I like celebrating my birthday for like, at least a week. Between dinners with family, drinks with friends, drinking crazy and rare bottles of beer, and indulging myself, I find I need at least 5 days, though 9 is better. So I love that Great Lakes stretched their 25th anniversary celebration over the span of the year. In addition to anniversary events, they participated in numerous amazing projects, ranging from Volo’s Funk Night and Cask Days, to the epic Niambic brew. They also released four anniversary beers, all available at bars as well as the LCBO. Bottled in 750ml bottles, the first three were all spectacular. A Robust Porter, a Belgian-style Saison, and a Black IPA. Great styles which beer geeks love, and which provided some amazing chances for folks picking up singles at the LCBO to try out some new things. And starting today at the brewery retail store (rolling out to bars and LCBOs), the fourth and final release is available: Their Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout. I assume this is a variation on Mike’s excellent Dude Where’s My Czar (or Stalin’s Choice in a past life) Russian Imperial Stout. If so, it should be stellar.
25th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout — Great Lakes
From a wax-dipped 750ml bottle, 25th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout pours a solid opaque black, with glimmers of red at the edges when held to a bright light. A dense mocha-brown head drops to a film and ring that leaves a bit of lace as the drink progresses. The aroma is amazing, vanilla notes from the barrel, oak, charred malts that hint at chocolate and coffee, leather, rum, and some herbal hops. There’s a slightly spicy whiff too, that I suspect is related to the yeast. Taste is equally complex and awesome. Clearly a massive Russian Imperial Stout, the malts are huge, roasty, sweet and smokey. The coffee smells like fresh roasted beans and the chocolate has a richness that puts me in the mind of Valentines truffles. There is rum and allspice like a Jamaican rum cake; rich and sweet. Vanilla and bourbon from the barrel, with a warm friendly oak character. There is leather and just a touch of some spices that give it a medicinal or cola-like presence. Hops are tannic and herbal, and while I’m sure the IBUs on this are probably huge, it is so malty and sweet, the bitterness is more background, adding layers of depth and complexity. The finish is where the bitterness shows up, both from the charred malts, and also from those hops. The mouthfeel is dense and rich, with a low carbonation that just slightly lightens the weight of the heavy body. Just incredible. Definitely a wonderful final installment in the line of anniversary beers. Aside from being a massive beer, it is awesome to see another barrel-aged offering at the LCBO. Which is a big piece of what Great Lakes has always been about: Challenging people to try new things.
Cheers to Peter and the whole crew at Great Lakes. It’s been a great year celebrating; here’s to the next 25!
Buy 25th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout
Available at the Great lakes Brewery retail store in Etobicoke, as well as bars across the city. It is currently rolling out to LCBO shelves, and it will be available soon. Keep an eye on LCBO.ca for availability.
Drink it with
Hmmmmm, this is a tough call. I kind of like it on it’s own. Sitting in my half-unpacked apartment. I actually reCapped half the bottle for later, when I will also drink it with nothing but the company of my darling wife. But that’s not the point of this section so here you go: Chocosol Chocolates, particularly the hot chilli ones. I think the spiciness would add another level of sensory experience, and I also just really really like their chocolates. Want to drink it with dinner? You’re mad, but if you insist, have a nice piece of blackened catfish. The fatty rich fish with it’s spicy aromatic crust will dance well with the massive complex beer. For cheese, there’s only one thing on my mind: Stilton. Salty, funky, creamy and rich, and oh so good.
About The Brewery
Independently owned by the Bulut family, we produce our beer as it was done hundreds of years ago by using an open fire, copper brew house built in Germany in the early 1900’s.
Our small-batch brewing process allows us to carefully blend only the finest all natural ingredients to produce our award-winning beers. Our water, hops, malts and yeast are selected from local producers and those afar on the basis of but one criteria; quality.
http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/
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