Adnams Both Barrels Oak Aged Broadside

Product of: United Kingdom

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Back in 2010, the folk at Adnams filled a barrel previously used to mature bourbon with their ready-to-bottle Broadside ale and some cherries and left it to mature. Over the course of the first year they drew off a few litres here and there for various beer festivals, but always topped it...

...back up with fresh Broadside so effectively creating a mini ‘solera system’. Then, in 2015 they emptied the barrel and spread its contents between twelve other ex-bourbon barrels, again topping each with fresh Broadside and cherries. This limited in edition “Both Barrels” bottling is the result and a fraction of the beer blend is six years old while most is a mere two years old. Given this process we’re surprised at the high alc./vol. of the finished bottled beer.

Adnams Both Barrels was bottled in 330ml swing-top bottles and released on 10th February 2017.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 04/04/2017

Appearance:

Opaque, deep red-brown virtually black with thin pale beige head.

Aroma:

Varnish, tinned rhubarb, cola, tinned raspberries peppery oak and vanilla.

Taste:

Ripe cherry fruit balances dry oak tannins and a high alc./vol. with distinctive vanilla and bourbon flavours.

Aftertaste:

Bitter fruit influenced finish.

Overall:

This huge aged ale won’t appeal to all palates – it is a curio for those of us into such frifthery – if you are, then be sure to acquire a bottle and share with other like-minded folk.