From East Van With Love is a collaborative effort between P49 and Gigantic Brewing in Portland OR. It is an imperial stout that has been matured in bourbon barrels, and has the addition of maple syrup to give it a sweet Canadian twist.
I was very interested in this beer but a little concerned that it was going to be too sweet due to the maple syrup. I shouldn't have doubted the folks at Parallel 49 and Gigantic Brewing - the maple is subtle and does really add to its character rather than become its character.
The bourbon influence is huge in this beer, much moreso than the average bourbon barrel aged beer. This is something that will change over time - as a young imperial, the bourbon is sharper than it will be after some cellaring. It is a serious beer at 11.5% ABV, but is smooth and easy drinking. Rich dark fruits and subtle peat is present from the bourbon influence, along with a spirit quality and of course the maple. The roasted malts and earthy hops work in great unison.
It will be interesting to see how this beer develops over time - it has a “Best After Jan 31st 2015” stamp on the label, but it very good already. I spent a small fortune building an inventory of these (they are available from the brewery for $12.60/bottle), but it was money well spent.
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