Iron Hill Maple Shade – Barrels, Bourbon & Bugs 3/1

“Our collection of Bourbon aged (Bourbon barrels) and specially fermented (spiked with tiny microorganisms or brettanomyces, a strain of yeast known colloquially as Brett that is often used in aged beers such as Belgian lambics) beers continues to grow each year, and with it, our Barrels, Bourbon and Bugs event has gotten more and more exciting annually,”  says LaPierre.  “This year, I’m proud to offer our guests this deep look into our library of rare and special beers that we hold back exclusively for this occasion.”

Beer offerings will be grouped into two categories:  The Bourbon-Aged and Wild.  The Bourbons will include:  Bourbon Pig Iron Porter, the brewery’s award-winning Pig Iron Porter aged for ten months in bourbon barrels for notes of coffee, toffee and chocolate with aromas of bourbon and vanilla;  Bourbon Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill’s most decorated beer, aged in bourbon barrels for distinct bourbon and vanilla flavors to complement the beer’s inherent malty complexity;  Bourbon Winter Warmer, a dark ale finished with classic winter spices, aged for eight months in a bourbon barrel;  Bourbon McMaster, also known as “Bourbon Wee Heavy,” a strong brown Scotch-style ale aged in bourbon barrels for woody flavor notes;  Bourbon 2 Logan TJ, a full-bodied, rich, Colonial-style ale with intense caramel malt sweetness;  and Bourbon Decaf, an English-style sweet stout brewed with oatmeal and lactose, then aged in a bourbon barrel for notes of vanilla and toasted wood. 

The Wilds will include:  Saison Wood, a classic Belgian-style farmhouse ale, fermented with the earthy, fruity and spicy DuPont strain, then spiked with Brett B and finished in oak;  F.Red, a Flemish-style red ale with light caramel sweetness giving way to a quenching sourness and effervescent mouthfeel;  The Chief, a mahogany-colored blend of Belgian abbey-style ales aged in a Madeira wine barrel;  Wild Jerry Chris Mas, brewed in collaboration with Jerry Vietz on Unibroue, a spiced cherry Christmas ale aged in a used wine barrel and spiked with Brett for funky, complex character;  Casey’s Wedding Beer, brewed in collaboration with Casey Hughes, formerly of Flying Fish, their Jersey’s Finest IPA fermented exclusively with the Drie Fonteinen strain of Brett for bright notes of citrus, quenching acidity and phenolic spiciness, served only once before at brewer Casey’s actual wedding;  and Brett Pete’s Celebration, a strong Belgian ale with hints of dried dark fruits, warming alcohol content and refreshing tartness and dry finish from nine months of aging in a Cabernet barrel with wild yeasts.
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