Try?
Not long ago, I
wrote a review of a very special imperial stout with a little extra bonus:
it was aged in oak barrels. That beer was Great Divide’s
Oak Aged Yeti
Imperial Stout . Today, I have the distinct pleasure of tasting, for the
first time, another oak-aged imperial: Weyerbacher Heresy.
I wish that I could say that I bought this one in Georgia; that would mean that I could get it on a regular basis. Sadly, that’s not the case. The beer is made by Pennsylvania’s Weyerbacher and sold in the mid-Atlantic and New England states. So, when a friend came visiting from Rhode Island, I asked him to bring me a bottle.
Here’s some background straight from the horse’s mouth:
This incredibly intriguing Imperial Stout is made by aging our Old Heathen in some very famous Oak barrels that were used for aging bourbon! What do we have when we are done? A stout whose very essence has been enhanced. A stout whose complexity has been increased. A stout with notes of Oak, whiskey and vanilla melding together to create a new sensation. Have we gone too far this time? We don't think so. Heresy is a step above and a leap beyond the extraordinary. Taste it and see what everyone is talking about. 8.0% ABV.
Just as is the case with Great Divide’s Yeti, Weyerbacher’s Heresy is a special edition of another, regularly produced brew. But in this case, I think Weyerbacher’s end result is far more complex in the final analysis than Oak Aged Yeti is.
Heresy Oak Aged Imperial Stout pours to a jet black color with a
towering tan head of foam and a heady, licorice and chocolate packed nose.
The beer is full in body with all of the traditional imperial stout notes:
rich chocolate, lots of licorice, some fruit (prune and raisin), and roasty
espresso notes.
But there’s a lot more than that here. There are definite oaky notes from the aging, along with big flavors of vanilla and whisky. The whiskey notes work exceptionally well here, and add great depth and complexity to the brew. Indeed, they almost overpower the strong chocolate, licorice, and raisin, no minor feat at that.
All of the flavors blend in the finish but again, the whisky notes make themselves known. A warming touch of alcohol rounds the beer out nicely, and makes Heresy especially pleasant as a nightcap just before bed. Heresy would be a nice dessert beer as well, with the complex flavors standing up nicely to most sweet dishes. The espresso and whisky notes bring to mind a cup of Irish coffee.
To be sure, I enjoyed the oak aged Yeti, and gave it a very high rating. I think overall, however, I prefer the Weyerbacher Heresy. They Yeti’s high hopping rate and extreme bitterness crowd out some of the benefits of the oak aging. Heresy, far more lightly hopped, allows them to shine in all their glory. What's more, Heresy is a few bucks a bottle cheaper, too. Both are sold in 22 ounce bottles.
A very special beer indeed. It would be a sin to miss out on this one.
I wish that I could say that I bought this one in Georgia; that would mean that I could get it on a regular basis. Sadly, that’s not the case. The beer is made by Pennsylvania’s Weyerbacher and sold in the mid-Atlantic and New England states. So, when a friend came visiting from Rhode Island, I asked him to bring me a bottle.
Here’s some background straight from the horse’s mouth:
This incredibly intriguing Imperial Stout is made by aging our Old Heathen in some very famous Oak barrels that were used for aging bourbon! What do we have when we are done? A stout whose very essence has been enhanced. A stout whose complexity has been increased. A stout with notes of Oak, whiskey and vanilla melding together to create a new sensation. Have we gone too far this time? We don't think so. Heresy is a step above and a leap beyond the extraordinary. Taste it and see what everyone is talking about. 8.0% ABV.
Just as is the case with Great Divide’s Yeti, Weyerbacher’s Heresy is a special edition of another, regularly produced brew. But in this case, I think Weyerbacher’s end result is far more complex in the final analysis than Oak Aged Yeti is.
Heresy Oak Aged Imperial Stout pours to a jet black color with a
towering tan head of foam and a heady, licorice and chocolate packed nose.
The beer is full in body with all of the traditional imperial stout notes:
rich chocolate, lots of licorice, some fruit (prune and raisin), and roasty
espresso notes. But there’s a lot more than that here. There are definite oaky notes from the aging, along with big flavors of vanilla and whisky. The whiskey notes work exceptionally well here, and add great depth and complexity to the brew. Indeed, they almost overpower the strong chocolate, licorice, and raisin, no minor feat at that.
All of the flavors blend in the finish but again, the whisky notes make themselves known. A warming touch of alcohol rounds the beer out nicely, and makes Heresy especially pleasant as a nightcap just before bed. Heresy would be a nice dessert beer as well, with the complex flavors standing up nicely to most sweet dishes. The espresso and whisky notes bring to mind a cup of Irish coffee.
To be sure, I enjoyed the oak aged Yeti, and gave it a very high rating. I think overall, however, I prefer the Weyerbacher Heresy. They Yeti’s high hopping rate and extreme bitterness crowd out some of the benefits of the oak aging. Heresy, far more lightly hopped, allows them to shine in all their glory. What's more, Heresy is a few bucks a bottle cheaper, too. Both are sold in 22 ounce bottles.
A very special beer indeed. It would be a sin to miss out on this one.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler
