Oktoberfestbier

Convoluted aromas of dry wood, treacle, caramel candy, earthy hops, brown sugar, vanilla and allspice emerge from this dark amber, slightly hazy ale. Caramel malt flavors blend with dry, vanilla, oxidative whisky tones from barrel-aging, while favoring hops manage to peek through the barrel character. This provides a subtle setting for a balance between the malt profi le and barrel character. Barrel-aging does produce a slightly dry and tannin-like finish, with malt flavors fading rapidly. The six percent ABV American amber may seem a bit thin to qualify as an ideal candidate for barrel-aging, but this example comes across as intriguing with an appealing oak character.