Bend, OR — All jammed up in the head? Stuck? Stymied? Clogged? Try Barrel Aged Dark Muse Russian Imperial Stout.
In 2014, Worthy filled a dozen Wild Turkey wooden barrels with our deep, rich and silky Dark Muse Russian Imperial Stout. Over two years later, after the benevolent forces of time, bourbon, and oak had a chance to work their magic, there’s only one word to describe this dark creation: Wow.
Those dark, rich and chocolatey notes just got darker and richer. The residual bourbon delivers an oh boy neck-snapping Pow. The oak secretes a soothing warmth. And the toffee, vanilla and molasses notes combine to generate a sweet licorice sensation.
This is the stuff that illuminates the dark places. It doesn’t just open the locked doors — to channel the poet Walt Whitman — it tears the doors from their jambs.
“This is our biggest creation,” beamed Dustin Kellner, Worthy’s Brewmaster, speaking of his brewchild. “The passage of time and the lingering bourbon amped up the ABV to 11.3%, and yet the beer retains that silky smooth drinkability.”
Does it, as at least one certified Bull Goose Looney contends, help “unbottle your genius?”
“I don’t know much about that,” laughed Dustin. “Our owner’s [the BGL] always going off about Aristotle’s weird theory that creativity springs from melancholia, an ‘ill humor’ that supposedly resulted from too much ‘black bile’ –which doesn’t sound very appetizing to me, but I’m a brewer not a philsopher. I guess Aristotle thought a bunch of ‘bile’ was the bedrock of creativity. Sounds awful to me.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily compare our barrel aged Dark Muse to a pipe cleaner, if that’s where Roger’s going, but after a sip I can sort of feel the wheels inside my head move a little easier. Seems to knock off a bit of the rust.”
Naturally, this is a very small batch. We hand-dipped each 22 ounce bottle in gold wax. May not add taste, but it gives off that holiday pinache. Of the total 60 cases, Worthy is offering 30 cases to retailers in Oregon, 15 in Washington, and another 15 here at the pub.
The blend is 60-40, barrel aged to freshly brewed Dark Muse. This rare, gold, hand-dipped wax dipped lubricant sells for $16 a bottle. It’s aged, and it will continue to age well. Ideal as a holiday gift. Perfect for your beer cellar. Helpful, according to the BGL, in opening the mind’s eye.
For maximum liberation potential, we recommend letting the aged stout breathe a bit in your goblet at room temperature, which will help bring out the warm bourbon booziness. Drink up. Dream on.
Barrel Aged Dark Muse
11.3% ABV
60 IBU