Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale (Whiskey Barrel)

Brewed by Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Style: American Pale Ale
Lyons, Colorado USA

Tried at Alesmith tasting bar. Thanks smokepot23! Sweet malty, buttery, oaky mellow and delicious. Easy to drink.

Location: Cask at Rattle ’N’ Hum, 9/13/09
Part of the Gotham Cask Festival

Aroma: Citrus, pine, caramel, with some nice oak, whiskey, and vanilla in there as well
Appearance: Hazy orange-amber color
Flavor: Balanced flavor, the barrel aging has mellowed the hoppiness, whiskey, citrus hops, sweet malts, vanilla
Palate: Nice mouthfeel with a bit of a whiskey burn
Overall Impression: I found this beer to be quite good, and it seemed to be a big hit at RnH, as everyone else I talked to seem to really enjoy it too. Quite a nice whiskey barreling, not over-the-top whiskey to the point of ruining the beer as I have found previously with some of the whiskey-barreled beers that I have tried. This one was really nicely done.

Appearance: Clearish, darkened amber body with a rather small, bubbly, ivory-hued head. Smell: Most notably a very strong scent of caramel candy supported by slightly lesser notes of oak, light brown sugar, vanilla, and citrus. Taste: Full maltiness with crystal, pale, and caramel, with an overall strong taste of sweet, sweet candyish caramel. Very slackened hop character overall provides a touch of citrus zest and a very dull, muted amount of remaining bitterness. This allows for the barrel qualities of vanilla, brown sugar, and the oak with its thorny tannins to really come to the fore. Warming, drying finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: A curious choice for the whiskey barrel, but, as they have already done so with most of their lineup, why not the Dale’s Pale Ale, I suppose. The time away in the barrel has added the characteristic tastes as well as really mellowed (if not entirely squelched) the hops, so the brew lost as much as it gained, really. Having said all that, it’s still an enjoyable beer.

Golden color with some light bourbon and oak in an otherwise floral/citrus hoppy aroma. Flavor has some bourbon and vanilla with faded hops and sweet malt. Not bad, just not a great candidate for barrel aging.

On draft at Capones. Pours a light rusty amber with a medium beige head. Aroma of citrus, hops and caramel. Taste of citrus, caramel notes, light vanilla and oak.

On tap at Capones. Poured a medium amber/golden color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of wood, caramel, toffee, and citrus. Tastes of oaky/woodiness, whiskey, caramel, and vanilla. Some lacing left on the glass.

Tap at Capones. Pours a hazy copper with a bubbly off white head that laced. Aroma was woody, lots of hoppy citrus notes, floral, caramel and light vanilla. Flavor of the same whiskey more pronounced in flavor.

Poured a lightly hazy, amber color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus fruits, pine, floral hops, vanilla, oak, bourbon, vanilla, and grass. Taste of pine, citrus fruits, caramel malts, grass, vanilla, and a grapefruit / alcohol finish.