Copper & Kings
CR&FTWERK Brandy
Finished in Oskar Blues Imperial IPA barrels
copper pot-distilled American brandy
55.5% ABV (111 proof)
non-chill filtered, natural color, no boise
not sure about price (press sample)
Intro: this is the 3rd of 4 reviews (previous reviews here and here) of Copper & Kings' new "CR&FTWERK" brandies finished in beer barrels. This one is aged for a year in Oskar Blues Imperial IPA barrels (I think it's probably the Gubna). The beer seems like a monster - 10% ABV and 100 IBUs - so I'm excited to see what effect this has on the brandy.
Color: similar to all these expressions: light/medium brown with an orange tint.
Smell: like the others I've had so far, this nose is marked by its subtlety. It's 111 proof, but there's no overt alcohol when you sniff - it's very smooth. Beyond the slight vanilla and caramel sweetness (shared among all of these expressions), there is a very distinct floral and citrusy character to this brandy. I definitely get some grapefruit and pine, no doubt driven by the IPA barrels. With water, these beer elements are raised even higher - the aromatics soften to reveal lots more floral character, with wheatgrass to boot.
Taste: really nice. This is a great combination of the mildly sweet and smooth underlying brandy flavors and the super hoppy and floral IPA flavors from the barrel treatment. The elements really play off of each other, and the effect is very interesting. You get the sweetness on entry, where mild caramel and vanilla notes are quickly whisked away by floral hoppiness, resinous pine, and bitter grapefruit on the midpalate and finish. With water, the mouth experience is much more mild - I actually prefer this one straight.
Overall: It's excellent, but I prefer the AtG and Sierra Nevada expressions (in that order). With beer, I gravitate toward malty: porters, stouts, brown ales. I appreciate IPAs, but there's not yet my cup of tea. So...if you like IPAs, you'll probably love this. I will gladly drink it again and recommend you try it, but it seems safe to assume that your favorite beers will impact your favorite brandies in this series. Can't wait to try to the final expression: finished in imperial stout barrels - right up my alley!
