The Ale
Bordeaux Barrel Aged Scotch Silly Ale
Brasserie De Silly
Silly, Belgium
Scotch Silly Ale aged in Bordeaux Barrel.
9% abv
750ml bottle
$13.00 from Ashley’s of Westland, Michigan
I could not find any information on the Global Beer website.
I was pretty excited about the Port Barrel Ale and I have to
admit that I was a little disappointed.
I don’t know what to expect now with this one. If you ever visit my wine blog you know I
love my wines so, once again my expectation is high but, I am ready for the letdown. So, I am skeptical going into this now.
Appearance: murky brown body with a one finger tan head that
leaves no lacing on the glass; the barrel aging added some darkness to the body
Aroma: some black fruit like black currant, mulberry, black
raspberry; firm malty note; not as sweet as the Port Aged Scotch Silly.
Flavors: one sip, two sip; not bad; third sip – I am liking this
one; oh yes, the Bordeaux Barrel aging is coming thru; the black fruit of the
Bordeaux is blending well with the Ale; the nose and the flavor are working
together like a fine wine should; black currant and black plum mingle so well
with the ales toasted caramel malts; hint of toffee; light coffee; slight hint
of oak
Mouthfeel: dry feel like a fine Bordeaux; low carbonation;
medium-full body; very nice ale notes mix so well with the wine barrel notes; moderate
bitterness really controls the sweetness of the Scotch Silly Ale.
To the Point: I really like how the Bordeaux Barrel Aging
stood out and added a lot of character to this ale. The nose was very pleasing and match the
flavors. If you like good red wines and
you like a good ale this should do the trick. I will plan to buy more of this ale.
The Cigar
Signature Collection Vintage 2004 Sun Grown
Wrapper: 8 year old Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Fillers: Nicaraguan
Robusto 5.7 x 50
Yes, it looks like a Toro
Flavor Profile of the Cigar: this cigar has a very nice
woody style; firm cedar spice, oak and alder wood come to mind; a nice dose of
musty white pepper mixes in with some dry fall leafs and a mild nutty note that
can remind you of almonds;
The Pairing: these two pair well with one another; the woody
profile of the cigar mingles with the ales barrel aging; the black currant and
black plum, of the ale, seem to standout during this pairing; the toasted caramel
malts from the ale fit in just perfectly with the toasted fall leafs of the
cigar; the oak barrel note of the ale was just a hint and I really had to be
thinking about it when I had the ale by itself but, here with the cigar the oak
note of the ale is getting a little more attention – so the cigar helps to
bring out the oak wood in the ale;
With cigar and beer pairings sometimes if you drink the ale
first and then puff the cigar has a different effect than when you puff the
cigar and then the ale. Sometimes there
is a big difference and other times it just does not matter. Well, here there is a slight difference if
you take the time to notice. When I
drink the ale first and then puff the cigar - the black fruit note seems to
have a black cherry note during this experience. When I puff the cigar first and then sip the
ale the focus is on the woody profile.
The longer I sit here and enjoy this experience the more I
LOVE it. It brings three of my favorites
together: Cigars, Wine and Ale.
