Limited Edition New Zealand Whisky Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Malts: NZ Ale Malt, NZ Pilsner Malt, NZ Dark Crystal Malt, NZ Dark Chocolate Malt, NZ Aurora Malt, German Caramunich Malt, German Carafa Malt Hops: Pacific Jade
The 2023 Vintage Stout is the fifth release of our ‘Vintage’ range of yearly Barrel Aged releases.
This Imperial Stout was brewed with a ‘Reiterated’ Double Mashing schedule, in which the second mash is mixed in with high gravity Wort from the first mash. This process allows us to extract a more concentrated sweet Wort, which feeds the yeast to create a higher alcohol brew.
A small addition of dextrose sugar in the fermenter added an extra hit of alcohol which gives this beer a warming balance to the oak tannins. We then decanted the beer into New Zealand Whisky Barrels from Pōkeno Distillery, and left the beer to rest for nine months.
The process of Oak ageing creates a chemical reaction between the wood and the beer, in which flavour compounds such as tannins and vanillins leach into the beer, creating a rounded and complex flavour. By treating the oak barrel as an additional ‘ingredient’ we’ve been able to create this complex and rich brew that is perfect for winter nights, and will also cellar extremely well as it gains complexity with ageing.
