Every year, May 12th is 5/12 day and we celebrate by drinking (512) beers. This year, it just happened to fall on Thursday, which is pint night at Brews Brothers in Galveston. To celebrate, they had five of their beers on tap. The best of the beers was clearly the Cabernet Barrel-Aged Tripel from 2014.
The first thing that was apparent was the tartness level of the beer. Honestly, it tasted similar to a peach with a bit of wine on first sip. Upon first glance, it’s an unfiltered orange color, but at 9.5% ABV, it certainly is deceptive in taste. The yeast and oak fills your mouth and makes the beer one of the most flavorful beers I’ve had in a while.
A person at the bar asked how it tasted and I said, “it’s a more tame Bishop’s Barrel 12.” The Cabernet barrel-aging gives it the oak body, but the fact that it’s a Belgian tripel makes it more citrus in flavor. Similar to BB12, it’s Cabernet barrel-aged, but the style lends it to a more easy-drinking experience.
This beer was a special tapping for 5/12 day and I’m glad I didn’t miss it. Brews Brothers sat on this beer for two years to age it and see how it holds up over time. It was one of the best beers I’ve had in quite a while.