Baxter: Hayride

Aged on American Oak is a phrase that always gives me pause when I'm drinking beer. Yes, oak aging can give a beer added complexity with nice vanilla overtones and a woody finish, but sometimes it can made an already sweet beer nothing but a big ol' sweet bomb. Luckily for my taste buds, Baxter Brewing Hayride is the former. Brewed with two rye malts, new zealand hops and then aged in fresh oak with ginger, black pepper and orange peel, this beer is all subtly all the way. It's got a nice hint of everything, with that spicy rye, ginger, and black pepper working together, the orange peel and sweet malt working together, then finishing with a nice light touch of wood on the tongue. It's complex enough that you can just sit back and sip on it and easy drinking enough that you might not even notice it. It also pours pretty dam ugly, so I might leave it in the can unless you like it dirty. But that's up to you.