Avery Samael’s Oak-Aged Ale

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

Serve in Snifter

remember seeing this bizarre story in the news? a truck driver from a major candy factory crashed headlong into a nearby glue factory. the resulting inferno took up the century old oak beam structure. what a mess it was. but, after the blaze was extinguished, someone had the presence of mind to sop up some of the sticky, caramelized, phenolic ooze and bottle it. his name is samael, and while he’s under indictment for tampering with a crime scene, his beverage is now available to us, and this resinous, still dangerously flammable oak-butter bears his name. like a liquid candy cane, with caramel and strawberry, it is intensely sweet, with enough honey to fuel every indigent bumble bee from boston to berkeley. so dessert-like, i suggest enjoying samael with a double espresso-- but you’ll want to periodically monitor your heart rate just to be safe. the sheer gravity of samael will put a little extra bulge in your snifter. it drops innocently enough into a glass, showing a buttery baked pineapple bronze color-- and in spite of the roiling turbulence of alcohol--rising like a summer storm cell over texas-- it actually manages a tight little fellowship of foam. the beer has an admirably daring crudeness about it, one can imagine that it might have been based on a recipe found smudged on the wall in a sooty, pre-historic cave. it’s a formula that combines elements for a ceremonial bonfire: it weds volatility and sweetness, it’s a lumber-based lamp oil mixed with caramelized apricot syrup, grains, and for good measure, the gastric juices of a huge, obese honey badger that died of gout. full on the tongue, it etches perfectly configured and sinuous golden rivers of bitterness across the palate like micro-circuits on a memory chip. it’s a heavy fruit brandy, vulgar enough to fart some fusel alcohols in mixed company, refined enough to spin a rococo tapestry of toffee fibers, earthy enough to tell of bitter root tinctures, elevated enough to raise a rocket into space with it’s jet fuel potency. i awoke after dawn back at the scene of the accident-- having run out of bottled samaels-- i was found delirious and licking the curb where he’d long ago collected this hypnotic nectar. next time i may try simply injecting it into my arm-- that’s how much i crave that sweet oak, man.

Reddish brown low carbonation no head.Looks oily somewhat. Im noticing transparnet oily lacing from this like some kind of liquor. Tart woody cherry aroma, fruit ,woody grainyness. Oily mouthfeel,flavor is nice its mostly an oily vanilla cherry very sweet though, some earthiness/nuttiness,there is some tart bitterness that is pretty noticable, its a sipper of course but its not sticky sweet but a clean very sweet with nice vanilla cherry thoughout. alcohol is fairly unnoticable except for an obvious strong taste. Im pretty shure this has sat for some time.

Pours a deep copper brown color with a hefty haze and a quick fading, low, off-white head. Aroma has a strong alcohol, rum-like aroma, very sweet, light woody presence late in the aroma and a strong caramel note to finish. Flavor is so sweet that it tastes like a beer nectar. Strong sugary sweetness hits first. rum-like kick follows with a light woody, caramel later and some alcohol kick and just a touch of vanilla to take some of the sweetness off. Body is extremely heavy with a slight dryness and very smooth feeling from almost no carbonation. Overall a bit too sweet for my tastes but very unique. The flavors are a strong but a bit muddled because they are very strong. Good but one I can drink once in a very long while due to the sugary sweetness.

Pours a murky brown with a thin tan head with minimal lacing. Aroma is caramel, dark fruits, wood, and alcohol. It is a little odd. The taste on the other hand is fantastic. Really nice caramel, vanilla, and oak with very subtle alcohol. Slick on the palate. Definitely a slow drinker, but it is very good.

Vintage 07 batch 3 poured into Chimay chalice A- This beer pours a murky brown with a slightly orange tint. alot of yeast floating around with slow steady pour. Almost no head. S. Caramel, rasions, brown sugar, booze and oak. This brew smells heavenly. T. Taste goes right along with smell. This is a great tasting beer. Wood earthyness, booze soaked fruit, brown sugar is there. Taste is amazing. O. This was a very slow drinker for me but well worth the price. For such a high ABV it is very drinkable and i will be picking up a few more to cellar.

The aroma is alluring and gives the impression of sweetness, but the taste has a bite. The oak notes are fairly subtle for an oak aged beer. The alcohol comes through a bit full bodied, yet the beer deserves attention and a drink. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

From a bottle poured a dark color with a small amount of head. Strong sweet malty flavor with a lingering finish.

On tap at Rattle N Hum, 2009 vintage. The pour is hazy copper with a small tan head and very slight lacing on the glass. Decently carbonated in appearance. The aroma is sweet with a huge amount of caramel and dark oak characteristics. Flavor is medium-heavy bodied with a slight creaminess but also extremely malty. Some booze heat on the finish but not too much considering the huge ABV. Overly sweet and not well balanced, but some people really enjoy that. Good desert beer.

a very unusual and fruity aroma kind of like ambrosia salad with an oak and vanilla back..cloudy dark brown with off white slim head leaves plenty of lace..powerful flavor of fruit,wine,scotch whiskey, and wood not necessarily in that order..full bodied well carbonated bit of alcohol burn plenty of warmth..I recognize the quality and uniqueness of this one but its not my favorite style or example of style