Edmonds brewer’s latest pays tribute to veterans’ Valor

Published 8:30 am Friday, November 11, 2016

Valor, American Brewing, Edmonds

Style: Bourbon barrel-aged Oatmeal Stout

Stats: 7.4 percent ABV, 50 IBU

Available: In 22-ounce bottles and on tap at the brewery.

My thoughts: After releasing Honor, a wine barrel-aged saison, last Memorial Day, American head brewer Adam Frantz is back with his second offering in the series: Valor.

Frantz sees Honor and Valor as twice yearly offerings that pay tribute to our veterans. A portion of the sales of both beers go to Fisher House Foundation, a non-profit that provides free housing to military families who are using military medical facilities.

As for the beer, Frantz aged the brewery’s oatmeal stout in four barrels of first-use Woodinville Whiskey barrels. Frantz said the barrels were so fresh when he received them that they could pour out some of the remaining whiskey.

After eight months the barrels were emptied into a kettle with a portion of the base stout added. Frantz said that mixing the base stout takes a little bit of the alcohol bite away and balances the flavors.

I can see what he means. Valor is very smooth and doesn’t have the big whiskey flavor most bourbon barrel aged beers have. The oatmeal stout gives it a roasty quality that is still evident, especially in the nose.

American Brewing will release Valor, a bourbon barrel-aged oatmeal stout, with an official release party on Veteran’s Day from 5 to 8 p.m. at the brewery. The beer, which was aged eight months in Woodinville Whiskey barrels, will be available in bottles and on tap. There will be a food truck. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the beer, a companion to Honor, which was released on Memorial Day, will be donated to Fisher House in Seattle. Fisher House provides free room and board to veterans and their families seeking treatment at the VA of Puget Sound.

From the brewery: “Valor is our Caboose Oatmeal Stout that rested eight months in bourbon barrels. It’s a companion beer to Honor and some of the proceeds will go to help Seattle’s Fisher House.”

More new releases:

Blackberry Cream Ale, Foggy Noggin Brewing: A variation on FN’s Cream Ale adds fresh blackberries into the secondary fermentation. A big blackberry aroma and upfront flavor.

— Aaron Swaney, Special to The Herald