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’s cellar again for our five-beer flight today, which we are calling Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Avery Barrel Aged.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Avery Barrel Aged
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 Thirty
15% ABV
Avery’s 30th anniversary beer was a strong ale aged in Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey barrels with a hearty dosing of hops for a boozy hoppy strong ale with whiskey notes.
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 Scotchkin 2017
15.4% ABV
An incredible robust, sweet, spiced pumpkin ale aged in Scotch barrels for huge peat smoke flavor and tons of booze with pumpkin notes.
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
