Peaks and Pints raided Avery Brewing’s Cellar
In 1993, Adam Avery launches his Avery Brewing Company in a garage off an alley in Boulder, making him one of the pioneers of Colorado’s craft beer scene. At first, consumers were apprehensive when it came to the new tastes Avery introduced to the market place. In 1996, Avery was among the first breweries in Colorado to offer an IPA. Many of the deliveries were returned because the beer tasted too bitter. Pushing the limits in the brewhouse, they began experimenting with barrel aging in 2003 and barrel-aged fanatics throughout the nation seek the results out. Many of the big beers post ABVs of two touchdowns and a field goal. After 22 years, they moved out of “Avery Alley’” and built a world-class brewing compound in Boulder — a $30 million investment that has created numerous opportunities for the expanding business. Peaks and Pints raided Avery Brewer’s cellar and offers these barrel-aged beauties from our 850-plus beer and cider cooler.
Avery Vallum 2015
6.9% ABV
A 100-percent spontaneous fermented wild ale brewed with Cabernet Franc grape must and aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels has a musty scent followed by the supplest juicy sweetness of grape must, tart berry, toasted cherry, hints of wheat, black currant, plum, cherry and blackberry juicy dryness.
Avery Amicitia Barrel-Aged Sour 2017
8.2% ABV
Avery Amicitia Barrel-Aged Sour Ale is blended from an exclusive selection of Cabernet Sauvignon barrels provided by Larkmead and Chateau Montelena vineyards. It hits the nose with sour funk and acidity, plus fruit with some red wine, port wine, bramble berry, and light barnyard funk, followed by more acidity and sourness but not overpowering, with sweet candy malt, chocolate and hint of roast, and cocoa, plus tart grape, red wine, plum, and mixed berry.
Avery Islay 2017
10.4% ABV
Avery Barrel-Aged Series No. 44 is Islay, an imperial stout aged in Islay Scotch barrels. Smoke strikes the olfactory senses with force — strong campfire, smoldering embers, and an overall sense of cigar. Sweet ash coats the mouth immediately as the sorghum, toffee and brown sugar flavors of malt makes a sweet impact. The heavy smoke easily takes command with a roasted coffee, roasted walnut, cocoa character, and the robust brushfire scent. A long linger of smoke sticks to the tongue and doesn’t easily release.
Avery Mephistopheles 2014
14.666% ABV
The name Mephistopheles originally appeared in literature as the demon in the German Faust legend. According to the story, Faust was dissatisfied with his life and made a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Mephistopheles appears in this legend as a plain-clothed devil, mirroring the massive imperial stout. First brewed in 2005, Mephistopheles was the third installment of the Demons of Ale series. After creating The Beast Grand Cru and Samael’s Oak-Aged Ale, Adam Avery decided he wanted the third demon to be a massive stout unlike any other. One of the most distinguishing ingredients is the beer’s Westmalle Belgian yeast strain, which produces layers of esters and phenols that create much of the beer’s complex flavor. The grist bill is focused mainly on roasted and black malts making it dark and rich. There is also a small amount of Special B, a specialty malt, added for a touch of raisin-like sweetness. The result is a massive and complex stout with notes of vine-ripened grapes, anise, bitter chocolate, and an espresso-like finish.
Avery Double Barrel Maple Stout 2019
15.3% ABV
Avery brewed an imperial stout, aged it in bourbon barrels, then aged it in maple syrup barrels and dosed with coffee, cinnamon, and extra maple syrup for a shimmering black body with a darker beige head. Double Barrel Maple Stout hits the nose with strong maple and wood with supporting earth, bourbon, coffee, and fudge. The flavor continues this theme — maple, bourbon and wood leading with fudge and coffee jumping up more but has a sharp infusion near the finish of cinnamon.
Avery Flavus Cattus 2017
15.6% ABV
Avery Barrel-Aged Series No. 48 is Flavus Cattus, a tequila barrel-aged blonde ale brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops, saccharomyces yeast, Brettanomyces Drie yeast, Lactobacillus and Pedicoccus, and then aged in Suerte Tequila barrels for a smooth, very yeasty, and biscuity Belgian-influenced blonde.
Avery The Beast Grand Cru 2014
16.1% ABV
“The Beast is a seducer — accommodating, complicated, powerful, dark and created to last the ages,” states Avery’s The Beast Grand Cru 2014 hype. “Beyond this, it’s futile to attempt to describe Him. He will unveil Himself differently to each of His followers. The mark is in His constitution.” The Belgian dark strong ale hits the nose with honey, nutmeg, mandarin orange, and pineapple with flavors akin to a beautiful Caribbean rum. — dates, plums, raisins, and molasses are dominant in a rich vinous texture.
Avery Uncle Jacobs Imperial Stout 2012
16.9% ABV
Jacob Spears, Avery’s sixth great grand uncle, is credited as the first distiller to label his whiskey “Bourbon.” He built his distillery in Bourbon County Kentucky in 1790 — 203 years before Avery began brewing. While obviously a bit too late to produce Uncle Jacob’s wash, they have instead created something far more complex. In his honor, they present Uncle Jacobs Imperial Stout, a robust, silky smooth, full-bodied, and altogether extremely American rendition of an imperial stout aged for six months in the finest bourbon barrels.
Avery Old Grumbler 2019
17.2% ABV
The newest addition to Avery’s Barrel-Aged Series, Old Grumbler is a blend of imperial ales aged between 12- and 24-months in rum barrels. The nose is toasted malt, caramel, toffee, oak, and mild rum spice. It has a similar flavor — rich and layered with moderate sweetness and lingering complexities.
Avery Tweak 2018
17.5% ABV
One of the most beloved creations from Avery’s barrel program, Tweak is made with espresso beans soaked in a bourbon barrel-aged stout with tons of bourbon on the nose, followed by bitter roastiness, bourbon, hop spice, burnt coconut, charred oak, and coffee. The aftertaste is the same with a mix of sweet bourbon and vanilla.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
