Our Impression: Not too long ago we evolved away from Storyteller, our old imperial stout, in search of something fresher and more memorable.  Storyteller was always aged in bourbon barrels, and although the aging process brought a nice oaky, bourbon character to the beer, we always noticed a loss in life compared to our favorite commercial examples.  This is due to oxidation in the barrel and seasonal warm temperatures in our barrel ageing room.  We decided to brew a fresh version, with more smoked malt and more hops, and we landed on Dead of Winter. We couldn’t leave out a barrel-aged version of this beer, but we wanted a process that kept more fresh character intact. We opted to find fresher, more characterful barrels, and we reduced the ageing time to about one month, which has proved to be a sweet spot considering the seasonal temperature swings of our unregulated barrel-ageing room.  We also no longer brew the barrel version in the warm months due to the high barrel temps.  Definitely give both versions a try! This is the perfect sipping brew for a relaxing Colorado evening.  

Style: Imperial Stout, BJCP 20C

Grain- Pale Ale, Munich II, Beech Smoked, Caramunich III, CaraAmber, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Carafa I Special

Hops - Flex, Simcoe, Mosaic, Chinook, Sabro

Yeast-  German Lager Strain + Chico

Adjuncts- Roasted Barley

Water- Reverse Osmosis Base with Medium additions of CaSO4, CaCl2

Original Gravity: 21 Degrees Plato

ABV: 9%

Estimated IBU - 80 IBU

Color: 30 SRM

Aroma: A winter campfire with a warming shot of whiskey.  Oak and bourbon aromatics blend with dark chocolate, espresso, and a hint of ham. A light dry hop with Sabro gives a fresh floral bouquet.

Appearance: Pours black with a deep tan head.
Flavor:  Dead of Winter: Barrel Edition is intense and complex in flavor.  Oak, whiskey, and mild aged notes take the edge off our fresh Dead of Winter edition, making this more of a comfort beer.  Smoked malt lends a nice savory bacon-like complex.
Mouthfeel:Full-bodied and velvety, with medium carbonation.