Lost Abbey The Angels Share (Bourbon Barrel)

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Barley Wine
San Marcos, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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2012 vintage. Pours a deep brown--almost the shade of a deep apple cider. No head whatsoever. The aroma is fantastic! Smells of bourbon, malt and some fruits. The taste is out of this world! Immediately one of the best beers I’ve had and without a doubt the best barley wine I’ve had. Perfect blend of bourbon, malts, and a slight bitter fruit aftertaste. The palate is much the same. Absolutely flawless notes ranging from sweet bourbon up front, malts and oak in the middle, with a slight fruit bitter finish. Absolutely wonderful!

Poured with no head. 2011. Appearance is lackluster, but shouldn’t matter. Aroma is fantastic, whiskey, oak, and molasses. Would take this over any whiskey.

Trade from jrgratz. Thanks!!! 2011 dated bottle. Pours dark brown with ruby edges and no head whatsoever. Smell is strong vanilla, oak, molasses, and lots of bourbon. Thick and viscous mouthfeel with essentially no carbonation. Flavor is big vanilla notes with sweet molasses and brown sugar, finishing with big whiskey notes. Some mellow burnt charcoal taste too that is new to me and relaxing like sittin’ by the fire. Lots of alcohol warmth. Some real astringent alcohol. A sipper for sure, but an awesome sipper.

2011 bottle. Burgundy light brown colour - pretty! Aroma is bourbon barrel and vanilla. Wow! Taste is booze first, then caramel, big vanilla and heat. So tasty and surprising! Palate is vanilla caramel with the bourbon aging. Yum! Overall, brilliant! The flavours are everything I love, all in balance. Definitely best barleywine i’ve had, and one of my personal favourite brews ever. One to hunt down and savour slowly.

Bottle 375 ml, 2012 vintage. Cork opens with a little fizz. Pours alomst black with a two finger high head. Great aroma, bourbon, coconut, vanilla, chocolate. Boozy but creamy, full bodied, medium carbonation. Long finish, oak, dried fruit, alcohol, vanilla. A few years since I last had this beer, it’s as good, maybe even better than I remember

One finger head, fully diminishing, little to no carbonation, sweet bourbon aroma, woody aroma, boozy finish. I like this but wish I had one that I could have aged for a year more.

A - pours dead flat thick murky cola with absolutely zero head. Nice legs. S - fantastic barrel aged aromas. Bourbon, Graham crackers, vanilla, dark fruits( raisins prunes). All up front. Ripe banana, biscuity notes, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) dry charred oak, alcohol. Complex and rich bourbon goodness. M - zero carb, watery right up front, to a full bodied rich palette. Strong booze. You can actually literally taste the bourbon. T - rhubarb, graham crackers, vanilla, toffee, caramelized sugars, and bourbon. Over ripe banana, oak, subtle dried fruits, and light grains. Long sweet bourbon alcohol warmed end. Lingering sweet vegetal notes. O - amazing aroma, disappointing zero carbonation, overly boozy. Good but not great. 3.9 ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

375ml bottle [’Bourbon 2012’ stamp on neck]. Hazy dark brown colour with small, frothy, diminishing, beige head, leaving a thin layer. Aroma has explicit bourbon notes, vanilla, leather, oak etc. Taste is moderately sweet, lots of caramel, toffee, vanilla. Very well balanced, smooth, silk, soft. Sadly the bourbon flavours predominate the underlying genuine beer aroma, whereas they perfectly fit in taste. Outstanding beer.

Perfect beer to celebrate the return of my family. Been looking forward to this for awhile, and more so hoping it’s not infected or flat. 2010 vintage poured into Firestone Walker tulip from a. 375 mL bottle. This is not a pretty beer. Murky brown with absolutely no carbonation. Thankfully this is Angel’s Share’s worst quality. Recovery from an underwhelming look is quick. Aroma is stellar. I’ve not encountered a better smelling barleywine than this one. Rich as rich can be. Cut vanilla bean, graham cracker, aged bourbon, still present booze, charred oak, sweet salted caramel. It’s absolutely decadent, and I haven’t had a sip. Taste is good, but not on par with smell. All the appeal of a standard setting English barleywine are present, including sweet caramel malt, cotton candy, and prominent alcohol. Additionally, I readily taste bourbon, white grape, red apple, slight red pepper, strong vanilla, and a hint of aged brandy. Very complex and thoroughly enjoyable. Mouthfeel is so-so. While the body is great, the complete absence of carbonation mars the overall experience. A few bubbles would make this beer significantly better. In the end this is still a fantastic beer. I will buy again on the hope it might have carbonation. The recipe is nearly flawless, so kudos to LA for concocting such a great tasting beer.

Bottle 37.5cl from Allen many thanks, a deep oily dark beer with low head. Nose is intense on wood notes, vanilla, caramel, fig, prunes, caramel. Aroma is on caramel, barley sugar, chocolate malt, fig, vanilla, prunes, raisin, creamy body, not too sweet, complex body. Finish is on wood, chocolate and vanilla again, long duration, very nice.