Seattle's Brouwer's Cafe and Hale's brewery have hosted a "Big Wood Beer Fest" and "Winter Beer Festival" respectfully.
I think this was the 1st year for the "Big Wood fest" and 2nd year for the "Winter Fest"events!
The 'Big Wood' event add 40+ different wood casked brews and was held at Brouwer's Cafe in the funky Fremont District in Seattle. Beers in attendance were aged in/with Bourbon Barrels, Wine Barrels, Oak Chips, Oak Barrels and the like. All wood products infuse a woody flavor to the brews. Those barrels with Wine, Scotch or Bourbon produce beers with aromas and flavors of said original contents and can add Vanilla, buttery and smoky notes... Yumm!
Here's a list of brews that were available:
Allagash Curieux, Allagash Musette, Baron Bourbon aged Liberator, Beersel Oude Lambic, Big Sky Ivan The Terrible, Big Time Bulleit Bourbon Old Rip, Boulder Beer Obovoid Empirical Stout, Deschuttes Oaked Mirror Mirror, Diamond Knott Bourbon Barrel Ho Ho, Elliot Bay Dark Star Porter, Elysian Jack Frost, Flyers Oak aged Bottleworks 8, Full Sail 2004 Bourbon Barrel Porter, Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti, Hales Bourbon Troll Porter, Hales Bourbon Wee Heavy, He'brew Rye Whiskey Barrel Lennys, Iron Hors Oak Cask Conditioned Belgian Black, Lagunitas Oak aged Brown Shugga, Maritime Bourbon Barrel Bosuns Black, New Belgium La Folie, New Belgium La Terroir, Pacific Rim Makers Mark IPA, Pike Oak aged Kilt Lifter, Pike '06 Oak aged Old Bawdy, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Sierra Oak aged Celebration, Skagit Oak aged Skullers Cask, Skagit Oak aged Trumpeter, Stix Oak aged Belgian Double, Stone Oak aged Bastard, Water Street Big fat Morning Wood, Avery, Lost Abbey, Hair of the Dog, and more.
1st place - Flyers Bottleworks VIII Imperial Scotch Ale aged with Oak Chips soaked in Laphroaig 10.
2nd place - Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood.
3rd place - He'brew Jewbilation 11 aged in a Rye Whiskey Barrel
The 2nd Annual Winter Beer Festival was held at Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales Brewery, also in the Fremont District. Beers for the Winter Fest are usually big rich warmer brews that can be heavy on the malt or hops or spice or all!
The event is sponsored by the Washington Brewers Guild.
Here's was their 2007 Winter Beer List:
Anacortes Brewery- Anacortes
Cask Noel Ale (Cask Christmas Brown Ale)
A cask-conditioned version of Noel Winter Ale. Brewed to celebrate the holiday season using various aromatic specialty malts and has a prominent hop character from mild American Noble varieties.
Broadsword Scottish Ale (Strong Scottish Ale)
This strong Scottish ale has robust malty flavors with subtle smokiness and a balanced bittereness from Perle, Cascade and Mt Hood hops. Made with Black Patent, Caramel, Chocolate, Munich and Peat smoked malts for a dark color and rich flavor.
Kloster Bier (Black Pilsner)
Originally brewed under the guidance of the visiting Brewmaster of Kalt Loch Brewery in Bavaria, this beer is modeled after a dark lager brewed by Kalt Loch for the Engelberg monastery. Anacortes version uses Perle hops and a portion of apple wood smoked malt.
Baron Brewing Co.- Seattle
Liberator Doppelbock
A deep amber to dark brown colored beer with a rich and complex malty flavor. It has a touch of roast character and no hop flavor. The hop bitterness is generally only high enough to balance the malt flavors to allow moderate sweetness in the finish. Aged for a full 5 months before the release to guarantee a smooth, clean beer. 7% ABV.
Big Time Brewery- Seattle
Yulefest (Winter Ale)
Full bodied, reddish brown and moderately strong. The enticing flavor combination of chocolate malt and spicy northwest hops provide a welcome respite to a long winter's night.
