Avery Samael’s Oak-Aged Ale

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: OCT 29, 2005 Sampled at the Corkscrew, Urbana, 8/14/2005 courtesy of Sally. I’m surprised to see this beer rated in the mid70s, given I thought this a quality product. Its a bit of an odd creature, because as noted, it lacks the hop backbone many similar beers would have. The sweetness is a bit overwhelming, but if one realizes this was intended and not a mistake, I believe one appreciates the quality more. On the nose, notes of caramel and toffee with vanilla and oak. On the palate, more of the same with mandarin orange, candied ginger, and plum. Reminds me a bit of Grand Marnier. The profile would only be improved by using bourbon over oak. A stellar and warm finish compliments of the 14.5 ABV. Updated 10/29: Another bottle and similar startling notes of orange, but I did find the sweetness somewhat out of proportion. It makes for a great dessert beer, and when paired with some blue cheese as I did last night, spectacular.

12 oz bottle pours hazy amber with a off white. Aroma is sweet alcohol. Taste is wood and the alcohol ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Poured from the 12oz bottle to tulip: Pours a deep, ruby mahogany with a fizzy, short-lived suggestion of foam. Minimal beading and lacing with lovely legs. Nice looking big beer. The nose is stuffed with little dark fruits - raisins, figs, plum. Some solid caramel malts, toffee, brown sugar, the booze is pretty balanced for what it is. Even on the tongue, the 15.31% abv is pretty tame. A lot of the dense fruits are apparent in the flavor. The booze doesn’t burn as much as it warms. There’s a ton going on here - a great beer to sip and relax on... the body is rather thin and carbonation fades real quick. Of the demon series, I place this one just behind The Beast. They all take a similar direction, and this one really only suffers in its mouthfeel and appearance. Everything else is pretty well executed. Real good brew.

Booze... not well hidden at that. Pours an opaque deep red with a faint head which dissipates into a halo around the glass. Aroma is booze, caramel, toffee, whiskey, and more booze. Flavor is boozy also, which is alright, super rich, healthy amounts of dark chocolate, malty sweet, oak, booze. Super solid barley wine coming from someone who isn’t a number one fan of barley wines.

A truly outstanding beer. It had been years since I’d first tried this beer, and I think I didn’t like it the first time. Of course, the price is a deterrent to repeated drinkings. However, I’m very glad I gave it another shot. I expect my palate has changed since that last time. The thick pour was a surprise, as was the especially upfront taste of oak. I’m not one for describing the individual flavors, but it has that distinctive cream sherry taste that so many of the more complex, high-alcohol content beers. So many beers are suggested as being best for sipping, and this is one of the rare ones that actually means it. This is one I’ll be coming back to repeatedly in the weeks and months and years ahead. Enjoy.

At first, I didn’t like this beer at all, but it grew on me. Pours a red orange with no head. The aroma is an overwhelming amount of oak and vanilla, chocolate, clove, brown sugar, and orange come in as almost and after thought. The flavour is an exact reflection of the aroma, your palate is almost dominated with flavours of oak and vanilla, and then afterwards there’s light nuances of chocolate, clove, brown sugar, and orange. It’s sweet, it’s powerful, it’s boozy, and it’s abrasive, but it’s a good time. This beer is a nod towards that one friend in your group, who is a total, pushy, jerk, but at the same time, he’s a hell of a lot of fun to hang out with.

Dark golden yellow, amber with small off white foam, sticking to glass. Smells sweet also malty. Very rich explosion of flavors. There is sugar, but also wood and earth. Somewhat bitter aftertaste. Oh oh the alcohol. (Galveston 201205)

Clear gold……some haze I guess complete with a very thick skiff. Wacky laundry soup aroma, with massive clove, hippie incense and other spicy things. Man I do not dig this aroma, nothing bad but nothing yum yum. Smooth thick feeling brew. Huge soapy perfume flavor with a hint of malty banana. Wheat? Sure why not. Tons of the clove with only mild hints of the cinnamon . Thank for buying this one Jeff I don’t think there’s any way I could have drank the whole bottle.

Big thanks goes to torontoblue for this exceptional treat - cheers mate! Brewed on April 8, 2008, Batch 4. Dark amber orange whatever. Medium tan head that’s super thin. The aroma is stellar yet mysterious. Warm oaky goodness, melted brown sugar, vanilla, hint of molasses, hints of chocolate, orange, clove (maybe), cinnamon (probably - a sweet type), wonderful! The aging has worked magic here. Rich and sweet and just succulent. The taste is equally ages to greatness. Cloying goodness, sweet molasses and brown sugar, oaky excellence, choco thing, light throat burn later on, mellow citrus, dull pepper, thick richness is awesome. Not deep but very tasty. Oily and smooth feel. I dig everything about this beer. Lovedthis on every level.

pours a rusty brown with thin tan head that dissapastes almost immediately.aroma was very familiar and i thought i knew what it was,sam adams utopia.opened my empty bottle of utopia and there is some simularities.oakey and boozey with carmel and a port background.flavor matches the aroma with some cherries.alchohol is pleasantly warming with a full body and a slick mouthfeel.has a long astingent finish.oakey,sweet boozey and complex,this is a must try for all connissuers.my third of the demon series so far and all are outstanding.

On tap at Kraftwork, Aromas are mostly fresh bannana bread, soap, butterscotch, and booze. Taste is a little hot, gave off some werious heat. Notes of clove, bannana, cherry, oak, whiskey, malts, and butterscotch taffy. Good barley wine, heavy man.