Beer of the Week: Watts Brewing’s Gin-barrel Imperial Kolsch
Published 1:30 am Friday, September 1, 2017
Gin-barrel Imperial Kolsch
Watts Brewing, Bothell
Style: German-style Barleywine
Stats: 8.7 percent ABV, 50 IBU
Available: On tap at the brewery’s anniversary party at The Hop and Hound on Sept. 2.
My thoughts: From Watts Brewing’s small system comes this huge beer.
The beer is a scaled-up version of The Leafcutter, Watts Brewing’s kolsch, amplifying the malt character to the point of no return. While brewing the beer on his one-barrel system, head brewer Evan Watts pitched so much floor-malted Bohemian pilsner malt that it was spilling over the top of the mash tun.
Coming in at nearly 9 percent ABV, which is comically big for the usually lighter kolsch style, Watts joked that the beer is a German-style barleywine. Not only did he double the malt, but he also doubled the amount of Simcoe hops in the boil, giving the beer a pine and citrus character that will please the most ardent hop fans.
Watts said he got the idea for the beer after hearing about local distilleries using oak barrels to age gin. He thought about the kind of beer that would rest well in gin barrels and decided that an aggressive version of The Leafcutter, with its earthy and piney qualities, would pair well with the juniper and white wine flavors of the gin barrels.
Watts said the wood from the barrel gives the beer notes of caramel, vanilla and maple, while the gin’s juniper and herbal notes are intertwined. It’s complex while still refreshing. In other words, a dichotomy. Kind of like a German-style barleywine.
This beer, which is the second release in the brewery’s Solitary Series, or one-off releases, along with Apian IV, a version of its IPA brewed with Ekuanot and Waimea hops, will be on tap at The Hop and Hound in Bothell this weekend for the brewery’s anniversary party. The celebration begins at 3 p.m.
From the brewery: For our second release in the Solitary Series, we take inspiration from some of the finest beers in the world: English barleywine, cheap malt liquor, and our own kolsch-style beer, The Leafcutter. We strove to combine the best facets of each of the three — big malt character, more alcohol than you really need, and a beer that actually tastes good, respectively — into a golden expression of pure joy.
More new releases
Mark It 0, Whitewall Brewing: Brewed with mangoes courtesy of Elemental Cider, this IPA is brewed with Columbus, Chinook, Hercules and Azacca hops, and has notes of pine and fruit. Elemental is also releasing a mango-infused cider. Both available on tap at the brewery.
Hazy Double IPA/Cold Brew Coffee Pale Ale, Lost Canoe Brewing: Hazy: A big double IPA that clocks in at 90 IBU and nearly 9 percent ABV. Cold brew: Pale ale featuring coffee from Snohomish’s Vista Clara Coffee. Available on tap at the brewery.
Roggenbier, Double Bluff Brewing: Made with 55 percent rye, this smooth, crisp and clean dunkel rye beer has hints of caramel, dark fruits and spice. Available on tap at the brewery.
Dock Jumper Session IPA, Sound to Summit Brewing: Brewed with a lager yeast, this session IPA is easy to drink, with crisp caramel and citrus notes. Available on tap at the brewery.
Big Beaver, Foggy Noggin Brewing: A bigger, hoppier version of its Big O’Beaver, this imperial English bitter is brewed with Maris Otter, Crystal and Biscuit malts, with English-grown Fuggles and Goldings hops. Available on tap at the brewery.
Table Saison with Plums/Nitro English Mild/Huckleberry Blonde Ale, Scrappy Punk Brewing: Saison: A low-alcohol saison brewed with freshly juiced plums, Norwegian saison yeast and brettanomyces. Mild: Smooth and easy drinking dark beer that’s just over 3 percent ABV. Huckleberry: Classic American blonde ale brewed with freshly picked huckleberries. Available on tap at the brewery.
