Home Beer Review Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout by Kumazawa Shuzo

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout by Kumazawa Shuzo

by Rob
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Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout is a 10.5% Belgian stout from Kumazawa Shuzo, based in Kanagawa, Japan. What Kumazawa Shuzo have done is taken their regular Belgian Stout and it has been aged in Ichiro’s Malt bourbon casks – something that happens with all of the beers in the Tengu series. As such, it’s sold in limited amounts though it can be found on tap at their annual Oktoberfest – well worth a trip down. At the time of writing, it’s unknown when Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout will appear again though we’ve been told it will do.

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout

Rich, decadent – Christmas beer in a bottle.

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout Aroma and Taste

I didn’t mean to open Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout – I was sitting at home, watching the world go by and fancied a stout. Something was calling me – perhaps keeping it under the house for yonks meant it was desperate to get out. Eventually it did and I’ll tell you, I’m happy I did get it out of the cellar.

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout poured out a thick black syrup-like gloop, and produced a massive amount of frothy, tan-like head, that faded slowly to a head of a few millimetres that clung to the glass. It had a rich creamy aroma with strong hints of bourbon from the casks it had been stored in, along with hints of vanilla and cocoa, along with hints of dried fruit. The best way to describe it would be to get a Christmas pudding, douse it in bourbon, light it then liquify the whole lot and pour it into a bottle and you’d end up coming close to with this.

When Shonan Beer make a good beer, they do it and with Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout, they hit it the ball out of the park. It’s quite light for a stout, but then it is Belgian stout, so it does lack that gloopy-stick-to-your-ribs effect that comes with an imperial stout. Flavours of caramel, burnt toffee, chocolate, and some hints of Belgian funk come through, with the bourbon flavours soothing the throat when the beer has warmed up. It’s all so well-balanced that you forget it’s 10+%. Just wish I had some cheesecake to go with this…

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout The Bottom Line

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout is simply one of the best barrel aged beers I’ve had – ever. Please please please buy it when it comes out again.

Where to Buy Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout

Shonan Beer Barrel Aged Belgian Stout is a limited edition beer and as such, there is no guarantee when it will be on sale again.

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