I love beer and cider. After now having visited over 390 different breweries and cideries, it’s fair to say I have sampled a lot (follow me on Untappd). From post-race pints and run club meeting locations, to beer miles and relays, running and the kegged nectar seem to go hand-in-hand in Oregon. Our Kegs and Legs feature is where beer drinking runners like me can go to find some new favorite beverages.
Check out previous posts here!
I feel like I’ve been reviewing lighter beers and IPA’s as of late. This makes sense, as warmer temperatures generally have me opting for more “refreshing” flavors. However, it’s always nice to keep the palate diversified, so this week’s beer of the week is the Barrel Aged Oort Imperial Stout from Ecliptic Brewing!
This beer was first released via bottle back in 2015 and it’s a pretty special concoction. This reserve series stout is now in its third run and is made by resting in bourbon barrels for about fifteen months. It won gold at the US Open Beer Championships in 2017 and packs a heavy punch, clocking in at over 12%.
Here’s a little background on the beer’s name (obviously space themed) and tasting notes:
Oort Imperial Stout is named after the mysterious region of our solar system that breeds comets. Massive amounts of roasted barley and Chocolate malts were combined with three types of Caramel malts for a rich, full mouthfeel. Chinook, Cascade, and Sterling hops lend a balanced bitterness and subtle hop flavor to this brew that’s as black as the vacuum of space.
Coming out of the bottle, it smells quite nice – chocolately on the nose – and pours a deep black color. In addition to the chocolate, I also got some vanilla notes in there that really made it sweeter than I anticipated. It’s definitely “boozy” (thanks to the bourbon barrels), so if that is your jam I don’t think this will disappoint. For those who haven’t fully developed their dark beer palate, it may take a few tries before being comfortable with something this powerful.
Beer:
- Barrel Aged Oort Imperial Stout
- ABV: 12.1
- IBU: 77
Brewery: Ecliptic Brewing (Facebook)
- 825 N Cook St Portland, OR 97227
- M-Thurs / 11AM – 10PM
- Fri & Sat / 11AM – 11PM
- Sun /11AM – 10PM
- HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY MONDAY / TUES – FRI 3PM – 6PM
