Barrel-aging beers is a tricky process. Sometimes it can make the brew too boozy, sometimes too oakey, or sometimes it can increase the complexity. Fortunately, the latter is how I felt about Adelbert’s Contemplating Waterloo gin barrel-aged saison.
First of all, a 9.1% ABV saison is on the high end of booziness, but this one doesn’t taste quite as harsh as it sounds. My bottle is from batch 003, which was bottle-conditioned on November 17, 2015. Therefore, mine had a small amount of time to cellar.
The Austin-based brewery took their original base beer of Philosophizer and aged it in Waterloo Antique gin barrels from their neighbor, Treaty Oak Distilling. I mentioned how the barrel-aging increased its complexity. That’s because I find Philosophizer to be a peppery saison with a bit too much carbonation. While the carbonation level remains high on Contemplating Waterloo, the gin barrels tend to mellow it out and enhance the sweet fruit flavor.
On the nose, I get the immediate smell of peaches. Nearly smelling like a rich orchard at harvest, this makes the beer so pleasing to the scent. The first sip yields a fruity, yet flowery flavor enhanced by the juniper and lavender. Where the gin comes in is at the finish as the slight oakiness of the barrel is noticed and provides a sweet and balanced finish. The flavor tends to change as it warms since I caught a pepper spice flavor about 20 minutes after the initial pour.
Honestly, I could sit and drink this beer for hours and be perfectly content. Adelbert’s never disappoints me and their bottle-conditioning program cannot be matched in the state. I’m hoping to get my hands on more of their barrel-aged offerings soon. With their recent change to a brewpub licensing, it means a trip to Austin will be in the works soon.