Bear Republic Barrel Aged Crazy Ivan

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Healdsburg, California USA

Pours a relatively clear dark brown with a white head composed of small bubbles. The aroma is light and smells slightly of iced tea. The flavor is both hoppy and malty. This beer has a fairly high alcohol content, but you wouldn’t know it from the flavor as the beer is very smooth in the mouth and has almost no bite to it. This beer has a fairly thick flavor, but it isn’t hard to drink. A little heavy, but not bad.

The aroma is very strong, immediate floral hops, some wood came through. The appearance was amber, almost brown, off white head. The flavor followed the aroma, a burst a floral hops, like heather, some wood, a little tart. The finish had a lingering bittering from the hops. Bottom line: enjoyable beer, the hops dominated the show.

Draft at Bistro in Hayward. Amber brown pour with some medium beige head. Very woody aroma and some light sweet malt underneath. Flavor is the same, definitely tart from the wet wood, but sweet as well with an overall nice balance.

On tap at The Bistro in Hayward. It was called Crazy Ivan Barrel Aged. Color was a slightly reddish brfown with a thin, light tan head. Aroma of fruit, caramel, wood and flavors., Flavors of fruit, sweet and sour, brown sugar, wood. Pretty solid beer that maintained a nice balance from the barrel aging.