12/16/2023
It was eight years ago that we first introduced a very small number of bottles, only 100, at the first release of Helm’s Deep, our 13% bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. After quietly introducing the beer a couple of weeks prior at a private tasting of imperial stouts and then debuting the beer a week later at the Strong Beer Fest and winning the People’s Choice Award, the anticipation for the first Helm’s Deep Day was at a fever pitch, and for those who experienced the intensity of that release, they will understand how that day truly turned into the Battle of Helm’s Deep.
Since that first release so long ago, we added German Chocolate Helm’s Deep, a variant of Helm’s Deep by the addition of toasted coconut and a touch of espresso. For many, the rich flavor of German chocolate cake mingled with bourbon sweetness elevates Helm’s Deep to an even higher level. The opinion at the brewery is split on which is better.
Each year our brewery team pulls and tastes samples from various barrels aging from 1 to 3 years where we consider and choose the best blend of barrels for that year. We are excited to introduce you to the 2023 class of Helm’s Deep. Besides HD and GCHD, we have a special 3rd release this year and all are available now for presale on our website and will be available on tap and for sale at the brewery on Saturday 12/16 at noon.
Bottle 1 & 2:
Helm’s Deep 2023
Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
13%
375ml
German Chocolate Helm’s Deep 2023
Bourbon Barrel Aged German Chocolate Imperial Stout
13%
375ml
For both HD and GCHD, we chose a blend of 7 bourbon barrels that include Bottled-In-Bond Heaven Hill 10-year Bourbon that aged the stout for 2 years, Baker’s Single Barrel 8-year Bourbon that aged the stout to 1 year, and a single former bourbon BLIS Maple Syrup barrel aged the stout 2 years.
The blend is exquisite, and the 2023 Helm’s Deep is an experience. It emerges from the barrels thick as the blackest night. Full of body and mouthfeel, an intense dark malt complexity with notes of chocolate and vanilla leads to a labyrinth of flavors including cacao, fig, coconut, maple, and subtle smoke from the time and saturation in bourbon and oak.
German Chocolate HD was split off from HD and Infused with espresso and toasted coconut. This 2023 variant of Helm’s Deep produces intense flavors of German Chocolate Cake drizzled with coffee and rich bourbon sweetness.
Bottle 3:
Single Barrel Select Helm’s Deep (collaboration with The Bottle Shop)
Eagle Rare & Blanton’s Blended Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
13%
375ml
This very special limited release Helm’s Deep is a collaboration with The Bottle Shop in Columbus, GA. They reached out to us in 2021 with an offer to secure freshly emptied bourbon barrels from their recent trip to Kentucky where they hand selected single barrel bourbon vintages for their store. When they shared with us the barrels they selected were a 10 year Eagle Rare and a 7-year Blanton’s bourbon, we immediately knew the beer in our portfolio deserving of time in these barrels was Helm’s Deep.
Hidden for over 2 Years in the deep shadows of these hand selected bourbon barrels, this rare version of our beloved imperial stout coats the mouth with integrated flavors of toffee, baking spice, coconut and vanilla from extended time in the bourbon oak. This is a one-time release with limited availability at the brewery and a small number of bottles available in the coming weeks at The Bottle Shop.