Sure, spring might be here but Melbourne’s next cold snap could reach us at any time and, when it does, Stomping Ground are ready with the latest Into The ‘Wood release. The brewery's barrel-aged series is dedicated to the wild, the sour, and in the case of Rye Whisky Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, the big.
Aged in rye whiskey barrels from Brunswick's The Gospel Distillers, like the brewery’s bourbon barrel-aged release last year, the imperial stout hasn’t picked up too much in the way of boozy wooziness but instead approaches you with impressive balance and is surprisingly light on its feet.
That said, it still pours incredibly thick yet free from any rough edges, and brings a mix of chocolate milk, roasted coffee, liquorice and a light spice to the party. If you’re lucky enough to have a bottle of The Gospel rye whiskey on hand you can try the beer in a boilermaker pairing; I did and found it brought flavours of burnt sugar and vanilla and oak to the fore.
Will Ziebell
Published September 8, 2020 2020-09-08 00:00:00