One of the unique qualities of Blackbird is the connection with the beer from beginning to end. We’ve cultivated a pseudo farm-to-table experience under one roof. Depending on the time of day, one can walk into the taproom and enjoy the aroma of barley or hops brewing, discuss the beers in the pipelines soon to be released, and finally sip on the fruits of our team’s labors. Any given day our educated staff is enthusiastically ready to answer those beer questions that pull back the curtain ever more. Yet with our Staff Brew Series, the curtain is no longer needed.
After each Blackbird staff member passes their Cicerone certification, they are given the opportunity to brew their own Blackbird beer. This has become an honored tradition at the brewery and something each bartender eagerly awaits. Our Staff Brew Series has brought to the taproom beers such as Big Trees Celebration-Style IPA, Pink Phantom Raspberry Gose, With All Due Respect… Fruit Beer, and more. Little known to the public however, Kenne’s beer was brewed long before any of these beloved libations.
Brewing the Beer
When asked “What made you want to make a bourbon barrel aged stout?” Kenne’s answer was immediate. He simply loved the style. His old watering hole was Hoppy Endings, a local bottle shop well known for its beer and bourbon selection. Damian Horne from Hoppy Endings was instrumental in the barrel acquisition process and connected Blackbird with a Remus barrel. Kenne believed that making a BBA stout would be a uniquely satisfying full circle moment.
The brew day was February 1, 2024, which now feels like a lifetime ago. Kenne traded in his gecko vehicle for the day and pulled on a pair of brewer boots. On the initial brew day, the team brought to life an imperial stout recipe.
This was a long boil, no sparge stout. There was no typical grain rinse and in absence of that step a thicker wort was created.
“For the highest ABV beer, the least amount of water is used to retain the highest gravity wort possible from the mash. But then that’s not even enough. On top of that we will boil these beers anywhere from 2.5 to 5 hours to concentrate it. Then that’s not even enough. Then we dump huge amounts of lactose into it.” – Ian VanGundy
In a barrel aged stout, we use roasted barley for its higher bitterness. The imperial stout produced hit 55 IBUs (international bitterness units), an intentional target as the liquid will mellow as it ages in the barrel. A bitter and toasty beer is desired as barrel maturation will slowly round out the flavor. No aroma hops were utilized, just bittering hops in the kettle boil. “It’s a bittering balancing act. We have to find drinkability between this intensely sweet, malted base and the drying hops we add.” – Ian VanGundy
Besides the common manual labor and typical brew day laughs, the other memory that stood out to Kenne was “hot scotchies”. For those like myself who had never heard of the term, a hot scotchie is made from fresh warm wort (the sugary liquid extracted from malts) from the lauter tun during a brew session and actual scotch liquor. This warming concoction is described as a perfect treat for a chilling winter day and a reward after the brewing effort.
Worth the Wait
Delicious, dark liquid filled one of our tall shiny tanks, but unlike the rest of our beers, its journey did not end there.
After the imperial stout fermented in the tank, the crew filled the sourced Remus Bourbon barrel. From that moment on, that barrel sat and soaked for 20 months behind the couch in our brewery. Time passed, we celebrated events, toasted pints, and lived life. Then one day, it was about damn time.
The decision whether or not to flavor the beer further was always going to be one dependent on the sensory tasting of the exacted liquid from the barrel. After its barrel slumber, the drink leaned towards tasting more bourbon-forward. Coffee was chosen as it would correct the aroma and palate. Specifically, the brewers collaborated with Sunny Days Roasting Co. to create a curated blend of Bolivian and Honduran roasts. The coffee finish balanced the aged complexity with a fresh pop of flavor. The final product was insanely thick, dark, and decadent. Truly a successful first barrel experiment with an exquisite outcome.
Pouring on Draft
Now available exclusively at Blackbird Brewery on draft, there was only a limited amount created of this beer due to the confines of a single barrel so make sure you come and try a glass before it’s gone. If Kenne is around while you’re enjoying a glass of this decadent bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, make sure to compliment the chef! Cheers!
