8th Edition of Award-Winning Barrel Aged Series…
We recently announced details of the 8th edition of our award-winning Barrel Aged Series: Leann Folláin. The stout has been aged in first fill American bourbon oak barrels supplied by The Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey Distillery, based in the heart of Dublin 8.
Our founder and CEO Seamus O’Hara, commented;
“Our Barrel Aged Series has won a lot of awards over the years and developed a bit of a cult following. The only downside is that it has created very high expectations! Some people might think it risky to mess around with Leann Folláin which is such a good beer in its own right but my philosophy is that while you can never be 100% certain what the barrel ageing process will do to a beer, if you put a great beer into the barrel it increases your chances of an exceptional beer coming out of the barrel! This year we’re very grateful to The Dublin Liberties Distillery for giving us the opportunity to use first fill American bourbon barrels. It’s our first time using this type of barrel and I’m really excited about the result and can’t wait to hear feedback from fans of our Barrel Aged Leann Folláin.”
The barrels:
First fill American bourbon oak barrels supplied by The Dublin Liberties Distillery.
The Brewing Process:
The rich, full-bodied Leann Folláin stout is aged in American bourbon oak barrels for three months where it picks up all the intricate flavours of the bourbon and subtle characteristics from the carefully selected oak cask. After ageing, the beer is then bottle conditioned to give a gentle carbonation, bringing out the best of both the stout and the bourbon.
The Look:
Opaque black with a medium carbonated head.
The Aroma:
Light bourbon notes complement the rich luxurious stout aroma.
The Flavour:
This is a very smooth beer due to the wood ageing, which also adds some vanilla, dark fruits, and oak.
A healthy measure of sweetness is balanced by the bittering hops, while the bourbon flavour lingers throughout providing a gentle warmth. This is a beer to open quickly, but enjoy slowly…
The Food Pairing:
This is an excellent desert beer, so definitely one for rich, and dark chocolate lovers!
It is a beer that takes time to mature, and to that end, it pairs well with slow cooked rich meats and stews, and some game, try it with a Mexican Mole, or slow cooked venison served with a chocolate based sauce. It works particularly well with traditional Irish stew, or beef wellington, or serve it as an alternative twist to complement a cheese board, it goes great with blue creamy cheeses, Cashel blue, in particular.
The eight edition of O’Hara’s Barrel Aged Series: Leann Folláin is available in select independent off-licences and retailers in a 75cl cork and cage bottle.
Style: Barrel Aged Extra Irish Stout
ABV: 8.1%
IBUs: 40
Plato: 20°
Best served: 8-10°
Fermentation: Top Fermentation, Oak Bourbon Barrel Aged
Availability: 75cl cork & cage bottle, occasional cask
O’Hara’s Brewery/Carlow Brewing Company is an independent Irish family owned brewery located in the heart of Ireland's historical malt-growing “Barrow Valley” region.