Boilermaker taste-off: The best of the barrel-aged

Luke McCarthy -
Boilermaker ReviewWhisky Reviews
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On tasting: Loch Single Malt 10th Release and Loch Cask Aged Oatmeal Stout, The Gospel Straight Rye #35 and Stomping Ground Into the Wood Rye Whiskey Barrel-aged, Lark The Wolf Release 2020 and Wolf of the Willows JSP III, and Limeburners and Pirate Life Whisky Barrel-Aged Stout

This is the second boilermaker review the Oz Whisky Review team have undertaken. Yes, it’s a tough job (particularly in a Zoom meeting!), but clearly someone needs to tackle it.

The selection below follows our recent examination of the new barrel-age in Australia, where casks are being traded to create intriguing barrel-aged beers and beer-finished whiskies. And while reviewing big, boozy pairings like this might seem a bit crazy, we promise there’s method to the madness.

Brewers and distillers are now designing these collaborations to be consumed together, so we think it makes perfect sense to put them through their paces as requested.

Basically, it’s just great fun. But tastings like this also show how profoundly Australian craft beer has influenced Australian whisky making over the last two decades.

On the art of the boilermaker, look, you can definitely overthink it (we specialise in that). But we know punters are interested in what works and what doesn’t, particularly if pairings like this are being sold together. So to that end, we’ve listed our favourites from this particular round-up.

And a big thanks to Whisky & Alement’s Lachlan Watt for joining the tasting panel here so we could keep things civilised.

Verdict:

