I’m a beer guy, first and foremost. But sometimes, cocktails are in order.

Luckily, I don’t have to compromise — Mikkeller San Diego made my favorite sipping cocktail into a delicious beer! They combined the cherry-kissed, bourbon-y backbone of an Old Fashioned with the smooth, caramell-y force of a Barleywine!

They call it Øl Fashioned. To make it, the brewers age their 11.6% ABV Barleywine base for over three years in a blend of spiced cherry bitters, orange bitters, and bourbon barrels. Each sip welcomes warming notes of dark cherry pie, spritzy citrus zest, and waves of top shelf whiskey. A touch of sweet cinnamon toffee comes through in the middle, before fading off into relaxing herbal notes on the finish.

Barleywines are already an elegant option for when you want to hang out and sip something slowly. Combine that with the classic taste of an Old Fashioned cocktail, and what more could you need?

Maybe just some good friends to enjoy all the complexities of Øl Fashioned with you.

*Mikkeller won “Danish Brewery of the Year” a whopping THREE times and frequently shows up on “Best Brewery” lists all over the globe!