Brewed with black malts to give a dark twist on a Biere de Garde, before being aged in ex-pinot noir barrels from Framingham winery. Rich and sweet on the nose, banoffee pie up front tempered by a savory, smoky char from the barrel further in. The palate is dry and mild, with complex biscuity malts before the oaky char returns for the lengthy finish. There’s zero barrel funk and very little hop bitterness, which makes this a weighty (6 per cent) but smooth and gentle drop. An iron fist in a velvet glove, just like good pinot noir aspires to be.
