About This Beer
Pointy Shoes began life as a celebratory stout and has grown into Wicklow Wolf’s most anticipated annual barrel-aged release. The 2025 edition is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout at 13% ABV, matured to draw out layers of oak, vanilla and caramelised sugars while preserving a dense core of dark malt flavour. Brewed and packaged in Bray, Co. Wicklow, it exemplifies the craftsmanship and ambition of Irish craft beer, offering a sipping experience that evolves in the glass from first pour to final drop.
This year’s Pointy Shoes is built on a robust grist featuring chocolate and roasted malts for cocoa, espresso and char, supported by crystal malts that lend toffee and dried-fruit nuance. Time in bourbon casks adds vanilla, toasted coconut and gentle tannin, knitting sweetness and roast into a seamless whole. The alcohol is warming but well-integrated; carbonation is measured to keep the body plush without becoming cloying. Serve slightly below room temperature in a tulip or snifter to let the bourbon and cacao notes open fully. If dark beer is your thing, you’ll find plenty more to love when you browse our Stout & Porter collection.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Near-opaque ebony with a deep espresso rim; tight tan head that laces slowly.
Aroma: Intense dark chocolate and roasted coffee upfront, unfolding into bourbon vanilla, toasted coconut, oak spice and hints of date and fig.
Flavour: Waves of cacao, molasses and espresso glide into bourbon caramel, vanilla and gentle char; subtle tannin and roast bitterness balance the rich sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, velvety and warming; low-moderate carbonation supports a long, satisfying finish.
About the Brewery
Wicklow Wolf Brewing Company has earned a reputation as one of Ireland’s most quality-driven independent breweries, known for expressive hop-forward ales, seasonal specials and a serious barrel-ageing programme. Pointy Shoes sits at the apex of that programme—released in numbered Endangered Species batches and brewed to showcase patience, precision and barrel stewardship. From grain selection to conditioning time, every step is calibrated to deliver depth without sacrificing balance. The result is a collectible Irish imperial stout that rewards slow sipping now and careful cellaring for future vertical tastings.
Food Pairings
Match Pointy Shoes 2025 with desserts that echo its chocolate-bourbon profile: flourless chocolate cake, sticky toffee pudding, pecan pie or a scoop of salted-caramel ice cream. For cheese, choose powerful, creamy options like Cashel Blue, Gubbeen or a mature farmhouse cheddar—the beer’s sweetness and oak soften the edges while roasted bitterness refreshes the palate. Savoury pairings also shine: cocoa-rubbed short ribs, BBQ brisket, venison stew or smoked mushrooms on sourdough all resonate with the stout’s roasted depth and bourbon-driven vanilla.
Midway through your tasting, keep the dark-beer theme going—discover more robust pours across our Stout & Porter selection or contrast with a bright pale ale to reset the palate before dessert.
Browse our Belgian Beer, German Beer, Irish Craft Beer, or Beer Kegs.
Shop the best of craft beer Ireland and from around the world online with TheCru.ie or in our Dublin craft beer store, Carry Out Tyrrelstown in Dublin 15