Auburn Alehouse Brewer’s Reserve: Old Prospector (Barrel Aged)

Brewed by Auburn Alehouse (CA)
Style: Barley Wine
Auburn, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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2011 vintage. Bottle #417. Aged in Zinfandel Barrels. 22oz bottle purchased from The Davis Food Co-Op. The aroma on this is very elegant. Lots of dark, caramelized, pitted fruits present. There is a bit of cardboardy oxidation, not to mention a bit of a vinous character, which is likely imparted by the barrel. This is soooo quaffable! Moderately transparent garnet, dark amber body with a bit of a small head present. The head is light yellow. The lacing and legging are average. Starts a bit fruity and vinous. There’s a little booziness up front, which is weird. In the middle, there are a whole host of dark pitted fruits like dates and figs and raisins present. Some caramel flavor is there and it becomes a little woody after that. Finishes with a bit of a burnt character, and some light ethanolic booziness. This beer is decent, but the aroma is the best part.

After pouring i noticed little head retention and a awesome deep brown color. First taste confirms my nose. Very sweet/malty chocolate or coffee malt may have been used. This beer has slight bitterness and a full bodied taste just like most barley wines. There is that malty taste til the aftertaste when the bitterness comes, but not much bitterness. There is little carbination. The second taste you taste the alcohol and feel it on the back of ur throat and in your nose as you exhale. You taste the slight coffee taste on the back of your tounge. Overall a good barley wine, worth a buy good job A.Alehouse

Bottle at Sour Sunday. Pours very dark brown with bubbles. Bourbon/vanilla over brown sugar for aroma. Med body. Flavor is bourbon/vanilla followed by dark sugar. Mild oak notes - but lots of astringency. Good barrel! I didn’t get grape at all, and apparently the vanilla aspect fooled my brain.

BA bottle number 302 from 2011 thanks to billshmeinke. Pours with a hazy, very deep brown body with a frothy off-white head with some lace. Aromas are of brown sugar, vinous, spicy, red wine, light pepper, oak, tannin and caramel. Flavors show a lot of vanillin, caramel, oak and tannin, caramel, bitter, red wine and butterscotch. Medium bodied, full body and good tannin.

Bottle. Rusty brown pour with a minimal cream colored head. Carmelized sugar and booze in the nose. Not as hoppy as I recalled from having this on tap. It’s sweet and has flavors of oak, raisins, and a slight drying effect from the Zin barrel. Thin body and alcohol heat isn’t too much but lingers for a while after the sip.

Poured a hazy amber with a lingering ring of ambere foam. Aromas of oak, vanilla, zin, carmel and light spice. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry tart finish. Flavors of oak, vanilla, zin, carmel and light spice with a crisp dry tart lingering oak finish.