BuckleDown Brewing and Vault Comics recently collaborated on Barbaric Blood Red Ale, launching Friday, Dec. 15. It’s an American Red Ale, offering rich malt flavor, subtle sweetness and a blood-reddish hue. It’s a well-balanced, approachable beer, clocking in at 6.5% ABV. Fans of BuckleDown Brewing and Barbaric can be the first to taste the beer at the BuckleDown Brewing taproom in Lyons, Illinois, on Friday, Dec. 15.

The launch party kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with Barbaric Blood Red Ale on draft and available to-go in 16-ounce four-packs. Additionally, fans of the comic can meet Michael Moreci, writer, and co-creator of Barbaric, who will be onsite to celebrate the launch of the beer, chat all things Barbaric, and sign copies of the comic.

Tasting Notes

Barbaric Blood Red Ale is an American Red Ale. The beer is brewed with authentic Pale Ale malt, giving the beer a bready backbone that complements the robust spiciness of the rye malt used. Chinook hops add subtle notes of pine, which helps deliver a well-rounded, yet bold brew. The goal was to make this beer approachable at a middle-of-the-road 6.5% ABV. The Pale Ale malt used offers a reddish hue, to play off of Barbaric comic character, Axe, who gets drunk on blood. BuckleDown Brewing nailed this beer. It’s an incredible beer to pair with Barbaric, which is Vault Comics’s best-selling fantasy series. It’s sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide and was named one of the best comics of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, Thrillist, CBR and Comics Beat.

Taproom Release

On Friday, Dec. 15, BuckleDown and Barbaric fans can celebrate the release of Barbaric Blood Red Ale. The beer will be available on draft with four-packs available for purchase. Fans of Barbaric can meet author and co-creator Michael Moreci, grab copies of the comic, get them signed, and celebrate with a pint or two.

Where to Find Barbaric Blood Red Ale

If you can’t make the taproom release on Dec. 15, the beer will be available while it lasts at BuckleDown Brewing (8700 47th Street, Lyons, Illinois) and at Chicagoland Binny’s Beverage Depot locations.

Recommended Pairings

Barbaric Blood Red Ale is a solid American Red Ale. It pairs nicely with a variety of foods, namely meats, tangy cheeses and anything with a little bit of spice. The beer’s maltiness helps balance spicer foods, including a nice bowl of chili, piled high with oyster crackers. To pay homage to Owen’s blood-drunk, talking axe, pair the beer with steak, extra bloody.

Barbaric Can Art

While there are many exciting beer collaborations, Barbaric is an especially fun one. It makes sense for a craft brewery and a comic book series to come together. The style itself is based on Owen the barbarian’s talking axe, who gets drunk on blood, hence the style name, “Blood” Red Ale. The can art was done by Barbaric artist, Nathan Gooden, and features Owen the Barbarian and his talking, blood-drunk axe.

While Barbaric is the first collaboration between BuckleDown Brewing and Vault Comics, there’s a lot of opportunity for future iterations. The team has already brainstormed ideas for future releases and artwork. In February 2024, a brand new series is set to release, Barbaric: Born in Blood. Until then, swing by BuckleDown Brewing on Friday, Dec. 15 to sample Barbaric Blood Red Ale on draft, or pick up a four-pack from your local Binny’s.

Cheers!

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