We have a special beer here in Cincinnati, one in which is hard to pass up when you find it and has more delicious variations than Lady Gaga’s wardrobe. Listermann Brewing Co. is the proud father of Chickow!, a Hazelnut Double Brown Ale weighing in at a hefty 10% ABV. It has grown from a local favorite to being nationally recognized at the 2016 Festival of Barrel Aged Beers in Chicago. Listermann brought home two medals this year with their Barrel Aged Chickow! Not only did it win gold in the category of Speciality/Experimental beer, but it won the highest award of being Best in Show!

Barrel Aged Chickow! took home Silver in its category at the 2015 FOBAB festival, and this year has advanced to Gold and Best in Show.  “We were very excited to win a gold medal in our category as it was an improvement in our silver for Chickow! from last year,” says Jason Brewer, the General Manager at Listermann/Triple Digit. He continues, “We were still high-fiving and hugging each other when we heard our name announced for best in show. I don’t know if it will ever sink in.” There have been many variations Chickow! from Maple Chickow! to Cinnamon Roll Chickow! and it has even grown into its own exclusive club called the League of Extraordinary Chcikows! Today we are highlighting the tried and true Barrel Aged Chickow! aged in Heaven Hill Barrels.

Barrel Aged Chickow! pours a strong dark hue with some light brown overtones on the rim. There is little to no head in this aged beauty. The aroma though, that is where the real sensory journey begins. Smells of vanilla, hazelnut, toasted and charred oak all meld together in a wonderful bouquet. The body is surprisingly light for the boldness of flavors you experience. It’s a nice change of pace coming from the big and chewy barrel aged beers. In Chickow! you can experience all the flavors it has to offer without being weighed down by heavy malts. Flavors of rich hazelnut, decadent vanilla, and warming bourbon all dance on your tongue while it goes down smooth and flavorful all the way.

Listermann’s has a 10bbl mash tun and Chickow! is brewed in 20 bbl batches, so to achieve the strong and decadent flavors the brew is mashed four times and boiled twice, resulting in a full-bodied Double Brown Ale. It’s then transferred to Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels where it slumbers and waits for the bottling day. It is always a good day when Listermann’s releases a new beer, but with Chickow! it’s an extra special day. There will be a dozen variants on draft along with the award winning bottle release. Listermann’s always makes sure to try and allow everyone to get some, so don’t let the long line shy you away. Whether you’re on the east coast, west coast, or down home in the Midwest, try to get your hands on this trophy of beer and experience the wonder of Chickow!

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