RateBeer

Avery Samaels Oak-Aged Ale

Percentile
91
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag |
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?  
 badlizard (2338), Berkeley, California, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/518/20
Jul 4, 2007    Updated: Jul 29, 2008
350 mL bottle. Copper brown with fizzy head. Malty caramel aroma of oak and alcohol.Taste initially of sweet candy and malt transitioning to an oak and alcohol taste and finishing with a wonderful vanilla flavor and alcoholic warmth. A very big beer with an interesting taste. Worth a try.


 undsioux7 (555), Cologne, Minnesota, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/103/514/20
Jul 3, 2007  
pours amber with a small white head. Aroma hits you hard with pure alcohol and sweetness. This just smells sweet. And the taste is just that. pure candy sugar from and oak tree. Too much for me, and too cloying for the grimreeser.


 caesar (3021), Bunnik/Utrecht, Netherlands
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Jun 26, 2007  
Clear amber color, short head. Aroma of soft alcohol, oak wood, sweet caramel, obvious vanilla, some hop. Sweet alcoholic taste, dry oak, cognac, vinous, vanilla. Very strong, but nice as well. Not as hoppy as other barley wines.


 fiulijn (7150), Como; Lausanne (CH); Malmö (SWE), Italy
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/105/518/20
Jun 26, 2007  
Cloudy amber color; a head with a few mm of creamy foam. The beer and vanilla aroma join each other; oak aroma, as can be found in full bodied white wines. Full mouth, respectable body strength, very good malt taste; the alcohol strength, with it’s warming feeling, is immediately perceived; the good vanilla flavor adds complexity; fudge; the hopping is adequate, strong, of good quality. In the final, balanced and less extreme than the flavor, there is a good mix of malt, caramel and bitterness.
For sure a beer pushed far, but extremely enjoyable.


 IrishBoy (2704), Bakersfield, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/105/515/20
Jun 18, 2007  
12oz bottled in 2005 from mgumby10! Nose of caramelly, sweet dark fruitiness, oaky woodiness, with a hint of alcohol; rusty red with a few shot lived bubbles; flavor is sweet caramel, cherry, vanilla, and oaky woodiness; body is fairly heavy, and the finish is a smidgeon of alcohol (which for a 14.9% brew is not much) Alcohol well covered, maybe cause it’s 2 years old! I loved this barleywine!


 Stefano (1325), Esbjerg, Denmark
1.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/52/101/54/20
Jun 14, 2007  
Poured the color of honey with a dirty white head. Aroma is slightly sour and with sweet malt. Very sweet carmel flavor that changes to a burning alcohol reminiscent of vodka. Too much alcohol here.


 chimpscampee (556), Madison, Wisconsin, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/102/516/20
Jun 2, 2007  
The vanilla and oak aging are pronounced. More like a barley wine than an English-style strong ale. 14.5% was not as overwhelming as I had imagined. Lip smacking sweetness was just too much for me. Hints of sour cherry, apple, and coconut although I can’t imagine them adding coconut. At $7 for a bottle, this is the most expensive brew I’ve tried.


 gunhaver (1025), Tampa, Florida, USA
2.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/53/101/510/20
Jun 1, 2007    Updated: Jun 5, 2008
Really disappointed in this brew. The aroma is fairly pungent, and the taste almost makes me wanna puke. Too much alcohol here. I had the Dogfish Head 120, which has much more ABV, and I wasn’t nearly as offended by that brew as I am with this one (in fact, I loved it).



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63


About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Log In | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Feedback?
Copyright © 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC