Year of New Beer: (Special Release) Country Western Volume 3, Country Boy Brewing/West Sixth Brewing

Written By: Dion on 05/06/2015

Waylon and Willie. Kenny and Dolly. Conway and Loretta. George and Tammy. Some of the greatest duos in the history of country western, making beautiful, timeless music together. As a kid, I would cringe and quickly change the channel, preferring my music to have names like Gene and Paul, Robert and Jimmy, or Mick and Ronnie. But as I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate the subtlety, the honesty, and the stories told by the country western greats. Here in Lexington, we've got some pretty fantastic duos laying down what I think will become a comparable series of greatest hits. I don't know if anyone involved, including event mastermind Chris Vandergrift, ever dreamed that Lexington Craft Beer Week would become what it has in just its third year. From a first year total of maybe 8 or 10 major events, LCBW is now a giant snowball rolling downhill, gathering up everything in its path. Beginning this Friday, May 8th with a kickoff event at Whitaker Bank Ballpark and continuing through Sunday, May 17th with closing events at Blue Stallion Brewing Company and The Beer Trappe, this week surely has something for everyone. Gourmet beer dinners, tap takeovers, special beer releases...the events are literally too numerous to mention here. Luckily, you can check out http://www.lexbeerscene.com/LCBW.php for a full schedule of the fun to be had. 

Back to those duos...Craft Beer Week has always been about partnerships. Be it a food truck pairing gourmet dishes with local beers, or brewers working together to create something never done in Lexington, the camaraderie is refreshing. Thankfully, in year one, the guys at Country Boy and West Sixth saw the opportunity to create something special. I guess for me, the annual release of Country Western IS craft beer week. Hopefully, in years to come, we'll see the other breweries package their collaborations (hint, hint Blue Stallion and Ethereal Brewing), and the Lexington craft beer scene can engage in a collective chest-thumping and proclaim that good beer can be found in places not named Denver and Asheville. So what about this incarnation of Country Western? Different each year, let me just begin with this--fellas, you've set the bar pretty damn high with this one. Intended as an ode to that famous pie named for the first Saturday in May, they've hit the nail on the head. An Imperial Red Ale, aged in bourbon barrels with pecans and cocoa nibs, clocking in at a hefty 13% ABV, this is a beast that demands savoring. The nose opens with ribbons of caramel and chocolate which only deepen with warmth. As the beer comes up in temperature, the nutty elements begin to arrive, providing a nice depth to the aroma. The bourbon is not the least bit intrusive, settling nicely into the background, content to add complexity without distraction. The delights continue to the tongue, as the pie components are delicately imposed on the taste buds. The chocolate is creamy and sweet, pairing nicely with the brown sugar, caramel-like layer that follows closely behind. The pecans present very well, especially with warmth, adding an earthy layer of bitterness that prevents the sweeter traits from dominating. Interesting as well is the mid-palate arrival of a graham cracker, baked dough component that complements the bourbon heat quite well. This is an incredible beer. Part of me wants the rest of the country to know what they're missing...the rest of me wants to shut the hell up and just keep this our little secret. Surely we can all band together and just buy up all the bottles for ourselves, right? Get your bottles at the West Sixth and Country Boy taprooms beginning this Friday, while supplies last. And don't forget ... http://www.lexbeerscene.com/LCBW.php for a full calendar of Lexington Craft Beer Week events.

Many thanks to the brewers involved for letting me get my hands on this one a bit early.