Yorocco Y/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping (Barrel Aged Brux Porter 7%) Tasting Review

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Sharing the craft beer experience through an IT engineer's perspective. As a certified beer judge in Japan, I participated in the 2024 JGBA competitions. Currently based in Seattle, I offer brewing process insights and reviews while comparing craft cultures between the US and Japan.

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🍺 Yorocco Y/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping(Barrel Aged Brux Porter 7%)Tasting Review

Yorocco / Y/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping (Barrel Aged Brux Porter 7%)

🍺 What You’ll Learn in This Article

  • Features of Yorocco brewery’s barrel-aged wild ale “Blackbird Sipping”
  • Complex brewing process using cognac barrels and Brettanomyces (wild yeast)
  • Unique flavor from strawberry second use and bottle conditioning
  • The appeal of the rare style called Barrel Aged Brux Porter

📋 About This Article
The following tasting review is based on personal impressions. Beer taste varies from person to person, and perceptions may change depending on the drinker and environment. For official information about Yorocco brewery, please check the reference information at the end of the article.

This article is based on a tasting experience from December 2022, updated in June 2025.

I tasted Yorocco brewery’s special barrel-aged beer “Y/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping”. This is truly an artistic beer that has undergone the complex process of aging in cognac barrels with Brettanomyces (wild yeast) and strawberry infusion.

🏭 About Yorocco Brewery

Yorocco brewery is known in Japan’s craft beer industry for its particularly experimental and artistic approach. Unbound by conventional beer styles, they pursue unique flavors by utilizing special brewing techniques such as wild ales and barrel aging. The Y/B/A/P (Yorocco Barrel Aged Project) series is a limited release series that represents the crystallization of the brewery’s technical expertise.

ホプくん
Hop-kun

Yorocco is one of Japan’s most experimental breweries hop! Using wild yeast and barrel aging techniques, they create beers with complexity like wine or champagne hop!

ルネちゃん
Lune-chan

Cognac barrels? You mean the brandy barrels woof? What kind of flavor does that create?

りほくん
Riho-kun

Cognac barrels impart woody aromas and residual brandy notes. When combined with wild yeast, it creates complex and profound flavors.

📊 Beer Basic Information

BreweryYorocco brewery
Beer NameY/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping
StyleBarrel Aged Brux Porter
Alcohol Content7% ABV
Barrel UsedFrench Cognac Barrel
FeaturesBrettanomyces used, strawberry infusion, bottle conditioning

🔬 Brewing Process (Verified Facts)

📝 About Information Sources
The following brewing information is based on information from the brewery provided in the original article. For the latest accurate information, please check Yorocco brewery’s official website.

The complex brewing process for this beer is as follows:

  • December 25, 2020: Brewing begins
  • February 9, 2021: Transferred to oak barrels used at a French cognac distillery, Brettanomyces (wild yeast) added
  • April 2021: Strawberry (Second Use) infusion
  • February 1, 2022: Bottling, followed by bottle conditioning and aging

Brewing Terminology Explanation (Objective Information):

  • Brettanomyces: A type of wild yeast used in wine and beer fermentation. Creates distinctive sourness and aroma
  • Second Use: Reusing fruit that has been used once. Provides milder flavors than first use
  • Bottle Conditioning: Fermentation that continues in the bottle after bottling. Creates natural carbonation and complex flavors
りほくん
Riho-kun

It’s a complex brewing process with about 2 years of aging. The combination of wild yeast, barrels, and strawberries is very experimental, truly like an artistic beer.

🍺 Tasting Review (Subjective Evaluation)

🎨 Appearance

When poured into a glass, a beautiful deep black liquid appears. When light is applied, a slightly brownish hue can be seen, giving a mysterious impression. Yeast sediment (lees) from bottle conditioning can be confirmed at the bottom of the bottle, showing this is a living beer.

ホプくん
Hop-kun

You need to be careful when pouring bottle-conditioned beer hop! The trick is to pour slowly and carefully to avoid stirring up the lees hop!

👃 Aroma

📝 About Aroma Evaluation
The following aroma evaluations are subjective expressions based on the author’s personal senses. Aroma perception varies greatly between individuals, and the same beer may give different impressions.

Aroma (Orthonasal) (Subjective Evaluation): Complex lambic-like aromas rise up. After the distinctive sourness from wild yeast, complex aromas like soy sauce follow. Sweetness can also be perceived, and these elements maintain an exquisite balance.

Flavor (Retronasal) (Subjective Evaluation): Lambic-like yet fruity aromas are impressive. The sourness is not too strong, with a characteristic mellow fruitiness. It combines characteristics of green apple and orange, with a unique expression that also includes sake-like aromas.

ルネちゃん
Lune-chan

What’s lambic-like woof? I’m also curious about the sake-like aroma woof!

りほくん
Riho-kun

Lambic is a traditional Belgian wild yeast fermented beer. The work of wild yeast creates complex sourness and aromas. The sake-like aroma is influenced by unique compounds from the fermentation process.

👅 Taste

Mouthfeel (Subjective Evaluation): Porter-like mouthfeel reminiscent of chocolate. The gap from the aroma is very interesting, with a moderate bitterness that can be felt.

