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Wicklow Wolf Pointy Shoes 2026 Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout 44cl 14.3% is Endangered Species No. 70 and the 12th anniversary edition of one of the County Wicklow brewery's biggest annual releases.
First released in 2019 to celebrate Wicklow Wolf's fifth birthday, Pointy Shoes has since developed into an annual anniversary tradition. The concept remains suitably ambitious: brew an Imperial Stout, mature it in bourbon barrels and release a new edition to celebrate another year in the story of the independent Irish brewery.
For Pointy Shoes 2026, Wicklow Wolf has aged the Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels for 12 months. That extended maturation brings smooth bourbon, oak and vanilla into a beer already packed with rich roasted coffee and dark chocolate character.
At 14.3% ABV, this is a seriously big beer. It is full-bodied, warming and intensely flavoured, intended for slow drinking rather than the easy-drinking character of a conventional stout.
The release is also exceptionally limited. Wicklow Wolf has produced only 2,026 cans of Pointy Shoes 2026, tying the size of the release to its year.
For fans of limited-edition Irish craft beer, barrel-aged beers and powerful Imperial Stouts, Pointy Shoes 2026 is one of the more distinctive releases in Wicklow Wolf's 2026 calendar.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Deep black and almost completely opaque.
- Aroma: Smooth bourbon and sweet vanilla accompanied by oak, roasted coffee and dark chocolate.
- Flavour: Rich coffee and chocolate form the core of the beer, layered with bourbon, vanilla and warming woody notes from 12 months in barrel.
- Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, rich and warming, with the 14.3% ABV adding considerable weight and intensity.
- Finish: Long and warming, with lingering bourbon, vanilla, coffee, chocolate and oak.
The bourbon-barrel character complements rather than replaces the underlying Imperial Stout. Vanilla and bourbon bring sweetness and depth, while roasted coffee, dark chocolate and oak provide the darker flavours and structure expected from a beer of this size.
This is a beer worth allowing to warm gradually in the glass. Serving it too cold can mute some of the more complex chocolate, vanilla, bourbon and oak aromas.
About the Brewery
Wicklow Wolf is an independent Irish craft brewery founded in 2014 and based in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow.
The story behind the name Pointy Shoes goes all the way back to the brewery's beginnings. Before Wicklow Wolf had its first permanent home, co-founder Quincey Fennelly worked in the corporate drinks industry. While trying to secure premises for the new brewery, he arrived at a meeting with a prospective landlord still wearing his suit and what fellow founder Simon Lynch jokingly referred to as his “pointy shoes”.
The nickname stuck.
When Wicklow Wolf brewed an Imperial Stout to mark its fifth birthday in 2019, Pointy Shoes became the name of the beer. It has returned for subsequent anniversaries and developed into a recurring celebration of the brewery's beginnings.
The 2026 release marks Wicklow Wolf's 12th anniversary and is part of the brewery's Endangered Species series. These releases give the brewery an opportunity to produce limited and experimental beers outside its regular core range, with Pointy Shoes 2026 carrying the number 70.
The brewery describes its mission as creating exceptional beers without compromise, with passion and in a sustainable way. From its home in County Wicklow, it now produces a broad range spanning accessible core beers and more experimental limited releases.
You can explore more Wicklow Wolf beers at TheCru.ie, including the brewery's pale ales, IPAs, lagers, sours and stouts.
Food Pairings
A 14.3% Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout calls for food with enough intensity to stand alongside it.
Dark chocolate is an excellent match. The bitterness of high-cocoa chocolate complements the roasted coffee and chocolate character of the stout, while bourbon and vanilla add a sweeter contrast.
Rich chocolate brownies, chocolate cake or a dark chocolate dessert can work for the same reason, particularly when the dessert isn't excessively sweet.
Strong cheese provides another option. A mature blue cheese has enough flavour and saltiness to stand alongside the beer, with the sweeter bourbon and vanilla notes providing contrast.
For something savoury, try Pointy Shoes with smoked or slow-cooked beef. Roasted, charred and caramelised flavours can echo the beer's darker malt, bourbon and oak character.
It also works extremely well on its own as an after-dinner beer. Pour it into a smaller glass and give it time to warm and develop rather than drinking it straight from the fridge.
Try More Like This
If you enjoy Pointy Shoes 2026, our Stout & Porter collection is the best place to discover more Imperial Stouts, barrel-aged beers and rich dark beer styles.
For more from the brewery itself, browse the complete Wicklow Wolf range. This is particularly useful if you want to explore how the brewery's limited releases compare with its core Irish craft beer range.
You can also browse our wider Craft Beer & Craft Cider collection to discover craft beer from Ireland and breweries around the world.
With 12 months of bourbon-barrel ageing, a substantial 14.3% ABV and only 2,026 cans released, Pointy Shoes 2026 is a particularly limited addition to Wicklow Wolf's annual anniversary series.
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.