Top 100 Beers of 2015 (Issue 22)

World Class (100 to 96)

6.
96 
by Michael Heniff
Pinchy Jeek Barl
Anderson Valley Brewing Co.

View Beer
Read Review

Judge's Second Opinion
from Michael Heniff

Ahhh… a revisit of Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s Pinchy Jeek Barl Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Ale... if only there was more of this liquid inspiration to be enjoyed while writing this article. This was a beer that I had not tasted before, which in itself can be an amazing feat since I have recorded tasting notes for 23 years, amassing notes on over 5,600 commercial beers. The list could be as high as 8,000 if I chose to count brewpub beers, and maybe even as high as 10,000 if I included homebrewed beers!

On first thought, Wild Turkey Bourbon would not have been my first choice as a bourbon source for a barrel-aged beer; Wild Turkey isn’t renowned as one of the finest bourbons that Kentucky has to offer. My first recollection of Wild Turkey was on my 21^st birthday, when an acquaintance bought me a shot of Wild Turkey. I wasn’t an immediate fan, and at that time I was primarily a light lager drinker as the craft beer movement was still young (and I was certainly a bourbon neophyte) so my palate was still very early in development. Since then, I have grown to appreciate bourbon, especially when beer is aged with bourbon or in bourbon barrels. With this beer, the barrel character of toasted oak and vanilla comes through strongly without being too overly bourbon-driven; the bourbon provides a complementary flavor to the base beer and spices without becoming the dominant flavor of the beer.

Second, the beer was brewed “with pumpkin and [unnamed] spices.”  Personally, I dread pumpkin beer season – when seemingly every brewery releases its take on a pumpkin-pie-style beer. The season seems to start as early as August and runs until the last beers at the store gets sold. These beers typically feature nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice and many brewers are not shy to push this spicing well to the forefront. The aggressive spices typically need a hefty malt base to temper the otherwise unbearable astringency that these spices provide. For this beer, however, the spices are more subtle and complement the caramel/chocolate malt and toasted oak/vanilla barrel character beautifully.

Finally, a characteristic that I believe all great beers need to have is the element of balance. I’m not advocating that all beers need to have an equal level of malt and hops, but the best beers, regardless of style, should have complementing or contrasting characters that work together to add to the depth and complexity of the beer. For this beer, the aroma exuded toasted oak and vanilla barrel character with complementing caramel and chocolate malts and pumpkin spices. The pumpkin spices hint at pumpkin pie, but they never showcase any singular spice above others. The body was quite a bit more complex, conveying an almost even balance between the barrel character, malt and spices. The Wild Turkey Bourbon never comes to the forefront and remains complementary element, perhaps appropriately so (based on my earlier impression). The finish once again demonstrates complexity with the interplay of malt, barrel and spices with only a slightly spicy astringency. In summary: This is a complex, rich, dynamic and thoroughly enjoyable Pumpkin Beer.

Brewer's Thoughts
from Fal Allen

When autumn rolls around that means that pumpkin beers aren’t far behind (in fact, they usually debut before the season even begins). Love them or loathe them, pumpkin beers are an inevitable part of the Halloween and Thanksgiving seasons.

Many pumpkin beers are construed as overly spiced, muddled messes, but Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s Pinchy Jeek Barl is not only an exemplar of the Pumpkin Beer style, but also one of our finest beers of the year. I spoke with Fal Allen, Anderson Valley brewmaster, about Pinchy Jeek – his favorite pumpkin beer.

Pinchy Jeek employs nutmeg, cinnamon and clove as its spice profile, but one thing that sets it apart from other pumpkin beers (apart from its barrel-aged properties) is its lower spice profile. Allen elaborates: “We wanted the bourbon flavors to come through in the beer and create a beautiful dance of flavors with the spices – not to have the spices overpower the bourbon notes. I think Pinchy Jeek ended up as a well-balanced beer that you can certainly drink a few of if you want to.”

Our judge was a bit surprised that Wild Turkey barrels were used exclusively for the aging process, as his experience with that bourbon was far from ideal. Allen responds to the exclusive usage of Wild Turkey barrels: “Wild Turkey bourbon is a bit more assertive then some other brands, and it brings a bolder bourbon flavor to the beer. The barrel-aging process imparts notes of coconut, vanilla, and oak to complement the tang of the pumpkin pie spices and a hint of hops, all wrapped in a smooth, silky round finish.”

Despite his claim that Wild Turkey is more assertive, the aging process was perfectly executed as the balance between booziness, beer qualities and pumpkin spices makes Pinchy Jeek Barl one of the best pumpkin beers you can get your hands on.