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This is a very special list of beers hand-crafted by our brewers that have been aged in our natural subterranean cellar in our brewery. Just like fine wine and fine liquor, certain beers simply beg to be laid down for extended periods of time. These beers will continuously change with time, slowly improving as they develop new flavors, while creating complexities unique to each batch. While some flavors are created due to the maturation time, other flavors fade to the background as the beer gets older. Time often adds wonderful surprises and is an ever changing, mysterious process.
Some of these beers have been aged in oak barrels, whiskey barrels, or wine barrels for added complexities. These beers are all bottled by hand in 750 ml bottles, vintage dated, corked and caged. These beers are bottle-conditioned and, thus, naturally carbonated which adds yet another layer of complexity and improves the cellaring process.
They are great to share with friends – even better with strangers – or to celebrate life’s special occasions. We offer them to you straight from our BrewMaster’s Cellar and we hope you enjoy.
Cheers.
RedHeaded StepChild
Vintage I 3/8/11
This beer was our StepChild Saison that we then aged in a Van Duzer Pinot Noir barrel from Oregon for around 5 months. We started with the question, if Pinot Noir were good enough to be a beer what would it taste like? So we decided to create a beer that shared some overlap with such a wonderful wine style. It has a beautiful, garnet red color with deep, fruity and berry flavors. It is remarkably versatile when paired with different foods.
Saisons are Belgian farmhouse beers brewed with a particular yeast strain. This yeast procuces unbelievably complex flavors of tropical fruits, exotic spices and a faint earthy, mustiness making Saisons perhaps the most complex of all beer styles. The addition of the barrel aging provides the beer with an oaky edge and the malts blend so smoothly with the wine flavors extracted from the barrel itself.
Grain: Belgian Pilsner, winter wheat, Munich, Special B with our in-house made Belgian candi sugar added to the kettle
Hops: Styrian Golding
OG: 19.5 Plato
Trippel Lindy
Vintage III 5.27.11
This is our Garden Gnome Trippel that we aged in a new French oak barrel. The barrel has a medium toast and a tight grain. French oak is the premium wood that fine wine makers use to age their wines in as it is much less aggressive and woody than American oak. This beer is a top fermented ale, light in body, yet packed with complex, although not overpowering, spicy and fruit flavors. Over time a deep honey character and nice honeysuckle flavor has emerged.
Grain: Belgian Pilsner, Vienna, Wheat, Biscuit
Hops: German Tettnang, Czech Saaz
OG: 18.2 Plato
GrandMa
Vintage I 7.8.11
GrandMa is one of our free form jazz odyssey Belgian-style beers. It has an amber color, a touch of sweetness, with loads of spicy, fruity flavors from the yeast. We aged it on oak and Gran Marnier. The Gran Marnier adds that wonderful orangish character creating a unique mysteriousness.
Grain: Maris Otter, American Wheat, CaraHell, Special B
Hops: German Perle
OG: 20.4 Plato
Square Peg Whiskey Barrel Dubbel
Vintage I 8.25.11
Dubbels are a wonderful Belgian style ale. Ours is on the stronger side so it could survive the journey of time in the barrel aging process. It has ruddy brown color with caramel, toffee and almost chocolate maltiness. The yeast imparts a wonderful spiciness and fruitiness underlying the malt character. We then aged some of our Seeing Dubbel in a Jack Daniels barrel for five months. The whiskey flavors meld beautifully with the malt character and play nicely together. The oak on the finish seems to dance with the spice flavors from the fermentation. As this beer continues to age in our Cellar the plumb and raisin and pear flavors develop and the spice notes become magical.
Grain: Maris Otter, Special B, CaraMunich, Biscuit
Hops: German Tettnang, Czech Saaz
OG: 18.1 Plato
Round Hole Wine Barrel Dubbel
Vintage II 8.25.11
Dubbels are a wonderful Belgian style ale. Ours is on the stronger side so it could survive the journey of time in the barrel aging process. It has ruddy brown color with caramel, toffee and almost chocolate maltiness. The yeast imparts a wonderful spiciness and fruitiness underlying the malt character. We then aged some of our Seeing Dubbel in a red wine barrel. The wine character completely transforms this beer into something unique. The fruit overlays the malt character while the oak plays a supporting role. It is amazing to try this beer next to its whiskey barrel aged cousin. For the first time we made the Square Peg fit into the Round Hole!
