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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2008 bottle release; Sampled April 2008
Wow, Bourbon Barrel Angel’s Share is a gusher, I lost something less than a quarter bottle, even though the bottle was at 48°F / 9°C. A careful pour yields an over-flowing six-finger thick, darkened tan colored head. The beer is a deeply burnt, amber color, and shows a hint of concentrated ruby if held up directly to the light. Rich caramelized malt notes are immediately proceeded by Bourbon barrel notes of vanillin, spicy oak / Bourbon and some buttery oak character. The barrel / Bourbon notes are fairly restrained, but still are perhaps the most noticeable character in the aroma. As my nose gets used to the beer, the butterscotch / butter barrel notes become more apparent as does a warming alcohol aroma. Even a touch of mustiness seems to lurk in the background. The Bourbon barrel character actually gets a bit sharp, even harsh at times, but for the most part the nose remains deeply caramel infused, smooth bourbon barrel character.

It has been ten minutes since pouring this beer and it is still quite well carbonated; a quick swirl of my glass releases the excess CO2 though. Sweet and deeply caramelized with malt induced flavors of toffee and raisins. Starting in the middle a toasty, brown malt character kicks in and provides a touch of dryness, though not enough to offset the lingering, rich, complex, malt sweetness that just sticks to the palate. Quite a bit lighter than one might expect from a beer that is 12.5% abv; it does have some heft to it as it is certainly a sipping beer, but it definitely has a light feel to it and at times can seem a bit thin. The Bourbon barrel character is quite a bit softer than it was in the aroma. Typical flavors of spicy oak, vanillin and buttery oak (this last more so in the finish) are found here and the Bourbon provides some alcohol heat. Somehow the beer actually tastes a bit vinous to me; a mix of port, sherry and a full bodied Sancerre. The finish is spicy and sharp with hot Bourbon notes (though not overwhelmingly so).

Somehow not nearly as well integrated, nor nearly so tasty as the 2006 Brandy version (I have yet to try the 2007). I could see this getting close, but somehow the base beer has changed too much while residing in the barrel. I wonder if the changed flavor, lightened body, along with the gushing, is caused by a slight infection? If so it is not so much as to drastically effect things or even be overtly noticeable, but this beer is just enough off to keep it from being great.

The aroma is sweet bourbon, chocolate, soy sauce, dark ripened fruit. The apperance is deep brown, almost black, with a tan head which dissipates quickly. Low carbonation. The flavor is sweet bourbon, vanilla, oaky, dark fruits. The finish is again bourbon, booze burn. Followed by a light sweetness, and pine needles. Nice thick, oily body. Excellent.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with an off white head. Big boozy bourbon aroma with dark fruity and malty notes. The flavor has a dark fruity and malty sweetness, with vanilla. Good stuff.

I don’t normally love Barrel-Aged Barleywines, but when I do, I prefer Bourbon Angel’s Share. Had on draft at Monk’s during Philly Beer Week two years ago; also on several other occasions in bottles at various tastings and releases. As long as it’s carbonated and not infected, this beer is just so delightful, lots of smooth caramel malty flavors and sweet cherry with a bourbon kick that rounds everything off nicely. Docked a few points for inconsistency, though.

At: vanilla, extremely rich, like nothing I’ve felt before, port Wine, raisins, oak, alcohol is evident, but not boozy, prunes, dark fruit, jam and honey. Ap: colour is black, no head. F: Whiskey up front, lots and lots of bourbon, vanilla, spicy, acidic, very rich, but the bourbon overpowers the flavours from the beer itself, alcohol is very evident and it is very boozy all the way through, notes of port and chocolate and coffee. In my opinion the flavours are not balanced, there are lots and lots of interesting flavours, but they are not in harmony and the booziness and bourbon flavours are so distinct and powerful that you struggle to find the other notes. Given time you find very complex flavours beneath the initial blast. M: Very thick mouthfeel almost no carbonation. T: This is a real experience, very cool to have tried, demanding, not balanced, but When you wrap your head around it, it delivers!

Dark brown in color with very little head and decent legs. Aroma is heavy in bourbon with oak, lots of vanilla, toffee, light raostiness, and caramel. Taste is of bourbon. wood, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and toffee.

Hard Liver. Dark brown/black, tan head. Wow I did not know this beer was this dark. Aroma of molasses, dark fruit, some soy and tobacco, leather. Taste has a slight earthy bitterness, lots of malt/dark fruit sweetness, nice bourbon taste.

UPDATED: APR 5, 2012 Murky brown, hardly any carbonation, just a film of a head. Strong bourbon aroma, and there is a pleasant whiskey edge to the proceedings. Strong sweet malt kept under control by hops and barrels. Oak, strong alcohol warming.

On tap in a chalice at the Watering Hole. A dark, murky brown color with almost no head. Bourbon dominates the aroma with some fruitiness (raisins and perhaps a hint of pears). Extremely boozy, bourbon forward, so much so that the bourbon hides much of the barley wine characteristics. It has a medium body with a slightly slick texture. Overall, a great barrel-aged barley wine, but I think it needs to age awhile to mellow out the bourbon and bring out its true awesomeness.

Poured with vigor to the glass, this brew yielded no head at all with zero lacing. The color is a deep murky brown with slights hints of red in the hue. The aroma is wonderful, chocolate, molasses, vanilla, caramel, sweet dark fruit, malt, and a very small amount of booze. Taste, vanilla, some sweet plumb, roasted malt, and fig. I find a lot more booze in the taste than I did in the nose, but still pretty well balanced. The mouth feel is pretty interesting... No carbonation at all. It has a light syrupy feel, but also has the same cloudy tongue coating texture you get from a strong cup of cuban espresso that is starting to cool down. It defiantly has some warming to it as well

2011 bottle. Dark brown pour with only a small tinge of carbonation visible. Aroma was big time booze, bourbon, lots of caramel, vanilla and oak. Flavors were actually not as ’in your face’. Lots of caramel, bourbon, notes of vanilla and wood, not as sweet as one would think going in. Nice bittersweet finish, lots going on here. Carbonation was very soft, mouthfeel slick and oily. Extremely drinkable, AKA dangerous.