Holy Moly! It's a barrel bomb! It's going to really depend on your tastes if you like it or not. Just sneaking a sip right now and saving the rest for tonight.
But it's not a raw american oak kind of woody barrel bomb, but a smokey peaty scotchy kind of bomb.
Apparently they blended unaged nutcracker and only aged it in the barrels for two months. The barrels from Islay, however, had scotch in them right before they left for Black Oak in them hence the strong scotch flavours and aromas.
Reminds me a little of what the Pinot Noir barrels did to Bolshevik Bastard, but in scotch form.
The alcohol is boosted to 6.5 and that's AFTER the blend!
Does the original nutcracker get buried? A little first, yeah, but the malts do come in at the end, and there's a chocolatey sweetness in the middle and close to the end, but it's also fighting with the peat a bit in the overall finish. After you get over the initial shock of al that scotch flavours you start to recognize the porter again.
If you liked that St. Peter's Whiskey beer, you'll like this. I prefer this I think because the porter adds more complexity and body in the end.
This also makes me more eager to try Canny Man. From what I've heard the malts really stand up well to the barrel treatment, but we'll see.
I like it, but I like craziness like this!
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Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
scotch barrel aged nutcracker
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JeffPorter
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scotch barrel aged nutcracker
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
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TheSevenDuffs
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JeffPorter wrote: Reminds me a little of what the Pinot Noir barrels did to Bolshevik Bastard, but in scotch form.
As a person who can't stand really peaty scotch flavours, this post just made me a whole lot less excited about this beer...-
JeffPorter
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Yeah - sorry - this might not be your thing, then.TheSevenDuffs wrote:JeffPorter wrote: Reminds me a little of what the Pinot Noir barrels did to Bolshevik Bastard, but in scotch form.
It's pretty much this -
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
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TheBeeraholic
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+1TheSevenDuffs wrote:JeffPorter wrote: Reminds me a little of what the Pinot Noir barrels did to Bolshevik Bastard, but in scotch form.
I just picked up two bottles of this and a six of the regular nutcracker to compare. I was excited to get home and crack one of each open. Not so much any more.
At least the drive wasnt all a waste picked up some GLB Audry Hopburn.
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JeffPorter
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Having the rest of the bottle tonight, I notice the porter qualities a lot more, especially in the aroma.
But, yeah, scotch heavy, so if you don't like the smokiness of scotch, might not be your thing.
On the other hand, it kind of tastes like a robust porter made with a good amount of smoke malt. Which is really interesting.
But, yeah, scotch heavy, so if you don't like the smokiness of scotch, might not be your thing.
On the other hand, it kind of tastes like a robust porter made with a good amount of smoke malt. Which is really interesting.
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
Also one of mine and I have to agree with TheBeeraholic. My wife surprised me with a few bottles and I was really looking forward to it. If I didn't know it was the same base beer, I wouldn't believe it. The peaty, scotchy (I think I picked up some tobacco & iodine too) flavours really aren't my thing. I'll set the other two down for a while and see if aging does anything.Derek wrote:I'd love to try that... Nutcracker is one of my all-time favourites!
I think Nutcracker would have been better suited to bourbon barrels rather than scotch, but then I loves me my bourbon and think scotch should be poured back into the horse.
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mintjellie
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If you liked this one Jeff, you'll probably love the Canny Man. It's much higher in ABV (9.1%) and the smoky peat flavours are huge. Being a 750ml bottle, it is one to share though!JeffPorter wrote: This also makes me more eager to try Canny Man. From what I've heard the malts really stand up well to the barrel treatment, but we'll see.
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JeffPorter
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I'm looking forward to it!Soods wrote:If you liked this one Jeff, you'll probably love the Canny Man. It's much higher in ABV (9.1%) and the smoky peat flavours are huge. Being a 750ml bottle, it is one to share though!JeffPorter wrote: This also makes me more eager to try Canny Man. From what I've heard the malts really stand up well to the barrel treatment, but we'll see.
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
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TheSevenDuffs
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