John John Dead Guy Ale
Although I find that the barrel-aging thing is becoming a bit overdone, Dead Guy aged in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels sounded too interesting to pass up. Poured into a Rogue-branded chalice, the John John has a golden-orange color with a thick creamy head. I didn't sense much of a Maibock in the aroma, with the barrel imparting a definite woodsy character that was about the only aroma I could definitively identify. Curiously, the flavor is no different. The beer had really taken on the essence of the whiskey, with a soft, woodsy, peaty flavor like a Scotch rather than a bourbon sweetness. The whiskey is certainly not overpowering, though, with the flavors being quite soft, and I wouldn't call this one boozy. There is a bit of lingering earthy hop bitterness, and the mouthfeel is more like the beer I expected, with a resinous, almost buttery texture that is substantial but not too heavy. Overall, this beer is not a remarkable experiment, but it is interesting, surprising, and pleasant, and I would drink it again.