Blyth, Ontario-based Cowbell Brewing Co has launched the first beer in its Anniversary Series.

The beer, which was brewed at the Cowbell Farm on the company’s opening day last August, is an 11.7% Barleywine aged for twelve months until its release on Cowbell’s first anniversary.

This beer rested in one of the two specialty black fermentation vessels, and matured as more than 150,000 guests passed through the doors to visit the Cowbell Farm.

“The beer has lived with us over the past year,” says brewmaster Stephen Rich. “Through growing pains and triumphs, holidays and celebrations, and it fully represents the culmination of our hard work, dedication and passion.” 

The beer was brewed with eight malts, demerara brown sugar, and dark Belgian Candi Syrup. It has been matured for an entire year, left unfiltered and unpasteurized, and will continue to mature and evolve for 10 years or more in the bottle.

It resembles the type of complexity and depth typically reserved for port and spirits, offering notes of toffee, dark fruit and vanilla, and is best enjoyed with family and friends, the brewery said.

Brewing Almanac 2018 also marks the beginning of the journey for Cowbell’s one-of-a-kind vintage beer, in conjunction with the Anniversary Series.

Of the 100HL of Almanac 2018, only 50HL are packaged for release in 2018 – the remainder is left in the beautiful black fermenter by Cowbell’s front entrance. 

“On our first anniversary, we brewed Almanac 2019, a deep and rich Imperial Stout. Half of that brew will mature for 12-months with us and will be bottled as the Almanac 2019 release,” added Rich.

“The other half will be blended with Almanac 2018, creating Cowbell’s first release in our Vintage Series, to be released in 2019 on Cowbell’s second anniversary, along with Almanac 2019.”