Conroe, TX
Barrel Aged Stout
ABV: 11%
IBUs: ?
Packaging: Draft, 4 pack 16-ounce cans, delivered by Hop Drop
What on earth could be more luxurious than a gold brick?
Multiple gold bricks.
Lucky for us B52 Gold Bricks were sold in 4 packs so we can share the wealth.
B52 Gold Bricks barrel aged project is an exploration into their clean Barrel Aged Program. Gold Bricks will be a series of different based beers aged in a multitude of spirit barrels for an extended period of time.
These beers are not rushed, so they’re allowed to fully develop and blossom according to head brewer Justin Slanina’s creative vision. Aged for nearly two whole years in a controlled environment, handled by professionals, these beers have the opportunity to mature into barrel aged goodness.
When discussing the labels, Justin said he wanted to create a feeling of luxury – “like holding a gold brick in your hand,” and the rest is history, folks!
B52’s Marin Slanina shared with us, “The offerings will rotate between cans and varying sizes of bottles depending on types of adjuncts, time in barrel, and specific blend.”
Long story short, these beers are a long story short. You don’t need to age them because they’ve already been aged for you. I, for one, am still not 100% sold on aging beers in my closet or my “cellar” because no matter how perfectly I control the climate, I’m only guaranteed one thing: that the beer will change.
It may change for the better.
It may change for the worse.
Either way, I’m stuck with the beer. While I hold on to a few beers just for the sake of experimentation, I drink 99% of my beer fresh because I know for certain it’s good at that time.
Lucky for me, B52 takes the pressure off of all of us because if it’s boo boo, they’re dumping it. Back to luxury and opulence, this B52 Gold Bricks is definitely worthy of drinking fresh.
This is easily one of the most luxurious looking labels from B52. The black background and gold foil artwork whisper fancy, while the illustration of a stack of glowing gold bricks utters sumptuous simplicity.
This may come as a surprise, but this 11% ABV barrel aged stout pours a thick, viscous, black color that makes used motor oil look timid. The rocky, milk-chocolate colored head beckons to be sipped slowly, and I can’t help but wish it was 30 degrees outside again.
*Gets up from computer. Cuts AC down to full Antartica*
Much better.
B52 Gold Bricks 1 is a palatial blend of rum barrels & maple syrup Bourbon barrels that held Breakfast Stout for 22 months. The beer was then packaged in 16oz cans after being conditioned on hazelnuts, cacao, chocolate sandwich cookies & Vanilla. What’s left is a boozy, dessert beer that whispers deluxe and clocks in at 11%ABV.
When I cracked open the can, the first thing I smelled was straight bourbon. To be honest, I’m a beer guy. I don’t care for liquor in my beer, and for that reason, I approach barrel aged beers with reluctance. If I wanted to drink whiskey, I’d drink whiskey – simple as that. Upon further inspection, I got a whiff of oaky chocolate and vanilla, but the aroma was unusually misleading.
While B52 Gold Bricks 1 led me to believe I was in for a super-hot, liquor-laden beer, my first sip was an eye-opener. Initially, a rush of coffee and milk-chocolate oozed over my palate. The initial rush of intensity was met with a smooth finish of airy oak. Mellow notes of vanilla, bakers chocolate, and hazlenuts combined for a subtle nutella aroma that stuck to my tongue. The finish was accompanied by a toasty bitterness and a semi-sweet maple undertone. What. A. Beer.
Their base Breakfast Stout’s toasty, coffee, chocolate flavors combined with the bourbon and rum for a one way flight to flavor town, and all the sweet stuff was flying first class – hazelnuts, cacao, chocolate sandwich cookies, and vanilla all combined on that finish for one of the most decadent beers I’ve had in 2019.
As far as I know this one’s only available onsite at B52 unless you hit up the homies at Hop Drop for delivery. Use code “BEERCHRONICLE” for 10% off your beer delivery, and get some B52 liquid luxury delivered before you’re flooded in this weekend.
My Overall Rating
4.3
B52 Gold Bricks 1 - Barrel Aged Project
In addition to my original barrel-driven reluctance, I’m not big on sweet breakfast stuff. Keep the donuts, waffles, and pancakes, and give me a kolache or some chorizo con papas.
I expected a ton of maple syrup and a ton of whiskey, so genuinely I expected to hate this beer. You’ve read it before if you’ve been around for a while: the only thing I love more than being right is being wrong and learning from it, and wow, B52 Gold Bricks 1 sure taught me a thing or two.
These guys wove together a symphony of complex flavors in a way that’s sweet but not too sweet, rich but not too rich, and just luxurious enough to make me bust out my best white undershirt. We love you too, B52.
Let us know what you thought in the comments below or by clicking the stars. Cheers!
Sending
User Review
5
(1 vote)
Other Posts You Might Like
Project Halo Snake Eyez Triple IPA Overall, I really digged Snake Eyez Triple IPA. The big ABV is something I wouldn’t usually reach for, but I…
Anthony's a Houston native, a Creative Strategist at https://ledgeloungers.com/, an adjunct instructor of Visual Communication at Lone Star College, and a UH Coog that loves good beer almost as much as he does his city. Anthony lives to help others and that's found a home helping some of the coolest breweries on earth with creative and marketing projects that can be seen on our Portfolio page. Fueled by hoppy lagers, sessionable IPAs, and gangster rap, he's ticked his way through H-Town, rocking the most unusual Nikes he can find. When he's not writing for us, he's with his family or very patiently rooting for the Rockets.
No Comments