Initiative Brewing Co. in Redmond produces a wide range of beer styles, offering over a dozen options on tap at its Fifth Street pub.

Recently, Initiative released a specialty beer designed to round out the holiday season and settle in for winter, a barleywine-style ale aged with Broken Top Bourbon Whiskey barrels the company calls Non-DenominationALE.

According to brewmaster Chris Brumley, it’s the first barleywine Initiative has produced, and he “tried to keep it simple but true to style.” He developed the recipe based on the classic strong ales of England, which is where the style originated.

Barleywine evolved out of the winter warmers and old ales of England, stronger, maltier beers particularly well-suited to colder weather. Typically ranging in alcohol from 8% to 12% by volume, these are sipping beers, complex and warming, and unsurprisingly, they lend well to barrel aging.

English versions of the style emphasize malts and malt-driven characteristics, whereas American barleywines gravitate toward hops. In keeping with the originating style for the beer, Brumley built it around English malt and ale yeast.

“The recipe was 90% Maris Otter, 7% malted white wheat, (and) 3% C-40,” said Brumley via email. Maris Otter is an English malt known for its rich and nutty flavors, while C-40 is a caramelized malt (commonly known as crystal malt) which adds color, sweetness, and body. Nugget and East Kent Golding hops round out the recipe and provide balance and aromatics.

For the barrel aging component, “We aged it for two weeks in our brite tank on Broken Top Bourbon barrel staves,” he said.

Broken Top Whiskey is one of the brands produced by Cascade Spirits of Sisters, also known for its Wild Roots line of vodkas and gins. Initiative used staves from the company’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrels to age Non-DenominationALE. The whiskey is described as having “Sweet fruit, vanilla, caramel and cream body with a rye spice finish.”

Non-DenominationALE is 9% alcohol by volume with 11 IBUs. I stopped by the brewery to fill a growler to drink at home and review.

More Coverage

Spice up the season with Wild Ride’s Jingle Hop Winter Red Ale

It’s a deep amber to dark copper color, with a bit of haze, and an off-white head of foam. The aroma is immediately warming, giving notes of bourbon as well as honey, candied pecans, floral alcohol, toasted cookie crumbs, and dried figs. As the beer warms, I find pale caramel, light brown sugar and bread crust aromatics as well.

It’s sweet and fruity on the tongue, with a floral bourbon and cherry quality. There’s a bit of raw graininess in the flavor, along with caramel and light toffee, a hint of oak, some vanilla and a sweet cookie dough-like maltiness. The body is lighter than I expected for the style, with a bit of alcohol heat, and overall, it is quite smooth.

Despite its strength, it’s approachable and reasonably mellow. Although I didn’t have any Broken Top Bourbon on hand, it would be interesting to pair it with the barleywine to taste how the bourbon influenced the beer profile.

Non-DenominationALE is available on tap at Initiative’s pub in Redmond, as well as available to go in growlers and crowlers.

Top 5 beers of the week

Salted Caramel Porter: Cascade Lakes Brewing

Power Surge Barleywine:

Worthy Brewing

Hibernation Ale: Great Divide Brewing

Double IPA: Van Henion Brewing

Fresh Pow Hazy IPA: Block 15 Brewing