As we continue to explore the range and diversity of barrel-aged stouts, we are always looking
for new tools that will allow us to create distinct beers. We’re lucky that we now have enough
variety in age amongst our barrel- stock that we can intentionally deploy time-in-barrel as
another variable in our blending and flavor development
We begin our 2022 stout series with The Trappings and The Suits of Woe, an unadjuncted blend
that brings together batches from three distinct moments in time.

One year old Bourbon- and whiskey-aged milk stout comprises the majority of this blend. This
is the same base recipe that was at the center of our Cute Metal blend, and we prize it amongst
our blending beers for its luscious mouthfeel and its expressive prune and brandy-like notes.
We found a cohort of casks that had attained a relative maturity for only being one year old, and
we hoped to amplify some of their subtler notes of char and baking spices. To do this, we
sought out additional older casks that had a balance of oxidation, intensity, and distinct wood
and malt expression. One cask of an 18-month old roast-heavy imperial stout contributed
notes of burnt toast and molasses. Then we added very small amounts of three two-year-old
beers: one aged in walnut liqueur barrels offered intense gingerbread, nut, and incense notes;
a stainless-aged smoked porter contributed fascinating caramel and peat, finally, a dash of
an older extra- strong milk stout rounded out the full blend.