Full Review

Fremont Brewing

Fremont Brewing
2025 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star Ale

Category: Barrel Aged Ale

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 15.7%
94 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional

Fremont Brewing
2025 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star Ale

Category: Barrel Aged Ale

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 15.7%
Ebony color. Complex, confected aromas of Pedro Ximenez sherry, figs-candied walnuts, maple, and toasted almond-espresso with a chewy, bright, petillant, dry-yet-fruity fat body and a warming, subtle, very long grilled banana, wood roasted plum tart, rum raisin cake, and chocolate bread pudding finish. A very fine balanced barrel aged beer, with a bold and decadent character that is lovingly balanced out by just the right amount of acidity and oak to keep it highly drinkable.

Tasting Info

Beer Glass Style: Rich & Heavy
Aroma Aroma: Pedro Ximenez sherry, figs-candied walnuts, maple, and toasted almond-espresso
Taste Flavor: grilled banana, wood roasted plum tart, rum raisin cake, and chocolate bread pudding
Bitterness Bitterness: Medium
Enjoy Enjoy: Enjoy on its own
Recipes Pairing: BBQ Chicken, Ribs, Steak & Potatoes
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A very fine balanced barrel aged beer, with a bold and decadent character that is lovingly balanced out by just the right amount of acidity and oak to keep it highly drinkable.

The Producer

Fremont Brewing Co

The Producer
3409 Woodland Park Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
USA
1 206-661-1648

Barrel Aged Ale

Beer Glass Snifter Dark.jpg
Serve in a Snifter
The category of barrel-aged beer represents a diverse range of ale and lager styles that have been aged in non-neutral wood. These beers commonly range between 7.5-10% in alcohol with further variations depending on the interpretation of the style. These beers are characterized by both wood-influenced flavors (vanillia, caramel, toast, coconut) and secondary flavors of the alcohol previously aged in the wood (bourbon, scotch whisky, sherry). The overall character of the final beer may also included acetic, lactic or Brettanomyces flavors and aromas resultant of the barrel. A wide variety of base beer styles may be barrel-aged for an additional level of complexity, although barrel-aged versions of darker or more alcoholic styles are among the more common examples. Noteworthy examples of this style include: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Alltech Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and Grand Rapids The Mound Maker.

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