Anderson Valley Brewing Company Releases Barrel Aged Series Just In Time for The Pre-Christmas Christmas Season

With grocery and department stores expected to begin playing Christmas music well before Halloween this year, the team at Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC) has been working to ensure its popular barrel-aged series is on shelves just in time.

BOONVILLE, Calif. -  Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC) has officially released its 2024 Barrel series. After up to 12 months spent in bourbon barrels, the three beers have been loaded onto trucks and are making their way across the country just in time for the Pre-Christmas Christmas season. 

“We came to realize that every year, Christmas music begins pumping out of speakers earlier than the year before. When that happens, it’s science: your taste buds are conditioned to crave the stoutest, richest, and most complex beers we make,” said Anderson Valley President and CEO Kevin McGee. “To meet that demand, we’ve had to adapt and develop new techniques to try to infuse our beers with the spirit of the holidays earlier than they’re used to. Or want to. Some of these include wearing especially ugly sweaters throughout the aging process and blasting Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” when no one else is around.

The three beers being released include: 

Huge Arker (ABV: 15.5%, IBU: 88) - Aged in bourbon barrels for a minimum of 12 months until it fully matures, this extended barrel aging technique allows AVBC to create a liquid that’s nuanced, smooth and surprisingly drinkable. Its aroma conveys a deep roasted malt backbone, with burnished oak, candi sugar, bourbon and hearth-baked bread. On the palate, the beer integrates nuanced layers of honey, molasses and rich dark chocolate, finishing with hints of coffee, vanilla and dark fruits. As delightful as it sounds (and is), Huge Arker is a bit of an outlaw and is banned in 7 states (don’t ask). 

Salted Caramel Porter (ABV: 9.5%, IBU: 16) - Slightly sweet, and brewed with select additions of crystal malts and sea salt to create flavors of peanut brittle and caramel without being cloying. The medium body and mouthfeel lay the perfect foundation to support the rich vanilla, oak, and bourbon flavors imparted by extended aging for 6 months in bourbon barrels.

Bourbon Barrel Stout (ABV: 6.9%, IBU: 14) - Aged for three months in bourbon barrels to develop a deep ebony hue and a beautiful mahogany head. The woody, vanilla-like notes imparted by the barrels mingle with aromas of freshly baked bread, toffee, and espresso to envelop the rich chocolate and roasted barley flavors with a fine bourbon character. With an exceptional balance and drinkability, this beer is the closest thing to an everyday bourbon barrel-aged stout the world has ever seen.

Each of the three Barrel Series are sold in 4-packs of 12-ounce cans and are available in package and on draft nationally through select retailers starting in October until they sell out. Drink them or cellar them, most importantly enjoy them whenever the occasion arises. 

About Anderson Valley Brewing Company 

Founded in 1987, Anderson Valley Brewing Company brews hand-crafted, authentic beers with balance, complexity, and an unwavering commitment to sustainably producing world-class beer. As the World’s First Solar Powered Brewery, AVBC leads the craft beer industry as pioneers in responsible brewing and innovators in environmental sustainability practices. Anderson Valley Brewing Company beer is available in 40 states and at its taproom in Boonville, California. Learn more at AVBC.com.   

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