Philly BeerAholic review for Bourbon, Brews, and Bryson Festival

A review from a great blog!

Bourbon, Brews and Bryson Festival

Recently, thanks to the Pour Curator, I attended the Bourbon, Brews and Bryson festival at the Fegley’s Allentown Brew Works. The Festival featured Bourbon tasting, seminars with well known Beer and Spirits Author and Blogger, Mr Lew Bryson, as well as Barrel Aged Brews and food.
The festival was held on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Brew Works with the 3rd floor being entirely devoted to the Bourbon tasting, and the Seminars with Mr. Bryson. Some of the Bourbons available were Buffalo Trace, The Eagle Rare Single Barrel, Blanton’s Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve and Gentlemen Jack, Makers 46, Knob Creek 9 year old, and a few choices each from 4 Roses and Wild Turkey (I’m sure there were a few other Bourbons I’m neglecting, so I apologize for that, this is all my notes reflected). Also available on the 3rd floor was dessert, which was Bourbon Pecan Foster over vanilla ice cream.

The 2nd floor was reserved for Barrel Aged Beer, and food. The food was all excellent, with Ham in honey barbecue sauce, a fantastically delicious beef brisket, fried okra and a few more choices.

While there were not as many choices of beer as I would have liked, sometimes you have to go with quality over quantity. The first beer I tried, was Yards Barrel Aged Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale, which from the aging, had a really smooth taste, with strong hints of vanilla from the barrel.

Next I tried Stoudt’s Scarlet Lady Ale, Bourbon Barrel aged and served in a cask. Normally you can single out the hop and malt tastes on this English style ale, but with the aging process this beer became more well rounded and mellow, picking up very subtle hints of vanilla from the barrel. I really enjoyed this beer, and at the end of the festival convinced the guys from Stoudt’s to fill my growler with it!

Weyerbacher brought their Insanity. If your not familiar with Insanity, it is their Blithering Idiot Barleywine coming in at 11.1% abv, which they then age in oak bourbon casks. The aging process of this beer really changes the complexity. What you get is a well balanced 11% abv beer, with hints of Bourbon, vanilla and raisin.
The host of the event, the Brew Works had Beau’s Perfect Porter, and Black Dog Stout, which were both Barrel aged versions of Brew Works flagship beers. The aging mellowed both beers and added hints of vanilla and bourbon to what are both already tasty beers.

The big winner of the night for me was the 3rd offering from the Brew Master Beau Baden of the Brew Works. It was an Apple Lambic poured from a keg. I don’t know if it was just the change of pace from all the bourbon aging or if this beer was just that good, but everyone I spoke agreed that it was fantastic! It’s distinct tartness, and refreshing apple flavor had me coming back for more all evening. It was a little sour, a little bitter, a little sweet, and a whole lot of goodness. I honestly couldn’t get enough of this beer, and I hope it shows up on the menu as a special release at the Brew Works!

I must admit, was not going to attend this festival because I usually do not drink bourbon, and didn’t expect the small selection of beer and food would justify the cost of admission. But the beers were all excellent, the food was great. And I also got to learn about bourbons and try them in small quantity–and chat with Lew Bryson. The Brew Works did a really nice job with this event, and I am glad I got to attend. Prost!

by Jim Shanholtzer