Ballast Point Three Sheets Barrel-Aged Rum

   There is a common lovelorn lust amongst those of burgundian designs and intentions. Brewers are chefs, chefs are brewers, and distillers are either/or/all the above. It is an appreciation of the flavor of life and the flavors that is life. The fine peeps and peepettes at Ballast Point Brewing of San Diego, California. But wait! They just aren’t Ballast Point Brewing but Ballast Point Brewing & Sprits. That’s right; spirits. Not only are they passionate about the fermentables; they are passionate about distillates too. Quirky. Funky. Fun. Unique. And above all, artisanal.
During the deliciously decadent indulgence that was the Ballast Point Brewmaster Dinner at Town Crier Pub of Tradition, a very generous rep from way out west flew himself to our Treasure Coast to espouse the virtues of his very virtuous beer. Ballast Point often is overlooked by geeks visiting San Diego, and they shouldn’t because a jewel blessed by Mother Ocean herself awaits. For a burgundian such as myself, it’s not just about the beer but about everything offered.
And offer they did. Actually, I should say offer did Earl. As I reminisce on my tastetacular journey through her sugar-cane depths, all I can say is AAARGH! Hide the rum.

Color: golden grains. Gold doubloon. Copper pennies along the edges.

Nose: heat hits in the back. Caramel apples. Cinnamon sticks. Has a pervasive stickiness which lingers in the nose. Lemon and orange oil. Oiled leather. Acorns. Red apple flesh. Candied fruit sweetness. Stewed peach skins, apricot specifically.

Body: medium to medium-light. Solid blanket of tears. Sweet and spicy in the middle. Sticky along the sides quaff to quaff.

Palate: lemon and pepper and spice in the middle. Honeyed candied sugar cane sweetness. Dry on top of the breath. Honey, lemon and orange oils on lips. Oak and coconut husks. Hit of heat deep in the middle of chest. Lemon rind and orange rind leads into oils. Lovely. Acorns in the breath. Chestnuts?

Finish: relatively clean, short, and to the point. Heat and lemon pepper tickle the breath long after. Pepper corns atop tongue and lemon rind along the edges.

Overall I was more than pleased with my first offering from Ballast Point and their spirits division. I'd love to dabble in more of their artisanal spirits and someday I will. I love to dabble in all things artisanal with flavor and personality of which Ballast Point has all the above and more. Stay tuned...

(original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)