Potosi Brewing has quietly emerged as a brewery that’s getting recognition for its barrel-aged program. “We’re looking for styles and beers that go well in the barrel and get better with age,” says brewmaster Steve McCoy. Slugger (whiskey barrel-aged imperial stout) and Grand Amber (brandy barrel-aged barley wine) are among my favorite wood-aged brews from McCoy. Now Inner Sanctum joins that list. It’s a rich Belgian quad aged in brandy barrels.
What is it? Inner Sanctum from the Potosi Brewing Company
Style: Quadruples, or quads, are dark black to deep red-garnet in color. They can be quite strong at 9 to 14 percent ABV. Their flavors commonly include a rich maltiness that combines with yeasty hints of raisin, dates, figs, grapes and plums. They are known for complex sweetness and alcoholic warmth.
Background: Inner Sanctum is the first and only Belgian quad from Potosi. As of 2017, the brewery only made it twice before, the last time being in 2015. Its name, “Inner Sanctum” is a reference to the monastery traditions often associated with Belgian brewing.
Potosi’s Inner Sanctum is made with Belgian Melanoidin malt which accentuates the dark fruit flavors. An extended boil for malt caramelization adds a roasted sweetness to body of the beer. There’s also an addition of Belgian candi sugar which increases alcohol. All that goes well with the vanilla, oak and brandy notes from nearly a year in the barrel. “There nothing like those sweet, mild raisiny and caramel notes with brandy and oak,” says McCoy. And I agree, its distinct sweetness and alcohol warmth make it an ideal big beer for winter enjoyment.
I must admit, the label description for Inner Sanctum was apropos for my recent experience with a bomber. It reads “best enjoyed with a smug attitude and a cashmere turtleneck.” Dress code aside, while I swirled the snifter I did feel a little pretentious for how much I enjoyed its sweet decadence and smooth brandy warmth while sipping it in front of a roaring fire on a cold night!
As in many Belgian beers, the yeast and malts take the forefront and the hops lie in the background. This beer is only lightly hopped with herbal-floral Goldings and they never get in the way of the malt, hints of dark fruit, and brandy.
Inner Sanctum finishes at 10.5 percent ABV. It’s sold in single 22-ounce bombers for $19-$20/each.
Another favorite in Potosi’s barrel program, Grand Amber barley wine, recently received a gold medal (exceptional rating) from the Beverage Tasting Institute. It’s latest vintage should be turning up locally by the end of January.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Notes of plum, cherry and apple.
- Appearance: Bronze body with an orange-amber hue. Thin, tan head.
- Texture: Full-bodied, soft and round. Alcoholic warmth from the start.
- Taste: Lots of dark fruit flavors, especially plum and cherry. The oak and brandy are there and they become more evident in the finish.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Woody oak, brandy and apple with lingering warmth.
Glassware: A snifter will encourage slow sipping to appreciate the layers of malt, raisin, plum, cherry and apple amidst the backdrop of oak and brandy.
Pairs well with: sweet soft cheese and sweet desserts. The dark fruits and brandy sweetness are a nice match for chocolate cake, or if you’re looking for a perfect cheese Carr Valley’s Cocoa Cardona is a smooth sweet goat cheese with a rind of hand-rubbed cocoa powder.
The Verdict: Inner Sanctum hits all the right notes for me. Rich caramel, toffee and dark fruit flavors meld with the brandy notes and oak from barrel aging. Potosi’s barrel-aging program is top flight and too often overlooked. Find this one and cellar a few bottles. Just a few weeks ago the Malt House hosted a tasting that included the 2015 vintage and it had aged wonderfully well. Inner Sanctum is among my favorites of the year.