Damned Spot (Strong Scottish Ale)
Brewed with eight different malts, this brand new beer from Big Time is smooth, slightly sweet, and deceptively easy to drink. 7.8% ABV.
Boundary Bay Brewery- Bellingham
Cabin Fever (Winter Ale)
A strong ale or "winter warmer" with dark red-brown color and a very rich malty flavor. OG: 1.072.
Diamond Knot Brewing Co.- Mukilteo
Industrial Ho!Ho! (Winter Seasonal) 2006 & 2007
A robust “winter warmer” ale. Ruby brown in color with a slightly sweet, fruity nose. Very hoppy yet balanced with residual maltiness.
Elliott Bay Brewing Co.- Seattle & Burien
Bok von Boorian (Belgian Bock)
A pale colored bock beer with a mild sweetness from the addition of licorice root.
Darkside Wit (Belgian Wit)—
The Holiday version of Elliott Bay’s popular Westside Wit. This dark Belgian Wit beer falls between Elliott Bay’s No Doubt Stout and Noir Von Boorian, with just a touch of Luna Weizen. More “chocolaty” than the Noir and lighter in body than the Stout, this beer is a nice contrast to the stronger winter beers out there. Spiced with fresh orange peel, raisins, fresh ginger, and cloves and very lightly hopped with Styrian Goldings.
Elysian Brewing Co.- Seattle
Bye-Bye Fröst (Quad Pale)
A 21 Plato monster. Smooth yet strong, pale and powerful. Bittered with magnam and finished with Amarillo and Styrian Golding hops.
Flyers Restaurant & Brewery- Oak Harbor
Sick Duck Imperial Stout (Imperial Stout)
A rich and very dark Imperial Stout that has a complex flavor profile with hints of molasses and caramel. Each keg was conditioned with a half pound of French Oak that was soaked in Cockspur 12 Rum for a week. Finishes very smooth for such a big beer! 10% ABV.
Georgetown Brewing Co.- Seattle
Nine Pound Porter (Porter)
An exceptionally flavorful medium bodied porter. Tons of Chocolate, Munich, and Roasted malts were used, then blended with Centennial and Northern Brewer hops to create “Roasted Chocolaty Goodness”.
Hale’s Ales Brewery- Seattle
Hale’s Wee Heavy (Strong Scottish Ale- bourbon barrel aged)
A mahogany colored strong ale that is rich tasting with an intriguing hop profile. Aged for 3 months in a bourbon barrel.
Iron Horse Brewery- Ellensburg
Belgian Black (Belgian Black Ale)
A flavorful dark ale brewed with an expressive Belgian yeast strain and Belgian candied sugar for a unique taste experience.
Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales- Issaquah
Chocolate Stout (Stout)
Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts, and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bittersweet finish.
Frosty Frog (Strong Ale)
A strong, but well balanced winter warmer, this ale has extreme complexity made for a holiday feast. The addition of raisins and molasses in the brewing process produces unusual spiced rum like flavors to go along with the well balanced malt and hops.
Lazy Boy Brewing Co.- Everett
Mistletoe Bliss (Robust Brown Ale)
A brown ale on steroids. Kissed with hints of cinnamon, spice and oranges to warm those cold winter nights. 7.5% ABV.
Northern Lights Brewing Co.- Spokane
Winter Ale (Winter Ale)
This hearty seasonal offering is crafted in the likeness of Northwest style winter warmers. Rich maltiness and spicy hop profiles mingle with fruity esters and alcohol to create a truly special ale sure to warm the soul for your winter holiday celebrations. 7.5 % ABV.
Pike Brewing Co.- Seattle
Auld Acquaintance (Holiday Ale)
Festive and flavorful with a delicious hint of spice in the nose and on the palate.
Port Townsend Brewing Co.- Port Townsend
Port Townsend Winter Ale (Old Ale Style)
Made from a blend of Pale and Crystal malts. A longer aging time adds further complexity to this old ale style. 7.5% ABV.
Pyramid Breweries- Seattle
Snow Cap (Strong Ale) 2005 & 2007
A rich, full bodied winter warmer crafted in British tradition of holiday beers. This deep mahogany colored brew balances complex flavors with refreshingly smooth texture. 7.0% ABV.
