You can’t blame Paul and Natasha Holgate for wanting to spend a bit of time reflecting in 2019. When they launched their brewery at the back of their house 20 years ago, the craft beer industry barely existed. Today, there are breweries springing up in all parts of the country at a phenomenal rate and they’ve grown considerably too; head to Woodend now and you'll find them brewing on a 50 hectolitre German brewery as their visitor centre takes shape.
As part of their reflecting, they're revisiting old favourites from the past two decades and ratcheting them right up. Following the first Double Decade release, the Double ESB, the brewers have released the Barrel-Aged Double Stout, designed to help you stay warm this winter. Aged in ex-red wine barrels, there are some woody, tobacco-like flavours within the beer, while the 8 percent ABV provides plenty of boozy warmth. As the beer itself warms in cahoots with your cockles, those characters are joined by cherry, dried fruit, liquorice and dark chocolate.
Will Ziebell
Published July 3, 2019 2019-07-03 00:00:00
