When I got my first cask, I quickly put some cheap Canadian rye into it and started aging ASAP. As soon as I could (about 6 weeks), I emptied the cask and put in a cream stout. The cream stout ended up being way over powered by the oak and by the rye, so I stashed away as much as I could and to let them age.
Six months later and there is only 1 bottle left, but a purpose has been found for the last one standing. In an effort to learn from my first attempt, I poured the last stout along side the foreign export stout that I aged in the same cask (which I had since aged with Pendleton Rye for around 5 months). So here is the comparison version 1.0 v 2.0, both were the first beer aged in the cask after the rye was taken out.
My roommates Tom and Justin helped me with this. Justin is cool and Tom is a sommelier
2.0 in the smaller glasses to the left, 1.0 in the taller glasses to the right
Version 1.0 (cream stout, aged 7 months) 5.3 % ABV
APPERANCE: A nice dark brown color that reminds me of raisins
NOSE: Had a big maple syrup and oak nose
TASTE: A sweet bourbon taste (which is weird, this is a rye cask) with a solid oak mid mouth taste. The end gave a faint raspberry with a slight wine character. It seemed like the oak and tannins overpowered this beer, but the age allowed for a real nice mellowing of the flavors
MOUTHFEEL: Good carbonation and a easy initial flavor. The tannins lingered on the back of the tongue
OVERALL: This was a damn good beer, it was a great first attempt at oak aging. Nevertheless, I would beef up the beer in both alcohol and roastiness.
8/10
me and justin, developing our palates
Version 2.0 (foreign export stout, aged about 1 month) 8.0% ABV
APPEARANCE: Completely black, can’t even see light through it.
NOSE: Had an alcohol hot nose, kind of sharp, definitely a roasty scent underneath the hotness.
TASTE: A full bodied stout with a nice light cream flavor. The oak background goes hand in hand with the rye flavor. Underneath is a neutral nutty flavor.
MOUTHFEEL: A wonderful round softness to this beer. Carbonation was perfect and a little higher than normal.
OVERALL: This was a fantastic beer! It will be made again (and already has been)
9/10
