Styrbjorn's Beer: A Dangerous Drink To Avoid

Styrbjorn is a double barrel-aged sour quad beer that was brewed with muscovado sugar, fermented in red wine and bourbon barrels with raisins, and aged for a year. After a year, it was racked to port barrels and finished with plums and local microflora. It is a collaboration between Side Project Brewing and Evil Twin Brewing. However, the beer is no longer being produced. A review on DontDrinkBeer.com describes the beer as brutal and perhaps the worst beer that Side Project has released to date. The review goes on to say that the beer has a sweet, writing Umbrella corp. monster with one massive left arm and a wraft of bizarre leather and tootsie rolls.

Styrbjorn is a double barrel-aged sour quad beer

Styrbjorn is a unique and complex beer with a strong flavour profile. It is brewed with Muscavado Sugar and fermented in red wine and bourbon barrels with raisins for a year. After this initial ageing process, the beer is then racked to port barrels and finished with plums and local microflora. This secondary barrel ageing adds depth and character to the beer.

The result is a beer with a strong and intense flavour. The initial aroma is described as acrid, with notes of orchard rot and overripe plums. The taste is equally bold, with a massive body and strong, bitter tartness. The finish is long and lingering, with notes of skoal, camel crush, and black cherry.

While Styrbjorn may not be to everyone's taste, it is a perfect example of the creativity and experimentation that craft brewers like Side Project Brewing and Evil Twin Brewing are known for. This beer pushes the boundaries of what a beer can be, challenging drinkers' expectations and offering a unique sensory experience.

For those adventurous drinkers seeking a complex and intense flavour journey, Styrbjorn is worth seeking out. It is a testament to the art of barrel-aging and the creative possibilities of craft brewing.

It's a collaboration between Side Project Brewing and Evil Twin Brewing

Styrbjorn is a beer that was produced as a collaboration between Side Project Brewing and Evil Twin Brewing. Evil Twin has now relocated to Brooklyn, New York, but its beers are prepared in 10 of the best breweries around the world. Side Project Brewing is based in Maplewood, Missouri.

Styrbjorn is an English barley wine aged in a blend of Rittenhouse Rye and Maple Bourbon barrels for 19 months. It has an ABV of 15%.

One review describes Styrbjorn as "brutal and perhaps the worst beer that Side Project has released to date". The review goes on to say that the beer has a "bizarre" aroma of "leather and tootsie rolls" and a "sweet, writing Umbrella corp. monster with one massive left arm". The taste is described as a "full-on Chrono triple tech attack on your palate", with a "massive body" and a "Charles Shaw merlot sidecar". The finish is said to be "long", with flavours of "skoal, camel crush, purple laffy taffy and black cherry bile burps".

Another review on Untappd gives Styrbjorn a rating of 4.50/5.

It's made with Muscavado sugar, fermented in red wine and bourbon barrels with raisins

Styrbjorn is a beer that has been described as "brutal" and "the worst beer that Side Project has released to date". It has been likened to "yellowtail mint chip ice cream", with a "sweet" and "acrid" odour. The beer has a "massive body" and a "nerfed" taste, with hints of tannic yellowtail chablis, Ferrero Rocher, Hugo Boss cologne, and bitter and intense tartness.

Now, onto the specifics of the prompt: "It's made with Muscavado sugar, fermented in red wine and bourbon barrels with raisins".

Muscovado sugar, also known as Muscovado, is a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavour. It is produced from the dried sugar cane syrup and has a high moisture content, giving it a sticky texture. This type of sugar is commonly used in baking and can add a rich, treacly flavour to cakes and other desserts.

Fermentation in red wine and bourbon barrels imparts specific flavours and characteristics to the beer. Wine barrels, usually made from French, American, or Hungarian oak, contribute cherry, blackberry, or raisin notes, along with some tannins that create a drying sensation on the palate. Bourbon barrels, on the other hand, impart flavours of American oak, such as coconut, dill, and sweet spices, which can be accentuated by charring the barrel's interior.

The use of raisins in beer-making is interesting. Raisins are dried grapes, and drying any fruit intensifies its flavour. Raisins have a high sugar content, which is beneficial for fermentation as yeast feeds on sugars to produce alcohol. Raisins can be used as the sole fruit in fruit wine, and different varieties of raisins will produce wine with slightly different colours and flavours.

Combining these elements—Muscovado sugar, fermentation in red wine and bourbon barrels, and the addition of raisins—creates a complex flavour profile in the beer. The sugar and raisins contribute to the sweetness and body of the beer, while the barrels impart their unique flavours, resulting in a beverage with depth and character.

It's then aged for a year and finished on plums with local microflora

Styrbjørn is a double barrel-aged sour quad beer that was brewed with muscovado sugar, fermented in red wine and bourbon barrels with raisins, and then aged for a year. After this ageing process, the beer is then racked to port barrels and finished on plums with local microflora.

The process of ageing a beer for a year helps to develop and enhance its flavour profile. During this time, the beer undergoes a slow and gradual transformation as the various ingredients and flavours meld and mature. The ageing process can also help to soften any harsh flavours or aromas that may have been present in the younger beer, resulting in a smoother and more balanced final product.

Finishing the beer on plums with local microflora adds a unique and distinct character to the beer. Plums can contribute a range of flavours, from sweet and juicy to tart and tangy, depending on the variety used. The local microflora, which can include various yeasts and bacteria, will also impart their own unique flavours and aromas to the beer, making it truly one-of-a-kind.

The combination of ageing for a year and finishing on plums with local microflora is a meticulous and time-intensive process that requires a great deal of care and attention from the brewers. It showcases the brewer's commitment to creating a complex, layered, and nuanced beer that offers a unique sensory experience for drinkers.

The result of this labour-intensive process is a beer that is truly special and distinct. The ageing and finishing processes come together to create a beer with depth and complexity, offering drinkers a flavour profile that is both interesting and memorable. While the specific flavours and aromas will vary depending on the exact ingredients and processes used, the end result is sure to be a beer that stands out from the crowd.

It has been described as tasting like yellowtail mint chip ice cream

Styrbjorn has been described as tasting like "yellowtail mint chip ice cream". This unique beer blends two elements that might be appealing on their own but, when combined, create an intense and off-putting flavour.

The beer has an overwhelming body and a strange combination of aromas and flavours. On the nose, it has an acrid, sickly-sweet scent reminiscent of rotting plums in an orchard. When tasted, it delivers a powerful punch with notes of tannic yellowtail chablis, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and musky sandalwood cologne. The bitterness and intensity of flavours cling to the palate, with a long finish that leaves a unpleasant aftertaste of skoal, camel crush, purple laffy taffy, and black cherry bile.

The experience of drinking Styrbjorn is akin to having smashed Ferrero Rocher chocolates into a glass of tannic yellowtail chablis wine, creating a sweet and overpowering combination that falls flat. While some may find certain elements of the beer appealing, such as the intense body or the unique combination of flavours, the overall drinking experience is described as punishing and off-putting.

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