Favourite whisky: The Gospel Straight Rye Single Cask #35

Favourite beer: Wolf of the Willows JSP III

Favourite pairing: The Lark Wolf Release and Wolf of the Willows JSP

  • Loch Single Malt Whisky 10th Release Bourbon cask matured / Loch Cask Aged Oatmeal Stout
    The Stats
    • ABV: Whisky: 49% / Beer: 9%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt and barrel-aged oatmeal stout
    • Production Story: Whisky: Distilled from a base of Loch's Best Bitter malt profile and matured in ex-Bourbon casks. Beer: Brewed at Loch using specialty malts and a healthy dose of oats and then finished in Loch single malt whisky casks for two to three months.
    • Location: Loch, VIC
    Nose
    Starting with the single malt, a bit herbal and youthful upfront - linseed and green malt. But it opens up, and the malt profile comes through with caramel, mint chocolate and a lovely floral note. On the beer, dark chocolate, hints of oak and vanilla from the cask, and the oats are already calling to us.
    Palate
    Again, some youth on the whisky, but it has a malty sweetness as it progresses, and when you taste it with the beer 'yum' - further enhances the best bitter profile. Definitely pick up some whisky in the beer, but this traditional stout is rich and creamy: mocha, blueberries and 'love the oats in this'.
    Finish
    'They're growing on me.'
    Comments
    We could've tried Loch's Best Bitter ale next to this single malt (both are made from the same wash), but we wanted to see how the whisky would match up next to Loch's full-bodied stout, particularly given the extra cask treatment. We weren't disappointed. Great marriage of flavours, and we even found similar characters between the beer and whisky, which led us to think that maybe they're distinct brewery/distillery notes? Freaking cool when you think about that.
  • The Gospel Straight Rye Single Cask / Stomping Ground Into the Wood Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
    The Stats
    • ABV: Whisky: 48% / Beer 10.5%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Rye whisky and barrel-aged imperial stout
    • Production Story: Whisky: Made from a mash of 100% rye, distilled at The Gospel distillery and matured in a new American oak cask. Beer: Brewed at Stomping Ground Brewery and aged in ex-Gospel rye whiskey casks.
    • Location: Melbourne, VIC
    Nose
    Straight to the whisky, and everything you've heard is true - 'This cask is so damn good.' Marmalade, fresh cut grass, grapefruit juice. But the nose on the beer was... different - 'sort of an open ferment character'. Earthy and dry, with instant roasted coffee.
    Palate
    Again, the whisky's just banging, 'fruity, spicy and luscious'. But we're really not into the beer. An odd bitterness to it, seems to lack the malt and sweetness to carry the ABV, which really sticks out, and there's no discernible influence from The Gospel casks. The whisky helps to bring out some of the malt and sweetness in the Stomping Ground, but even that stellar single cask rye is struggling to rescue it.
    Finish
    Stick to the whisky.
    Comments
    As far as the pairing goes, the rye helped to highlight some of the better points in the beer, which was great, because there weren't many. Maybe 12 months in the cellar will help this latest Into the Wood, but otherwise, find yourself a bottle of #35.
  • Lark The Wolf Release 2020 / Wolf of the Willows 2020 Lark Barrel Aged Imperial JSP III
    The Stats
    • ABV: Whisky: 49% / Beer: 12.8%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt and barrel-aged imperial smoked porter
    • Production Story: Whisky: Distilled at Nant Distillery and finished in ex-Wolf of the Willows smoked porter casks. Beer: Brewed at Wolf of the Willows, with peat smoked malt in the mash, and aged in 100 litre Lark (Nant?) barrels for an average of 9 months.
    • Location: Bothwell, TAS / Melbourne, VIC
    Nose
    On the Lark/Nant whisky, hard candy, plum jam and a 'fun salted caramel, almost creme brulee character'. Burnt figs, dark chocolate and oat biscuits on the beer.
    Palate
    'Goddamn, this beer is excellent!' Plenty of texture and sweetness to carry the ABV ('can't taste the 12.8% at all!'), and it develops this 'peanut, soy sauce, dense umami' character. The whisky brings on a refreshing sweetness to the whole, with lifted fruits, caramel and white flowers. ‘The interplay between the two is $#%* brilliant.’
    Finish
    'Loving the Lark, I mean the Nant. Wait... ?' 'This beer is amazing. Mothers milk.'
    Comments
    Hard to fault this pairing, seriously impressive. Despite all the controversy surrounding the Lark/Nant Wolf Release, these both drink brilliantly. Serious thought has gone into this match, and it makes for a delicious experience. Hats off to the brewers and blenders involved.
  • Limeburners Single Malt Whisky / Pirate Life Limeburners Whisky Barrel Aged Stout 2020 Release
    The Stats
    • ABV: Whisky: Various / Beer: 12%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt and barrel-aged stout
    • Production Story: Whisky: We went with Limeburners Port Cask 61% ABV, and the recently released Limeburners Darkest Winter here, for something unpeated and peated. Beer: Brewed at Pirate Life Brewing in Port Adelaide and aged in casks that previously held Limeburners unpeated and peated whiskies.
    • Location: Albany, WA / Adelaide, SA
    Nose
    Firstly to the beer, and 'it's boozy!' was the general impression, then cereal, roasted malt and dark berries. The cask strength port was a 'bit hot and youthful', with candy hearts, sea salt and ripe fruit. The Darkest Winter was more up our alley: 'Peated Australian whisky in Bourbon casks is just brilliant.' Ash, tar and a little flinty.
    Palate
    Initially, the Limeburners unveil a honeycomb note in the Pirate Life - 'reminds me of the Limeburners Karri honey liqueur'. But 'boozy' is the common theme on the beer - 'probably needs a year in the cellar'. We tried both whiskies alongside the stout, and found the Darkest Winter, predicatably, was the better match, bringing out marmite, mushrooms and dark chocolate in the stout.
    Finish
    'Both improve with time in glass.'
    Comments
    It's a good thing the Pirate Life comes in a two pack, because we felt the beer wasn't quite together yet, struggling to integrate all that booze. The Limeburners malts brought out some tasty notes in the beer, but the panel wasn't overly impressed with the two whiskies we tried, and found the beer really dominated them.
How We Score
Luke McCarthy
Luke McCarthy is the editor and publisher of Oz Whisky Review. An independent writer, author and drinks columnist, Luke's written about whisky and spirits for numerous Australian and international publications and is a judge at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. His book, The Australian Spirits Guide, the first to tackle the history and resurgence of the Australian spirits industry, was published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books.