Photo: Sam Burnett Photography (Getty Images)
In recent years, the worlds of whiskey and beer have combined numerous times for award-winning results. The most obvious example is Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout that’s aged in bourbon barrels and the iconic Kentucky Breakfast Stout from Founders. The new addition to the club is Guinness.
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The famed Irish brewer recently opened a U.S. brewery in Baltimore and as part of this transatlantic collaboration, the brewery is releasing a stout aged in Bulleit Bourbon barrels. The base is Dublin-brewed Antwerpen Stout that’s aged for eight months in Bulleit Bourbon barrels at the new Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Maryland.
Photo: Diageo
“Our story as brewers began more than 250 years ago in Dublin, and those Irish roots will absolutely always be a key part of who we are, but beer has evolved in so many ways since then,” said Emma Giles, Guinness brand director, in a press release. “It’s hard to deny that the U.S. is the center of the universe as far as beer innovation is concerned. Now that we have a permanent home here with some of the most talented brewers the country has to offer, the potential to blend our brewing expertise with American creativity is virtually endless.”
Located just outside of downtown Baltimore, the new brewery is striving to recapture some of the history of beer-making by releasing barrel-aged beers. We can expect more collaborations because Guinness’ parent company, Diageo, also owns brands like Don Julio tequila and Zacapa rum.
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“The best part about barrel-aging any beer is that you get the chance to pull the flavors of the wood and liquid previously aged in it,” said Sean Brennan, senior brewer at the Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House, in a press release. “We’ve already started to think about what we’ll be experimenting with next, but we couldn’t be more pleased with our first go at using barrels from our friends at Bulleit. This beer is something special, and one to be sipped slow and savored.”
You can only get this limited-edition stout at the Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House until the end of the year. It comes in four-packs of 11.2-ounce bottles for $19.99. Like many barrel-aged beers, this offering deserves your respect as it sits at a potent 10 percent ABV, so be sure to pace yourself.
