AleSmith Barrel Aged Decadence 2007

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Diego, California USA

25 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown body with a one finger fizzy brown head that fell to a thin partial covering. The nose is bourbon, vanilla, oak, burnt caramel, black strap molasses, moderate alcohol, and a touch of oxidation. Pretty nice thus far. Nicely balanced between the beer and the bourbon, it’s very chocolaty with lots of licorice and some caramel sweetness before the vanilla, char, and oak come out towards the finish. Very well hidden alcohol, the more I drink the easier drinking it gets. AleSmith seems to be especially good at making their BA beers seem not overly boozy. The feel of it isn’t overly thick, it’s actually very drinkable in that way. Seems a bit thinner than what the regular version was. Perfect lightly fizzy carbonation cuts through the sweetness well. A 10% beer that isn’t even warming. This was pretty delicious, I think that this was way better than the regular version.

Bottle purchased at the release, and opened at Alesmith, when a friend was in town. Black color with tan head. Leans a bit roasty and boozy. Buttery/vanilla barrel characterstics are a little hidden. Leans a little dry, which helps the drinkability. Very good

Pours an opaque chocolate brown with very little tan head. Aroma is very much alcohol/whiskey. flavor is nutty chocolate with definite alcohol/whiskey. Palate is creamy with high carbonation.

Black with milky skin and thin edges. Balsamic vinegar and cherry aroma, with minerals, especially calcium like in hard water, and plenty or rich dark chocolate and gamey meat. Bold and warm.

Flavors are of course really huge; black licorice, sarsaparilla and german chocolate in front; very hot, but it never really burns or gets medicinal because its heavy enough to support it. Still eventually it starts only to taste like chocolate and alcohol; the malts are huge and its still way too young.

It has the same vaguely hollow feel that a lack or good yeast flavors gives to a lot of these beers. Overall the palate is medium, with high carbonation, and so the high alcohol becomes distracting, and it finishes with heat and fruit, somewhat like a blueberry vodka; its ok now and it just needs to mellow out. Thanks Zac!

Courtesy of some cool ratebeer dude. Pours dark brown with bronze edges and tan head. The aroma is big boozy barrel notes of bourbon, oak vanilla and heat to go along with chocolate brownie in the background. The taste brings up initial notes of vanilla, chocolate, caramel (ok, great start) and roastiness. Wow, that comes together very nicely. The barrel boozy bourbon picks up toward midway carrying along some oak. The barrel notes begin to fade as the finish approaches leaving behind tasty snippets of chocolate and caramel. Nice. For my taste it could use a bit less barrel time.

Bottle via trade thanks to TheRealBastard on BA. Excellent appearance: jet black with a creamy tan head that lasts forever and good lacing. Aroma is chocolate, roast, caramel, bourbon, oak, and vanilla. Flavor is just a bit hot but very good, high on the bourbon, along with rich chocolate, caramel, toffee, oak, and vanilla. Complex with a long finish. Palate is extremely smooth and creamy with medium-full body. Surprisingly drinkable.

Pours black with a red tint and a light brown head.. Aroma is bourbon, vanilla and coconuts.. Flavor is bourbon, roasted malts, and dark chocolate, still kinda hot.. Good amount of carbonation. One of my faves.

Decided to treat myself tonight for no reason other than being nicotine free for a good amount of days. Pours a pretty dark brown with a very sustainable pinkish-hued chocolate milk head. The nose was extremely alcoholic and boozy...but bending toward rubbing alcohol/paint remover with chocolate, toffee, molasses, and bourbon...Just overly stinging in the nostrils. Flavors are tangy nuts and loads of toffee, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and big bourbon boozy character carrying things about. Pretty adequate hopped still surprisingly...though some of that bite could be the peppery alcohol...because this beer is hot and boozy and pretty much exemplify those terms. The flavors are very nice, but it still seems hot and harsh and my other bottle isn’t being opened for several more years.