Ram Restaurant & Brewery- Seattle
Dawgsled (Winter Ale) 2006 & 2007
A rich and malty winter brown ale, deliciously hopped. 2006 keg was aged in a bourbon barrel.
Sleigher (Winter Ale) 2006 & 2007
A festive winter ale that is deep copper in color with a complex malt character and a hoppy aroma and flavor. 2006 keg was aged in a bourbon barrel.
Redhook Ale Brewery- Woodinville
German Winter Wheat (Winter Ale)
A beer that combines aspects of various beer styles. The German wheat yeast, used for some spicy clove characteristics, blends aspects of wheat beers with winter ales. You will taste hints of the citrusy flavor that comes from wheat beers combined with a warm malty backbone, and a nice Crystal and Centennial hop finish.
Winterhook (Winter Ale)
Rich, full-bodied and deep chestnut color. The complex malt profile with hints of chocolate and caramel are the result of using nine different varieties of malt. The sweetness of the malts is balanced with four separate hop charges.
Rock Bottom Brewery- Bellevue
Frostbite Strong Ale (Imperial Amber Ale)
A strong amber ale, rich and malty, with floral, citrus, and pine hop aromas. Brewed with Simcoe, Sterling, Mt. Hood, Hallertau and Amarillo hops. Dry-hopped with Amarillo and Hallertau. 7.6% ABV.
Naughty Elves Barrel Reserve (Barrel Aged Belgian Dark/Sour)
A barrel aged sour beer. In Bourbon cask for over a year this beer has some funky tart flavors, plus the addition of cherries complements the bourbon and oak flavors from the cask. Definitely a different type of beer for those looking to explore the “wild” side of what beer should be.
Schooner Exact Brewing Co.- Seattle
Hoppy Holiday Winter Ale (Northwest Winter Ale)
This is the beer that started it all. Matt used to brew it on the kitchen stove for family and friends for the holidays. Deep, rich and flavorful, this ale will keep you warm on cold winter nights. Chocolate malt and a special European yeast provide a unique character that will stay with you all year.
Scuttlebutt Brewing Co.- Everett
10 Below Ale (Imperial Dunkelweisse)
Very smooth, like drinking a chocolate brownie.
Silver City Restaurant & Brewery- Silverdale
Winter Bock (Traditional German-Style Bock)
Five specialty malts combined to give a rich malty flavor and a light toasted character to this strong winter lager. German Hallertaur is used throughout for a classic hop character.
Imperial Stout 2006
A black roasted monster from 2006. Hopped generously with Chinook variety hops.
Skagit River Brewery- Mt. Vernon
Trumpeter Stout (Imperial Stout)
Nestled in the lush fertile Skagit Valley. The mighty brewers at Skagit River created their Imperial Stout to mirror the beauty and strength of the majestic Trumpeter Swan.
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Co.- Snoqualmie
Avalanche Winter Ale (Winter Warmer)
Deep ruby red when held to the light, full-bodied complex malt flavors dominate, with perfect balance provided by distinctive Yakima Chinook and Cascade hops. Big, rich, smooth and satisfying yet drinkable enough to enjoy more than just one. 6.8% ABV.
Stix Pizza & Brewing Co.
Pool Shark Porter Extra (Smoke Chocolate Chipotle Porter)
A hearty brew – rich, smooth, dark, robust, smoky and complex with chocolate and chipotle.
Rack'Em Red Ale (Dry Hopped Red Ale)
Aber-colored, medium-bodied, nutty and full flavored.
Water Street Brewing Co.- Port Townsend
Burr’s Frosty Winter Ale (Winter Ale)
A blend of seven malts and Horizon, Columbus and Centennial Hops to give this beer plenty of mouthfeel with chocolate overtones. At 8% ABV you won’t need a fire to warm you up!
1st place- Black Belgian by Iron Horse Brewery
2nd place- Bye Bye Frost by Elysian Brewing Co.
3rd place- Hoppy Holiday Winter Ale by Schooner Exact Brewing Co.
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