New Glarus Unplugged Bourbon Barrel Bock

Formerly brewed at New Glarus Brewing Company
Style: Doppelbock
New Glarus, Wisconsin USA

The first thing is WOW! I should say right off if you do not care for Bourbon this beer would not be for you. This beer totally took me by surprise. First the aroma is divine. It fills your nose with hints of vanilla, and caramel, and then the Bourbon aroma takes over. And that’s before I ever got the glass to my nose. Bourbon nose with all the beer qualities. This beer is best served in a goblet as to allow it to breathe. Much like allowing a fine sniffter of Bourbon to breathe so should this beer. This beer is not to be finished quickly. It lost its head rather quickly, but the flavor more than made up for the loss of foam. This beer started off chilled and by the time I got to the bottom of the glass it got better as it got warmer. So, I recommend enjoying this beer at slightly below room temp. And ladies, this beer is not bitter at all. A very smooth and aromatic finish right to the very end of this very satisfying elixir. To be enjoyed with a smoked salmon, filet minon, smoked cheeses. It does pack a punch with the amount of alcohol in this beer. So, if you are looking for a conversation piece or warming up on a cold winters day in front of the fire place look no further. The following is how I rated this beer: floral, alcohol, clove, vanilla, amber, clear, aminimal head, medium sweetness, lightly bitter, lightly sour, full body, creamy, soft carbonation, and a long finish. On a personal note this beer should have been released in the winter. Though it is a limited edition it is not to be missed. Stock up on this one! Create the mood. Or enjoy this one with great friends.

Bottle from sliffy shared with my pops. Pours a dark amber with a little whispy white head. Nose is sweet with bourbon and heavy malts. Flavor starts sweet with some caramel malts, slight toffee, and ends with a little tartness from the added brett. Interesting brew. Pretty easy drinking for a barrel aged beer. Would like to get a couple more of these to lay down to see how the brett develops in this beer. Alcohol well hidden, though noticeable. Always love trying new NG brews.

12 oz bottle. Clear orange with a yellowish head. Smoky over-ripe apricots, caramel and bourbon. Silky tang gives way to bourbon and wood. In between like an orange Milky Way. The bourbon compliments this surprisingly well.

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy brown with a small beige colored head that pretty much settles out. Aroma is huge caramel malt, toffee, brown sugar, oak, bourbon. Flavor is a massive blast of sweet caramel malt, bourbon, oak, another blast of vanilla, toffee. Palate is full bodied, mildly carbonated, finishes is sweet and sticky, slightly warming. This is a great brew. Masterfully balanced. Great, great, great.

Bottle courtesy of pantanap (thanks!). Pours dark red/brown with small off-white head. While pouring I caught some berry aroma before fully sticking my nose in it. Upon doing so, I was greeted with bourbon and wood, along with notes of vanilla and toffee sweetness. Me likey. Taste is predominantly the bourbon influence, yet not offensive. Get some caramel, vanilla, and slight sourness as well. Pretty boozy (go figure). Finish is bourbon and boozy. Light carbonation and medium mouthfeel. Color me a fan of this brew.

12oz bottle. Filtered with a clear ruby hue. Slight ring of off-white head. Toffee and caramel, with a hint of cherries. Dark berries with vanilla wood. Noticeable yet inoffensive alcohol aroma. Rich smooth and sticky. Medium to full bodied. Full coating palate. Caramel malts that linger like the candies. Mixed with Lively soda effervescence. Wood earthy flavor is mixed between the dried fruits and dark berries and finishing in the tingling alcohol burn and a sugary, almost cocoa vanilla flavor. Palate is good. hits the sticky and sweet, the bitter tart and sour and the...well its good. Good malts, good burn. Finish is big with burn and glow.

(Bottle via trade with <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=2 target=blank>CaptainCougar, thanks Tom!) Bourbon, oak and vanilla...Reddish-orange body with a thin biege head that melts away rather quickly to a very thin layer. Aroma of bourbon, oak, vanilla and rock-candy maltiness. Mouthfeel medium-full and quite sticky. Pretty smooth. Some very light lacing. Flavor is pretty much bourbon-dominated, along with sweet vanilla and oak. More smooth than sharp in terms of alcohol and flavor. A good, interesting beer but I prefer a more standard doppel.

12oz bottle. Poured a deeper amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of oak, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, and fruity. Tastes of bourbon, wood, dark fruits, vanilla, and caramel. There was a lot more woody oakiness in the aroma vs. the tastes and just the opposite with the bourbon (although neither overpowering). Sweet with a light tart/sour finish.