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Avery Samaels Oak-Aged Ale

Percentile
91
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
6303.58/5.03.57/5.0Special15.53%59.5Snifter
Commercial Description:
Samael is the prince of demons, the angel of death, accuser and destroyer. Filled with enmity towards man, he planted the vine, the forbidden tree of paradise. Behold his venom and vengeance, both sweet and tempting, enticing you, his spellbound victim, within his wings.

Samael’s Ale is a super-caramelly, oak aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate. This potent ale is the second installment, along with The Beast, of our “Demons of Ale Series”.

Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, turbinado sugar, hops, yeast, and American oak chips.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 kmweaver (2436), Sebastopol, California, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/513/20
May 14, 2008  
Bottle @ Brickskeller’s Lupulin Reunulin event. Pours a bold, orange-amber color; light-tan head with fine-bubbled lacing. Tons of maple syrup, toasty oak and wood resins, syrupy dried dark fruits in the aroma; dried apricots, peaches. Full mouthfeel: chewy, intense dried dark fruits, caramel, lots of woodiness and alcohol; quite sweet; a touch of alcohol showing through; sticky, messy beer, but I thought this was still pretty tasty. Lengthy finish: lots of sugar, maple syrup, and toasty oak and vanilla.


 andyhite (290), Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/514/20
May 13, 2008  
12 oz bottle. the aromas hit like a sugary sweet caramel filled wall. it overwhelms the palate, as i’m soaking in heavy brown sugar and roasty, toasty malts as well. the carbonation hits a bit strong for a BW, but is containable for the brew, as its balance comes from the enormous hoppage and maltage emmiting from the subtle oakiness. as it warms, the alcohol reveals its massiveness. this is a monster, straight up. it’s not the best ale, but it’s definitely a biggie. that creamy finish hits, falls off, but lingers for a good minute or two. You gotta at least try this hellbender. i dig.


 BMan1113VR (2813), Los Angeles (and Dallas), Texas, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
May 12, 2008    Updated: Apr 14, 2009
2006 bottle labeled as 14.5% ABV. Pours with a smallish, off-white head covering a murky, orange-amber body. Some lacing left by the head. Aroma of currants, cherries, figs, alcohol, vanilla, and oak. Taste is sweet, alcoholic, full bodied and, overall is very rich with some woody notes. Taste indicates that this is a beer to be slowly sipped rather than quickly consumed. Mouth feel is slightly weak for the ABV.
747315
Re-rate: Batch 4 (2008). 15.57%. Pours with a small off-white over a bronze body. Aroma of alcohol, brandy, vanilla, oak, eau-de-vie, currants, marshmallow, and overall goodness. Taste is high quality bourbon, oak, vanilla, dark fruits, and vanilla icing. Really good. Alcohol is noticeable, but fun for a sipper. Viscous and syrupy, warming like a good sipper rum... Love it...


AleDude (23), USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/516/20
May 9, 2008  
dark color, modest head. aroma is sweet but the taste is not too sweet. Taste includes hints of fruit (raisin, plum) and the oak barrel. Wouldn’t want to drink a lot of this at one time, but an excellent beer.


 Madsnp (616), Odense C, Denmark
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/55/104/514/20
May 3, 2008  
Bottle. Redbrown with almost no head, just a thin long lasting off white film. Aromas of sweets, raisins, wood and caramel. Flavour of oak, sweet malt, spices and caramel.


 joss (3648), Garching b. München, Germany
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/102/57/102/511/20
Apr 28, 2008  
Bottle (bottled 2005). Wooden vineous and buttery aroma. Hazy red, low head. Candy sweet entry, vanilla, mint, caramell, raisins, rich portvine-like notes. Cloyingly sweet - too many residual sugars IMO. Medium body, slick, oily, not chewy. citric notes retronasal. I really did not find this particulary harmonic and enjoyable, sorry.


 mcox90 (624), Wilton, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/59/105/517/20
Apr 28, 2008  
A big thanks to Mcbackus for this gem. Poured a beautiful hazy copper color with a 1/2" off white head and thick sticky lace coating my snifter. Nose is mild wood with dark fruits and caramel. Mouthfeel was thick ,sweet & chewy. This is a very sweet brew with the dominating flavor being the caramel. Also, flavors of raisins, dates, figs, plums, cherries all soaked with alcohol. This ones a sipper. I’m really beginning to dig barleywines.


 maniac (2628), Richmond, Virginia, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/515/20
Apr 27, 2008  
Bottle dated May 2006, Batch 2. Clear copper body with a medium frothy off-white head with great lacing. Huge oak aroma with some caramel, raisin, rum-soaked fruit, and molassas. Big oak flavor, some pepper, caramel, vanilla and fruit. Medium full body, moderately low carbonation, and a sticky syrupy finish.



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