Actively carbonated bright red-chestnut ale under a tan foam and rim, this beer is sort of like a BBQ raisin. It matches big oak with a big ale and the result is impressive. The brewery tells us it's their Blithering Idiot Barleywine incarcerated in oak bourbon casks for a time.

Rich as oloroso sherry, the hops ading to the mimicking heat. But more complex with top fusial notes through baked dry fruit like date square edgings down to the smoke of toasted bourbon barrels. Tastes include vanilla, choclate, blackened BBQ pork crustettes, cherry, cola, wild honey, baseball glove, tobacco and...well, you get the idea. Fabulous. And all rich and rounded from the wood. Amazing. Immersive. A candidate for the beer of my year. 11.1%. Somehow 1% of BAers have an issue.