Blue Mountain Barrel House - Adonis

To kick things off, we have Blue Mountain Barrel House Adonis. The name comes from the 1880’s cocktail made with Oloroso Sherry, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters, often garnished with orange peel. Adonis is a special, very limited production variant of Concealed Darkness – which itself is a once-a-year reserve variant of Dark Hollow, Blue Mountain Barrel House’s signature imperial stout. Compared with the standard Dark Hollow, Concealed Darkness is brewed with double quantities of roast barley, chocolate malt, and oats, and is then aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels for a full year. For the Adonis subvariant, the beer was further aged with the addition of natural vermouth and orange flavors in Oloroso Sherry barrels which were just emptied of Old Elk bourbon that had been resting in them. Previously available only at Blue Mountain’s tasting rooms, there are only 15 cases of Adonis left, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to offer them to our members as a club exclusive.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Adonis pour a deep opaque brown to black with a well-formed tan head. The aromas coming from the bottle as it pours into the glass are incredibly pronounced. There’s a complex interplay of roasted malt with warm notes of bourbon and sherry barrels, complemented by herbal vermouth and bright citrus peel. With a few swirls rich dark cocoa and coffee notes come through as the toast level of the malt makes its appearance.

On the palate the Adonis delivers a symphony of flavors. The initial sip reveals layers of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and darkly caramelized malts, with a pronounced bourbon and vermouth presence that provide warmth and depth. The citrus peel infusion adds subtle complexity and complements the vermouth botanicals with zest and spice notes. The malty stout backbone holds everything together providing a sturdy platform for the layers of flavor to build on.

The Blue Mountain Barrel House Adonis is a full-bodied stout with a velvety smooth mousse and coats the palate with a silky mouthfeel. The alcohol warmth is well integrated and provides for a long, pleasant finish that embraces the fruitiness of the sherry barrels and makes for a truly sophisticated drinking experience. You’ll definitely want to stock up on these!

The Blue Mountain Barrel House Adonis is well built for long term aging yet can be enjoyed now, as we recommend. It’ll pair very well with roasted meat dishes, beef stews, and hearty chili. For dessert, try it with dense chocolate brownies. Cheers!