The Bruery makes some pretty good stuff, and White Oak is certainly no exception. If you like Allagash Curieux, you’ll likely enjoy this. White Oak is a wheat wine, aged in bourbon barrels. It’s no secret that I love bourbon. If beer didn’t exist, I would have a bourbon site.
I first tried the White Oak on tap the Bruery when I interviewed them a few months back. I’m happy to say that I picked up some bottles when I bought Black Tuesday last fall. Anyway, I’m also happy to say that I have a wife who loves to sip with me, so I didn’t drink the whole 11.5%ABV 750 ml beer on my own. On to the beer.
The Pour: This is a hazy blonde beer with some nice orange tones. There was a very active body with a stable, tall, and fluffy white head. It looked so lovely in my Bruery glass that I just wanted to look at it all night.
The Nose: The head had a soapy yeast aroma, which despite how it sounds, is not bad. Bourbon oak, vanilla, alcohol and caramel were major features. The spiciness of the oak combined with the same feature in the wheat for a wonderful aroma. A touch of sweetness was present on the nose as well. In addition to these qualities, there was a touch of sourness from the oak, which was almost vinegar in tone. Strange as it sounds, it faintly smelled like a dill pickle (there was a touch of a dill quality). What I’m describing may sound sick, or at very least odd, but it’s very nice.
The Taste: The immediacy and depth of the alcohol heat in this beer gave it the impression of being thinned down. The bourbon is fairly big in this beer but is saved by the ample carbonation, which fills the body out. The oak and wheat spice were also immediately evident in White Oak. The lacing on the glass was also very nice. The toasted oak tones were perhaps half bourbon and half chardonnay…lovely. The finish was bone dry and had a crackery wheat quality.
Overall, I personally think that White Oak could have benefited from a bit more residual sweetness, which would have also thickened the beer a bit. It’s still a very good beer, and I would gladly drink it multiple more times. Like many beers, I found it to be a little better on tap. Still, buy it if you can.
Mike’s Rating:
Overall Satisfaction: 
Among other Bourbon Aged Ales: 
Do you think the White Oak will age well? The bottle of Mischief I had was so good that I’m tempted to crack my bottle of White Oak open.
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I think it will age well for a few years. 11.5% is nothing to scoff at, so it will hold up well. I think the MIschief would age more interestingly…I’d hold out.
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Aging my only bottle now. But I always get curious when I see it and I want to open it. Must hold back! There are other beers to drink =)
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It can be hard to wait sometimes. Hold off.
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i’ve seen it around here, but haven’t tasted it. I need to pick some up. However, the Rugbrod from The Bruery is delicious.
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I think maybe you’ve seen Orchard White and not this beer. I think it’s brewery only but I could be wrong. Rugbrod is better than the Orchard Black, which is the beer it’s replacing.
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