The last week of slow drinkers: Oliphant Brewing edition

For this week’s review, we’re going back to Wisconsin for a lineup of bourbon barrel aged beers from Oliphant Brewing in Somerset.

These beers are easy drinkers that are meant to be enjoyed slowly. Caden was also able to tell us about Oliphant Brewing since he had his best summer working there before this year started. Oliphant Brewing is a brewery with a fun and inviting atmosphere. They are notorious for thinking outside the box with brewing high-quality beers while also putting their own unique spin on them.

Whether you like sours, lagers, IPAs, stouts or anything else in between, Oliphant will have a beer for you.

Oliphant makes beer and an overall experience that is truly one of a kind. If you are 21+ and want to see how Oliphant Brewing and Wisconsin as a whole does beer the right way, then make sure you check out the beers we sampled below.

Xuul – Doppelbock Lager (9.0%)

To start off we have the Xuul. For our readers who are unfamiliar with what a doppelbock beer is, a doppelbock is a German style of beer that is widely known for offering substantial malty and sweet flavors. At first, we noticed chocolate and some caramel on the nose, but we also noticed some dark fruit such as plum or raisin woven into the profile.

We found that the bourbon flavoring of the beer paired fantastically with the malty components. It was a flavorful, full- bodied easy drinker that was an all- around great experience.

Nose Hozzle – Baltic Porter (9.0%)

Next up we have the Nose Hozzle. If you are looking for a middle ground between a lager and an imperial stout, then a Baltic porter is for you. A Baltic porter is a stronger, dark lager that offers a unique malt flavor profile along with notes of sweet chocolate and caramel with a roasted finish.

Similar to the Xuul, we noticed the fruitiness of the nose on the front and the bourbon come through on the back end. The taste had smooth chocolate and dark fruit flavor on the front and transitioned nicely to the bourbon on the back end.

We thoroughly enjoyed the sweet and savory aftertaste that lingered with us, and we all agreed that the Xuul and the Nose Hozzle were a great pairing.

Wisconsin Dellsozoic Era: An Animatronic Diorama – Smoked Wee Heavy (10.0%)

Our first wee heavy of the year kept the momentum going. A wee heavy is typically known for being malty and providing a rich, sweet flavor and aroma. The Wisconsin Dellsozoic Era: An Animatronic Diorama had a woody bourbon smell on the nose from the aging that was complemented a unique fruity sweetness present that reminded us of cherries.

As for the beer’s taste, the dark bourbon flavors balanced perfectly with the sweetness while also providing a refreshing maltiness. For a 10% abv beer, it was a remarkably easy drinker, and we thought that the different flavor profiles provided made this one truly remarkable.

Practitioner of Duck Art Volume 1.999 – Imperial Stout (13.5%)

Every beer this week was a homerun, and we’re ending it with the grand slam that is The Practitioner of Duck Art, an old friend of Caden’s. The nose immediately showed us the beer’s bourbon barrel-aged foundation by having strong bourbon notes and slight notes of chocolate. This carried over into the taste.

It was bourbon forward, followed by a creamy milk chocolate flavor, then finished with a slight bitterness. Imperial stouts are meant to be bold and flavorful, and that’s exactly what Duck Art was.

Duck Art perfectly represents everything that a barrel-aged imperial stout should be and was a favorite for all of us.