Body and Texture (Subjective Evaluation): Unexpected clarity from the aroma coexists with the expected crispness. Despite being crisp, the burnt sensation makes a solid statement. A mysterious texture where the char contributes to bitterness but never too harsh. The sourness is also gentle, with the liquid itself being very clear and beautifully finished.

Moment of Swallowing (Subjective Evaluation): The porter-like richness is felt at the moment of swallowing, while marmalade-like flavors also appear. There’s a pleasant sensation like burnt bread crust with the unpleasant bitterness removed, with absolutely no unpleasant aftertaste.

Aftertaste (Subjective Evaluation): A mellow soy sauce sensation remains, feeling like mitarashi dango flavors. Within this, lambic-like sourness is also included, with a lingering finish that feels complex and romantic.

Flavor Profile (Personal Impression)

Sourness 3/5
From wild yeast
Sweetness 2/5
From strawberry, barrel
Bitterness 3/5
From porter, char
Body 3/5
Medium body

⚠️ About Bottle Sediment (Lees)

When the bottle sediment (yeast sediment) is mixed in, the wild character becomes stronger. It may have a slightly raw smell, so I recommend enjoying the clear portion without mixing in the lees.

🌟 Overall Impression

Yorocco Y/B/A/P #008 Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping is an extremely interesting and delicious beer. So complex that you want to drink it with various people and exchange impressions, it can be called an artistic work where barrel aging and wild fermentation techniques are magnificently fused.

🏆 Yorocco Barrel Aged Blackbird Sipping Overall Rating

🎨 Appearance
8/10
👃 Aroma
9/10
👅 Taste
8.5/10
🌟 Originality
9.5/10
🏆 Overall Rating
8.7/10
⭐ Excellent – Artistic Barrel-Aged Wild Ale
ルネちゃん
Lune-chan

Such a complex beer, what kind of food would pair well with it woof? I want to drink it on special occasions woof!

りほくん
Riho-kun

It pairs well with cheese and meat dishes. I think pairing it especially with blue cheese or game meat would bring out the complexity. I hope you’ll take your time to savor and enjoy it.


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🛍️ Purchase & Related Products

Here are recommended related products for those who want to enjoy more Yorocco Barrel Aged Brux Porter and barrel-aged beers.

ホプくん
Hop-kun

There are glasses and related books suitable for enjoying barrel-aged beers and wild ales hop! Items to deeply understand complex flavors hop!

🍷 Barrel-Aged Beer & Wild Ale Related

🛍️ Recommended Products

🍺 Barrel-Aged Beer & Wild Ale
Why not explore domestic and international craft beers from experimental breweries like Yorocco that use barrel-aging techniques?
▶ Search on Rakuten | ▶ Search on Amazon
🍷 Wine Glasses & Brandy Glasses
Glasses that maximize the complex aromas and flavors of barrel-aged beers.
▶ Search on Rakuten | ▶ Search on Amazon
📚 Knowledge of Barrel-Aged Beer & Wild Ale
Specialized books recommended for those who want to deepen their knowledge of barrel-aging techniques and wild yeast fermentation.
▶ Search on Rakuten | ▶ Search on Amazon
りほくん
Riho-kun

Barrel-aged beers can be enjoyed even more when drunk from proper glasses, as the aromas become more pronounced. Please fully savor the complex flavors.

ルネちゃん
Lune-chan

I want to read books about barrel-aged beer and learn more deeply woof♪

🏷️ Other Yorocco Beer Reviews

We also publish review articles for other craft beers from Yorocco brewery. Please check out other works from this brewery created with their experimental and artistic approach.

List of Yorocco Beer Reviews

Japan Craft Beer Journey

The author, who lived in Japan until 2024, shares records of travels exploring craft beer scenes across the country. From Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south, visiting unique breweries throughout Japan. Publishing reports on experiencing Japan’s craft beer culture, from brewery-operated taprooms to locally-rooted beer pubs. Content exploring the charm of Japanese craft beer in depth, including seasonal limited brews, unique beers using local ingredients, and conversations with brewmasters, can be found on this tag page.

Japan アーカイブ - りほのビール旅行記 - アメリカと日本のブルワリー訪問
「Japan」の記事一覧です。

American Craft Beer Journey

The author, currently residing in Seattle, shares records of travels exploring the craft beer scenes in the US and Canada. Publishing reports on brewery visits across North America, from popular breweries in Los Angeles to hidden gems in Portland and unique taprooms in Vancouver. Content exploring North American beer culture in depth, including limited beers only available locally and conversations with brewers, can be found on this category page.

USA アーカイブ - りほのビール旅行記 - アメリカと日本のブルワリー訪問
「USA」の記事一覧です。

📚 Reference Information

Reliable information sources used for fact-checking this article:

  • Yorocco brewery Official Websitehttps://yorocco-beer.com/ (Confirmed: June 18, 2025)
  • Japan Beer Certification Association – Barrel-Aged Beer Style Guide (Confirmed: June 18, 2025)
  • Belgian Beer Association – Wild Ale & Lambic Information (Confirmed: June 18, 2025)
  • Craft Beer Brewery Association Japan – Japanese Craft Brewery Information (Confirmed: June 18, 2025)

※Information is subject to change without notice. Please check each official website for the latest information.

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