Thunder in a Barrel

The aging of beer in wine barrels is a rather popular trend in the beer industry these days. I recently wrote about Victory Brewing Company's White Monkey, which is their Golden Monkey Belgian-style tripel aged in Chardonnay barrels. In this post, I will be comparing Victory's Baltic Thunder (Baltic Porter) with Red Thunder (Baltic Porter aged in red wine barrels). Also, check out Victory Brewing's page on Beer Portfolio.

Victory Brewing Company Baltic Thunder

Victory Brewing Company Red Thunder

Baltic Thunder / 8.5 % ABV / Beer Portfolio

Appearance: Pours black, with some red around the edges when held up to the light. Displays a one finger width light tan head with no lacing present.

Aroma: Smells deeply of dark fruits. Reminds me a lot of plums, which I like to smell, but surprisingly don't like to eat!

Flavor: Chocolate, roasted malts, only a light bitterness. A touch of alcohol lingers in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A little heavier than a medium body, lightly carbonated, very smooth.

Overall: Absolutely delicious. One of my favorite porters.

Victory Brewing Company Baltic Thunder

Red Thunder / 8.5% ABV / Beer Portfolio

Appearance: Deep brown, not quite black, lots of red comes through when held up to the light, two finger off white head, lacing sticks around at the beginning, but fades as the beer sits.

Aroma: Acidic red wine, oak.

Flavor: Chocolate up front, quickly followed by red wine and oak.

Mouthfeel: Quite smooth up front, followed by a slightly bitter, wine-like astringency. Carbonation is present, but it doesn't get in the way.

Overall: Very good. It was an enjoyable variation on the Baltic Thunder. Not something I would want to drink all the time, but I'm glad Victory tried this out! I would love to see more experimentation from them!

Victory Brewing Company Red Thunder

What do you think of Baltic Thunder, Red Thunder or just wine-barrel aged beers in general? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you!

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