I want to give a huge shout out to Brass Rail Deli in Campbelltown, PA. The sent several of their employees to Troegs to pick up Splinter bottles on relase day, and by luck I happened to be shopping there and pick up their last bottle of Red (Although you could say they were the reason I did not get a bottle, but I am only happy that I got a bottle of Red). The Red is Mad Elf that was aged for six weeks in bourbon barrels and then bottle aged for eight months.
The beer pours much darker and thicker than Mad Elf. The color is changed from vibrant red to a brown color with light red hues. As with Mad Elf, there is minimal head. The aroma consists of the cherries from Mad Elf but with bourbon accents. I thought that the taste is rounded out a little more than Mad Elf and lacks the front end alcohol bite. The wood and bourbon lead the charge in the mouth. The chocolate and cherries are still there, but I cannot find the honey anymore. The finish is where the alcohol bite is located, and it kicks a little harder with bourbon flavoring. The alcohol content is 11.0% ABV, just like mad elf. I thought that this a very excellent alteration to an already good Mad Elf. I can pick up new flavors as well, with coconut being one of them and the wood barrels really coming to front end of the experience. The finish is very dry and the bourbon latches on to your tongue. Just like the Gold, I really wish that the Red was more readily available, as I would like to buy a few more bottles.
I think that a distributor could send its staff to buy all the splinter is kinda b.s.... I was there at 925 and waited in the cold for 45 mins til I could go in and get my splinter series... haven't tried them yet.. plan on opening the red tomorrow during football... out of curiousity, did brass rail jack the $23 price up even higher on resale? Id expect that they did...
ReplyDeleteThey had some markup, but they are a business. I think if they send people it's acceptable.
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