17 Must-Try Beers for Whiskey Advocates

The Lost Abbey Bourbon Barrel Aged Serpent's Stout

The Lost Abbey are known for their stylish Belgian-inspired ales and high-quality barrel-aging program. This bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout features the typical thickness of its base style, as well as a pungent and rich chocolatey, roasty malts. The bourbon adds a pleasant warmth and complexity without overwhelming the base. Enjoy this one with some age on it as it cellars well.

Mikkeller George! Barrel Aged (Bourbon Edition)

Mikkeller George! Barrel Aged (Bourbon Edition) is one of four George! variants. This variant, aged in bourbon barrels, picks up sweet vanilla, light oak and smooth notes from its time spent in the barrel. Complementing this is a sweet, chocolaty and roasty malt, as well as dark dried fruits. The base variant − a high-alcohol Imperial Stout − is phenomenal in its own right, and the bourbon adds yet another layer of boozy complexity.

North Coast Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin XX

Starting on its 12th anniversary, North Coast started producing and bottling barrel-aged renditions of its popular Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. Eight years later, Old Rasputin XX (the 20th anniversary version) is now available wherever North Coast beers are distributed. The base beer is dark black (nearly opaque) with a rich, roasted malt complexity. The burly bourbon barrel doubles down on the robust roast character of the base beer, and some boozy vanilla elements, courtesy of the barrel, help to make this a memorable brew.

Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy

Oskar Blues crushed the craft beer can ceiling years ago when they released Ten Fidy in 12-ounce cans, something that blew my mind at the time and continues to provide nostalgic memories today. Fast forward a few years and now Barrel Aged Ten Fidy rests quietly in cans. Spice, wet oak and a hint of vanilla are provided by a blend of bourbon barrels and take up residence alongside the bold Ten Fidy Imperial Stout base beer. Heavily hopped at 75 IBU’s, the bourbon and hops balance well in this iteration, producing a rich marriage between bourbon and Imperial Stout.

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout

Debuting in 2013 (and given a 97 rating by us in 2016), this wild collaboration between Stone Brewing's Greg Koch, actor Wil Wheaton and Fark.com's Drew Curtis features a rotating gallery of special ingredients -- as well as an impressive barrel-aged element. For its 2017 rendition, the three collaborators employed pecans, wheat and rye, and aged the beer in bourbon barrels. The rye provides a spicy profile while the pecans offer up an earthy smoothness, which is all brought into sharp relief by the boozy vanilla sweetness from the bourbon barrel.

3 Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel Aged

Dark Lord Day garners special attention from beer connoisseurs every April, and that is where you’ll find 3 Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout and one or more of its variants. Three Floyds uses barrels from distillers such as Heaven Hill and Woodford Reserve and calls upon them to yield a subtle, smooth bourbon character to this otherwise bold Imperial Stout. The Bourbon Barrel Aged variant is as big as the others, rich and sweet with dark roast, chocolate and coffee malt characteristics, as well as prunes and figs, and a pleasant, spicy vanilla note from barrel usage.