I have written other blogs on barrel/cask-aged beers, and usually they are whiskey cooperage and a big dark stout or barley wine. Today I have something a little more unique: a sherry cask-aged English strong ale. 

Innis and Gunn is small brewery out of Edinburgh, Scotland, specializing in barrel-aging their delicious ales in spiced rum, Irish whiskey and fine oak barrels. The subtle flavors of the delicate sherry marry well with the estery strong ale.

Appearance

Pours a rich, crystal clear, fresh-out-of-the-cask sherry color with a tight white head. I am serving at the suggested four degrees Celsius in my BJ’s limited edition Grand Cru glass. The endless bubbles are mesmerizing.

Smell

There are big notes of sweet biscuit dough, piecrust and some spice. It is very pleasant.

Taste

It is incredibly smooth and drinkable. There is smoke, pecans, biscuit and more bread dough. It is a fantastic cream sherry-like taste, delicate and refined.

I always enjoy a good wine cask-aged beer. Moa Brewing Company specializes in that as well. With fall approaching, pumpkin beers are on the rise. I recently sampled Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company’s Kentucky Pumpkin Barrel Ale with a great balance of pumpkin pie spicing and bourbon barrel notes. Woodchuck has a Private Reserve Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Cider with a nice apple pumpkin finish and oak barrel nuances.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeeradams