes of hops. Fruity flavour of caramel, dried fruits and bourbon with notes of cocoa and alcohol. Warming alcoholic finish of whisky.

On tap @ Falling Rock poured a hazy golden amber with a small lingering ivory head. Aromas of whikey, vanilla, fruittiness, light carmel and light oak. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of whiskey, carmel, vanilla, fruittiness and light oak with a smooth lingering whiskey finish.

On tap at Falling Rock. Cloudy amber pour...small off-white head. Citrusy nose...light barrel too. The flavor--for me anyway--didn’t live up to the aroma. Fruity, as mentioned by others--apple, sweet malts, whiskey. I drank it, but didn’t enjoy it as much as hoped. I’ll take regular Gordon over this any day.

GABF 2007. A hazy pale golden beer with a thick beige head. The aroma is sweet with primary notes of whiskey, but also lighter notes of over ripe fruit. The flavor is sweet malt with lots og whiskey and alcohol, the latter burning slightly and warming the cheeks, it also has notes of caramel.

On tap at Capones. Pours a milky looking brown with orange notes and a medium creamy/bubbly white head that left some lacing. Aroma of whiskey, vanilla, oak, citrus, tropical fruits some pine, green apple and grapefruit. Flavor of the same whiskey, vanilla and oak. The hops, caramel sweet malts are still there as well. The barrel did the Gordon good.