Anyone who thinks all beer tastes the same has never experienced the transcendental results of aging a dark ale in oaken whiskey barrels while tossing out the Bavarian purity laws by infusing it with ingredients like cocoa, coffee, herbs, and fruits. This was the calibre of luxury bestowed upon me at Victoria Beer Week’s All About the Wood event, featuring over 30 wood-aged craft beers from 11 breweries.
I first tried Driftwood Brewery’s 2020 Singularity. A 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout, this was a brave beginning. Strong, dark malty flavours of burnt coffee and chocolate kicked me right in the teeth. This is a stout that will stand up in the glass and knock your block off if you don’t watch it carefully.
The Lutin barrel-aged wild ale (6%) from Strange Fellows Brewing is a golden ale that rings with a tart, crisp lemon flavour, and its use of white grapes is evident in a flavour profile reminiscent of a dry white wine.
Field House Brewing brought the anniversary edition of their Flanders Red (7%), a dark ale with strong raspberry overtones well-balanced with a good, thick port wine.
Four Winds Brewing Company poured a beautiful glass of Bramble tart rye ale with blackberries (6.8%). The flavour of this deep-rouge-purple ale is surprisingly aggressive, with a punchy, dry, sour foretaste. The flavour of its chamomile infusion is distinctly herbal, reminding me less of flowers and more of the scent of certain incenses.
My second favourite drink was Field House’s Plum Foeder Sour (7%). Below its citrus foretaste, this tart golden ale has an incredibly solid flavour base arising from six months aging in white oak with Italian plums. This brought me right back to the memory of my mother’s freshly stewed plums.
Finally, Twa Dogs took a bite out of me with their Parting Kiss bourbon barrel ale (7%). Dark and rich, it radiates strong, smooth, oak-barrel flavours with echoes of unsweetened chocolate. The faintest hint of berries lingers in the aftertaste, which you might miss if not finely attuned to your gustatory senses.
Victoria Beer Week runs until March 14; visit victoriabeerweek.com for details.