Grain: Maris Otter, Special B, CaraMunich, Biscuit
Hops: German Tettnang, Czech Saaz
OG: 18.1 Plato
Pappy V 20 YR MashUp
If Bourbon or whiskey was good enough to be beer, what would it taste like? And so our fun "experiment" got started! We designed a beer inspired by bourbon. It has that beautiful copper color of fine bourbon. Even the grain bill tipped its cap to the bourbon mash by using corn, wheat and barley. We then aged the beer in 5 different bourbon/whiskey barrels. Same beer, same aging time, same everything - except the only difference is the type of barrel used. So each version reflects the individual spirit and the specificities of the different barrels themselves. And it is amazing how different each version tatses. Make sure and hit for the cycle and try them all.
Pappy Van Winkle is aged for 20 years and is easily the cult bourbon made today. It is incredible stuff. And we feel priviledged to be able to use their barrel. Quite a humbling honor really. This version reflects the soft subtleties of this amazing bourbon.
JD MashUp
If Bourbon or whiskey was good enough to be beer, what would it taste like? And so our fun "experiment" got started! We designed a beer inspired by bourbon. It has that beautiful copper color of fine bourbon. Even the grain bill tipped its cap to the bourbon mash by using corn, wheat and barley. We then aged the beer in 5 different bourbon/whiskey barrels. Same beer, same aging time, same everything - except the only difference is the type of barrel used. So each version reflects the individual spirit and the specificities of the different barrels themselves. And it is amazing how different each version tatses. Make sure and hit for the cycle and try them all.
Jack Daniels is perhaps the most recognized name in whiskey around the world. It truly is a world-class spirit. We love using their barrels in our Barrel Program as they add a wonderful, round fruity character and a nice smoky oakiness.
Four Roses MashUp
If Bourbon or whiskey was good enough to be beer, what would it taste like? And so our fun "experiment" got started! We designed a beer inspired by bourbon. It has that beautiful copper color of fine bourbon. Even the grain bill tipped its cap to the bourbon mash by using corn, wheat and barley. We then aged the beer in 5 different bourbon/whiskey barrels. Same beer, same aging time, same everything - except the only difference is the type of barrel used. So each version reflects the individual spirit and the specificities of the different barrels themselves. And it is amazing how different each version tatses. Make sure and hit for the cycle and try them all.
Four Roses is a rye whiskey. Rye adds a spiciness and a dryness and a nice punch. That spicy character from the barrel really accentuates the spice flavors produced during the fermentation by the yeast. This version is the most unique of the 5 for that reason.
Old Pogue MashUp
If Bourbon or whiskey was good enough to be beer, what would it taste like? And so our fun "experiment" got started! We designed a beer inspired by bourbon. It has that beautiful copper color of fine bourbon. Even the grain bill tipped its cap to the bourbon mash by using corn, wheat and barley. We then aged the beer in 5 different bourbon/whiskey barrels. Same beer, same aging time, same everything - except the only difference is the type of barrel used. So each version reflects the individual spirit and the specificities of the different barrels themselves. And it is amazing how different each version tatses. Make sure and hit for the cycle and try them all.
Old Pogue makes a classic bourbon and that shows in the beer. When we were originally filling the barrels the Pogue had by far the most char on the barrel and that definitely shows in the flavor profile of the beer itself.
Evan Williams Single Barrel MashUp
If Bourbon or whiskey was good enough to be beer, what would it taste like? And so our fun "experiment" got started! We designed a beer inspired by bourbon. It has that beautiful copper color of fine bourbon. Even the grain bill tipped its cap to the bourbon mash by using corn, wheat and barley. We then aged the beer in 5 different bourbon/whiskey barrels. Same beer, same aging time, same everything - except the only difference is the type of barrel used. So each version reflects the individual spirit and the specificities of the different barrels themselves. And it is amazing how different each version tatses. Make sure and hit for the cycle and try them all.
Evan Williams has a smooth, lush, roundness. Especially the Single Barrel. That fullness shines through into the beer, especially in the mid pallet.
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5 Seasons Brewmaster Crawford Moran is in charge of nearly 70,000 gallons of beer, so be nice to him! Formerly of Dogwood Brewing, Crawford spends his days sharing ideas a new directions in brewing with long time friend and co-owner Chef Dave Larkworthy. Check out Crawfords blog to see what beers are on the horizon!
At the 5 Seasons we are very fortunate to have many great customers and co – workers. Most of the people who are involved with the 5 are here because they care. They want to be part of something that has real substance and value.