Oak Aged Unearthly (Imperial India Pale Ale)
Unearthly is a great beer but I'm skeptical of barrel aging hoppy beers...seems to defeat the purpose in my opinion. But what the hell, let's give it a shot. Pours a clear copper color with about a finger and a half of beige head. Head settles pretty quickly to just a bubbly, very thin lace. Keeps some stick around the rim and leaves a splash of webbing on the sides. First thing I notice in the smell is some of the citrusy, earthy, resiny hop aromas that I love about Unearthly. Then comes the oak, with aromas of bourbon and vanilla, and those really become the dominant aromas. The hops still poke their nose through, but the balance definitely tips in the oaks favor. It's a bit on the boozy side, as well. I think it's a bit overly bourbony and the hops too weak. Taste, like the smell, shows some flashes of hop flavor but not nearly to the extent of fresh Unearthly. The oak, instead, is a more dominant flavor. Hops are earthy, in particular, with a bit of citrus, but the earthiness has held up best and does go nicely with the woody, oaky flavor, which has flavors of bourbon and vanilla, as well. There is some caramel sweetness, too. It is a bit on the boozy side, more so than the original, but not totally out of whack like some ST beers. The balance is a bit better than the aroma. It's good, but it's just case in point for why I don't quite get the barrel aging hoppy beers. What makes Unearthly special has been lost. Mouthfeel is close to full bodied and quite smooth. Somewhat dry in the finish, with appropriate carbonation, on the soft side actually. In terms of drinkability I took awhile to get through this bomber, as the bourbon started to really wear on me. This is a good beer but as I've said a few times previously I think it's lost what makes Unearthly a great beer. The hoppiness of this brew is a shadow of the original, and that's too bad. This drinks more like a barrel aged barleywine. I just don't get barrel aging hoppy brews...oh well, to each their own.