Out of the Bottle: Adventures in Wood

After a very long wait, the four Quads from my wood aging experiment are ready.

The base beer is quite nice all by itself. Dark cherry, plum and raisin flavors are out front. After that comes a light bitterness that is slightly minty. My beer finishes very dry, with a subtle burnt sugar edge. It also has a light body (perhaps a little too light, given the strength) and a mild alcohol warmth going down.

Now it's time for my Bourbon aged variant. First off, it has a little more Bourbon action than I would've liked, but it's not overpowering. On top of the base beer is a slight vanilla and caraway edge. The caraway is most prevalent in the finish. This beer is not quite as dry as the base too. As the beer warms, there's a light roasted almond note that was a pleasant surprise.

The first thought that crossed my mind when I tried the Rum beer was "now that's different." The Rum aged beer is extra sweet out front. In addition, the Rum added lots of white raisin and candy to the nose and palate. They mask the dark fruits from the base beer, but not overly so. The Rum's sweetness lingers right through the finish, which makes the beer less dry than the others. Vanilla from the oak is still there as well. Of the three, this was definitely the most unique, but not my favorite.

Finally, it's time for the Sherry. To me, this beer feels the most "correct" of the wood aged three. The Sherry definitely made the beer even more wine-like. It also added a slight mineral profile that I wasn't expecting. A mild vanilla flavor rounds out the added flavors. The finish on this one is just as dry, if not drier than the base.

Would I do this type experiment again? Most certainly. Bourbon and Sherry are definite keepers for future beers. The Rum is a little trickier. I still haven't wrapped my head around what beer styles it would compliment best. But that's what experimentation is all about.

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