This past winter we brewed the first stout of our Shield Series, Imperial, and put half the batch into barrels.
Imperial Batch No.1 is the first beer of our Stout line of The Shield. Impeccably brewed, this deliciously dark beer tells the story of rich fruits, velvety chocolate, and a subtle honey roast that fill this beer’s body with bewitching character. Coming in at 9.8% ABV and 30 IBUs, we implore you to enjoy this beer without reserve.
Unlike our other Shield beers, we chose to make this brew draft only. As incredible as this beer is, delicious things come to those who wait. We sent out half of the batch to be enjoyed in the market, and filled a few flavorful barrels with the rest, stowing them away to let oak and time work its aging magic.
One extremely special barrel we filled was one gifted to us by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. An Oloroso Sherry Cask, this beast of a barrel had been used for 20 years in Sherry production in Jerez, Spain. Then shipped to Nelson’s in Nashville, it was used to finish off their 9-year old Belle Meade Bourbon for their first wood finish series release, Belle Meade Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish.
What we love about barrel-aging, in addition to the incredible flavor it imparts on our beer, is the history behind it. Whether it’s the history of the liquid the barrel carries, the journey it’s taken across seas, or the quiet corners of the Earth a barrel has seen, there’s no substitute for a product that’s just given time.
We can’t wait to share our Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with you next year. Keep an eye out for its release, and remember, delicious things come to those who wait!
