Bourbon Barrel Aged Grand Cru - Black Diamond Brewing Company

Bourbon Barrel Aged Grand Cru

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Concord , CA

Overall: 5.70/10 by 1 dude

Trend: 5.70/10 over past 5 reviews

Style: Belgian Dubbel

ABV: 9.00%

Season: Occasional

Have Another: 0%

1,463 beers rated with a 7.84 average
  • 5.70/10 have another
  • A: 5.0 | T: 6.0 | L: 10.0 | M: 5.0 | O: 5.0
  • Color: Ruby
  • At least a three year old bottle.

    Pours clear with a third a glass (tulip) of tan, large bubbled foam. Retention is up there with the best of them, creating a milky frothiness. Lacing, at times, was thick and coating.

    Aroma is nothing fantastic. Can't find any bourbon remnants: vanilla, oak, bourbon, etc. Dark fruit: fig and/or raisin, not much else. Beginnings of "age" possibly.

    Taste follows the nose: not much at all. Toffee and dark fruits: fig and currants. Sweet.

    Medium body with medium carbonation. The sweets try to keep the palate wet but it still dries, possibly the barrel aging.

    The taste is a bit better than the aroma but the aroma wasn't much. The taste has an estery sweetness that makes it hard to drink. Nothing here that would pull you back again. Enjoy!
  • 804 characters
  • Reviewed: Tuesday, January 07, 2014 at 16:19:15
  • Tasted: Tuesday, January 07, 2014
  • $0.00 for 22 oz. bottle
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Beer Notes
  • Each Autumn, we fancy a good Dubbel, a rich, malty pleasure that’s the perfect accompaniment to those longer fall and winter nights. Three years ago, we began to play around with -what by then had become our “Winter Ale” and see where it might take us. After much tinkering, including a number of crazed fruit experiments, wood barrel aging in various vessels, and finally finishing with mind-numbing blending trials, we offer our Grand Cru.

    The designation of “Grand Cru” originates from the Burgundy region of France. Brewers have taken the term and applied to it more elaborate, aged and reserved versions of their beers. Our Belgian-style Dubbel (available as our winter seasonal) has been taken to the next level by the careful blending and aging techniques. We believe we’ve created a classic to be enjoyed throughout the winter months.

    This will be a limited release in both Bourbon and Brandy versions. In these batches, we’ve added locally sourced Zante currants and Black Mission figs, aged 20% of the blend in used bourbon and brandy barrels for 12 months - in which time the warmth of the spirits, along with toasted oak and vanilla flavors are released from the wood. Whole vanilla beans compliment the wood and bring forth a velvety smoothness and richness. The fig flavor is forward on the nose along with the bubble-gum/banana esters. In both, the taste starts with the rich sweetness of fruit, carries through with a rich mellow center and finishes dry, yet these Brandy and Bourbon siblings take you there via their own routes.
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