Avery Samaels Oak-Aged Ale

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.

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.
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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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yuck. This was an unfortunate drain pour for me. I aged it 6 months too! It is that typical high alcohol content smell/taste that has a bad sweetness. It is similar to D’extra and Beast. Not up my alley.