Speaking of gaining 10 pounds, I found the perfect beer to pair with bread pudding. At 12.5% abv, I had to limit myself to one 12 oz goblet. Boulevard Collaboration #6 (with Firestone Walker)
Collaboration No. 6 will be composed of the following beers:
Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad ? 45%
Based loosely on the Smokestack Series? The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the ?angel?s share? of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.
ABV ? 11.8, IBU ? 19
Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee ? 35%
Brewed with Belgian candi sugar and aged in a selection of fine bourbon barrels, Stickee Monkee trailblazes its own category as a ?Central Coast Quad.? The name Stickee Monkee is a nod to the Central Coast?s native Sticky Monkey flower, as well as a shout‐out to the Belgian monks who pioneered the Quad style. The Belgian candi sugar imparts a signature molasses sweetness to the beer. Meanwhile, maturation in bourbon casks brings ample barrel expression with notes of toasted oak, coconut, leather and cigar tobacco.
ABV ? 13, IBU ? 45
Imperial Stout X ? Tart Cherry (Whiskey Barrel-aged) ? 10%
Our special treat for lovers of big, complex stouts, the Imperial Stout ?X? series offers a year-long roster of limited releases, each with a significant variation. This riff spotlights the addition of tart cherries to fermentation as well as a lactic souring on the brewhouse. The result is a perfect marriage of robust, smoky maltiness and bracing tartness. Unlike the release version of Imperial Stout X ? Tart Cherry, this portion was briefly aged in previously used whiskey barrels.
ABV ? 11, IBU ? 64
Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin ? 10%
Velvet Merkin is the beer that almost wasn?t?Indeed, this vintage oatmeal stout?s comical (or is it scandalous?) name went off the grid for several years, but now it?s back due to popular demand. Velvet Merkin is aged for a full year in retired spirits barrels from Heaven Hill, Woodford Reserve and others, yet manages to offer mind-boggling balance and restraint. You will wig out when you taste Velvet Merkin?s rich milk chocolate, bourbon and espresso flavors, preceded by aromas of vanilla, coconut, toasted oak and mocha.
ABV ? 8.5, IBU ? 33
