The Mismatch team’s first crack at barrel-ageing dates back to when they brewed out of Big Shed, when they created a sweet coffee stout aged in whisky barrels. Now they have a bit more room at their Adelaide Hills brewery, they brought in fourteen Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels have moved in and whipped up a big 12.75 percent ABV RIS that spent several months inside them.
Upon opening the can, the beer exudes bourbon, even before your nostrils become within cooee. Pouring pitch black with a creamy brownish head, its richness is evident even before you take a sip. Leaning in for a closer look, the bourbon remains the most dominant aroma, however floating gently in the background are vanilla, cocoa and little oak. This is one incredibly decadent and silky stout, with an array of strong, bold flavours punching through as chocolate joins the party, along with an upfront boozy splash, while the warmth that lingers at the end is like a giant hug, wrapping the drinker up in a toasty blanket.
Matt King
Published July 9, 2020 2020-07-09 00:00:00
