En Blanc (Barley Wine) – Steel & Oak Brewing

By Mike @mikescraftbeer

From New Westminster's Steel & Oak Brewing comes their "En Rouge (Barley Wine)" a Barley Wine aged in Chardonnay Barrels. The beer pours a deep brown colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of coconut, chardonnay, roasted malts, dark fruits and oak. The flavour is of chardonnay, coconut, dark fruits, roasted malts, molasses, oak and alcohol. The alcohol content comes in at 10% with an IBU of 15. While I liked this beer I wish that the Chardonnay was in the background not the main flavour.

Commercial Description: En Blanc and En Rouge are the same 10% abv barley wine fermented with wine yeast, and aged for a year in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels respectively. En Blanc is described as having notes of "vanilla, coconut, apricot, peach, molasses and fruitcake with a touch of citrus," while En Rouge offers "black currant, dark cherry, leather, tobacco, plum and dates."