The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore has been compared to the ficitional Wonka Factory from “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.” In addition to brewing its signature stout, the brewery also experiments with all sorts of flavors and beers. In fact, they say the only things they won’t try to brew with are meat and money. However whiskey more than makes the grade. Guinness recently announced its second nationally available barrel-aged beer, Guinness Stock Ale Aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels.
A stock ale is traditionally a blend of two different beer styles. This one is a combination of Guinness Barleywine and a Guinness Imperial Stout – both brewed in Baltimore and aged in Bulleit barrels before being blended together. The result is a full-bodied beer with notes of nutty chocolate, raisins, roasted barley and sweet dark fruit with an ABV of 10%.
“One of the really cool things about brewing a stock ale is that you actually get to brew two completely separate beers with unique traits and their own identities, and then blend them together to create a beer that takes on some of both, but also has a life of its own,” said Sean Brennan, Senior Brewer at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery. “When you consider all of the flavors coming from the wood of the barrels thanks to Bulleit’s subtle spice and oaky richness, there’s a lot of powerful influences to take note of and process in the final beer. As we say, it’s one to sip.”
Wooden barrels are a critical piece of Guinness history. During a span of nearly two centuries, every Guinness beer worldwide was stored and shipped in barrels. Today, brewers in both Baltimore and Dublin are bringing that tradition back to change the flavor of their beers.
Guinness Stock Ale Aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels is on tap today at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore and can be found on shelves at specialty beer stores for a limited time for $19.99.
