From Brooklyn Center Minnesota’s Surly Brewing Co comes their “Barrel-Aged Pentagram”. This beer was aged in wine barrels then put into High West rye whiskey barrels to finish. The beer pours a deep brown colour with a reddish tinge and a brown head. The aroma consists of oak, red wine, vanilla, brettanomyces funk, rye roasted malts and some spice. The flavour is of red wine, apple cider vinegar, brettanomyces funk, rye, oak, cherries, stone fruit, mild roast and some spices. The alcohol content comes in at a respectable 6.7% alcohol. I have had the non barrel aged version of Pentagram and while I liked it I was not blown away. This beer on the other hand was bloody amazing with so much depth of flavour.

Commercial Description: This tart, dark beer is fermented with Brettanomyces in stainless fermenters, aged in used red wine barrels, then aged further in High West Rye Whiskey barrels to create a layered aromatic profile. Pentagram’s core flavors of sour cherry, tobacco, oak, and classic “Brett” barnyard funk are still present, surrounded by the distinctive character of rye whiskey. Enjoy immediately or age at cellar temperature for a couple years.