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pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster & Co-Founder Josh Pfriem Talks pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

 Josh Pfriem Brewmaster/Co-Founder
We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers brewmaster and co-founder Josh Pfriem about pFriem Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout.
 
BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Like a lot of our beers at pFriem, this beer has been a group effort and has evolved over time. 
 
BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The complex nuances of rich cocoa and coconut, combined with the roastiness from the barrel.
 
BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Just like most of our beers, we just call them what they are.
 
BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
This is not my desert island beer…much better for after a full day of powder skiing or a nightcap during the Holiday season.
 
BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Midnight black, cocoa, coconut, toasted oak, chocolate covered berries and ripe cherries.
 
BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
The first time we made this beer we used barrels from Oola distillery which is a small Bourbon producer in Seattle. By the nature of how they empty barrels, most of them were incredibly dry when they showed at the brewery. We had to put a ton of work into getting them rehydrated and ready to hold beer. After a lot of banging the hoops and fixing leaks, we were able to get them to hold beer. A year later, we sampled each barrel for contamination. We held our breaths thinking there was no way they were going to be clean. To our surprise, the plates all came back clean and the beer tasted great! 
 
BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Dark chocolate stout cake with smoked Jacobsen Sea Salt topped with white chocolate malt whip.