Looking back on the last 10 years, the craft community has been graced by some seriously awesome beers — like the bright pulpiness of Tree House’s Julius, the chili-chocolate depths of Perennial’s Abraxas, and how could I forget the caramel-spice of Anchorage’s Endless Ending?

For some of us, these brews got us started in the craft world and totally changed our lives!

But, as a close friend of Fremont Brewing here in Seattle, I can tell you that their Barrel-Aged beauties are always the bottles I pull out when I want to impress friends and families. 

After all, this team is decked head to toe in awards with 17 medals at the Washington Beer Awards alone!

So, what better way to celebrate Fremont’s ten years of craft beer excellence than with TWO vintages straight from their cellar: today’s B-Bomb (2014) Winter Ale and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star (2014) Imperial Stout.

Ranked as the #5 Strong Ale in the World on BeerAdvocate, B-Bomb is one of Fremont’s most prized pours. This bourbon-soaked sipper is a blend of 9, 12, and 24-month old barrel-aged Winter Ales that were then aged in 12-year-old American Oak Bourbon barrels. 

With every mouthful, you’ll experience how Fremont’s masterful barrel-aging develops layers of woody vanilla, dark cacao, dried figs, roasty dark coffee, and of course, caramelly Bourbon.

And, since today’s special B-Bomb vintage has been slumbering in the cellar for FIVE freakin’ years, even the gargantuan 11% ABV sips sinfully-smooth, showcasing the very best of this coveted series.

If that wasn’t enough to steal the spotlight from all the other Dark Beers your friends have in their collections, just whip out the same year’s vintage of Bourbon Barrel-Aged Dark Star. This badass brew holds the prestigious spot as the #3 Oatmeal Stout in the World on BeerAdvocate.

For this black-as-night pour, the brewers blended 8, 12, and 18-month old Dark Star and aged it to oaky perfection in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels. Every mouthful is like biting into a rich, Bourbon-infused chocolate truffle with just a whisper of roasty espresso. 

The silky body envelopes the taste buds in waves of baker’s chocolate, honeyed dates, and burnt toffee. The half-decade spent aging has mellowed the huge 11% ABV to a spectacularly smooth finish that swims with oaked vanilla and caramel complexity.

With huge flavors like that, it’s no wonder Paste Mag put BBADS on their list of the 25 Best Beers of the decade!

So, grab your bottles of these brilliantly aged Bourbon masterpieces now, get out those sparklers, and ring in 2020 while indulging with your friends.

B-Bomb (2014) rated 4.49 on Untappd; BBADS (2014) rated 4.42 on Untappd

*We’ve done our best to procure as many bottles as Fremont was willing to part with, but we apologize in advance for not being able to accommodate everyone.

Tavour strictly supports independent beer. Fremont Brewing is certified independent by the Brewers Association