Payette Brewing Company is excited to release a bold take to their year-round Pistolero Porter. Think of Imperial Pistolero Barrel Aged Porter as the bigger and burlier amigo of their year-round favorite. Although the usual Pistolero comes in twelve-ounce cans all year, this robust take is available in twenty-two ounce bottles for a limited time.
Pitch black in color, this brew is very smooth with a chocolate and caramel sweetness as well as hints of dark fruits like cherry and fig. Brewed with two different hop varieties, six different styles of malted barley, and two wheat varieties in the grain bill, Pistolero is nothing short of interesting. A slight twist to the Pistolero recipe gave the beer the same rich flavors but an addition of alcohol heat, making this Imperial version landing at a hefty 8% ABV.
Why stop there? Once the beer was perfected, it was transferred to High West Distillery Whiskey barrels, where the beer settled for six months. This well-known distillery produces incredible award-winning whiskey and Payette was thrilled to receive once used, charred, white American oak barrels strait from their facility. Payette owner, Mike Francis, comments, “I am a big fan of High West products and have a bigger appreciation for them after visiting their distillery. It didn’t take long to realize Pistolero was the beer that needed to go in the barrels. It is a great beer, and we knew would only get better aged in those perfectly crafted barrels, where some delicious whiskey once lived.”
[ High West Distillery & Tasting Room - Wanship, Utah ]
Throughout the aging process, Payette brewers tasted and analyzed the beer, making sure all the flavors were coming together flawlessly. Six months in, the beer was ready. Imperial Pistolero Whiskey Barrel Aged Porter is now available in twenty-two ounce bottles for a limited time in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming. This is the second brew in their Perennial Series, where Twelve Gauge Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout also lies. Twelve Gauge has made several annual returns, and Payette presumes this version of Pistolero will lead a similar high tier in their portfolio for years to come.
