Lost Abbey The Angel’s Share Grand Cru

Formerly brewed at Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Barley Wine
San Marcos, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle the last night with Matt and his boys all together. Thank goodness they only sell this in small bottles because it is HUGE. The grapes really come through in the aroma and flavor. There is also a decent amount of barrel funk too. This is all balanced by a dark, roasted malt. It is a huge beer but is not over the top. Pretty cool and glad I got to try this via trade.

Pours very black and dark but not all that much head. An intense aroma, like a spirit almost, and an even more complex flavor. Thick stout malts mixed with some hops and tons of heft. Definitely makes me think more of an imperial stout than a barleywine. What a starter drink for the day! Had a bit warm. Only complaint is the super high price.

Shared with S.J. Does this brewery know how to make a barley wine or what? Fantastic. Nice fruit/ dark, bread and wood and bourbon with hints of vanilla bean and the hand of GOD!

Shared at the Royale gathering last night, thanks Peter! Poured from small, thick-walled, corked bottle into snifter. It was an interesting opaque, dark reddish brown color with thin beige film of spritzy bubbles. Aromas of blended booze, toasted hard wood, nutty tannins, rich caramelized sugars, oxidized malts, vanilla. Fairly true-to-style barleywine flavors, but again, enhanced, nay TRANSFORMED by the lengthy aging inside bourbon and brandy barrels. Some may say the whole "BA" thing is a fad, but here’s a brewery which definitely knows how to do it right. An interesting, almost overwhelming taste experience. Unique and delicious. Sip slowly.

375 ml bottle from moejuck- thanks a ton, Joe! Pours a dark, hazy cola brown with almost no head- settles flat. Aroma of brown sugar, caramel malts, raisins, figs, dates, toffee candy, cola, oak, and a brandy-like boozy note. Flavor of tons of grapes, plums, brown sugar, caramel, oak, and a rich wine character, kind of like a Port or Bordeaux. More tartness in the flavor than the nose, while the nose has a ton of sweetness; both do, really. Medium-bodied, with low carbonation. Maybe a little too tart- I liked that dimension but it dominates the palate after the initial awesome complexity. Really hard beer to describe. Fun to drink.

Bottle poured a dark brown with ruby hues, a tiny tan head, and notable lacing. Aroma includes bourbon, roastiness, vanilla, honey, cherries, plum, and slight booze. Taste is dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, and a hint of sour cherries. Thick syrupy body produces a velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish with alcohol warming.

One of the best beers I have ever had. Pours brown and had a thin head. Aroma was brandy, bourbon, chocolate, cola, dark fruits. Flavor is deep. Dates, raisins, bourbon, brandy, cola, etc...as it warms it gets more intense. I got something new every sip. Warming on the back end. Thanks to Juice for this gem.

Thanks to ahalloin for sharing this gem. A: Dark brown with decent sized head and lacing. S: Roasted malt, bourbon, brandy, alcohol, raisins and/or dark fruits. There’s a whole lot going on here. Amazingly complex. If there wasn’t such a prominent alcohol aroma, it would have achieved the highest score. T: Bourbon and brandy are each distinguishable and separate - very well done. Again, this beer is insanely complex but it’s also pretty hot. Also, dark fruits and a big, malty sweetness. I really think this one could benefit from a few years in the cellar. M: Good carbonation level, warm alcohol finish. D: A tasty brew. Good for splitting a few ways.

26th June 2010
Opaque black beer. Bubbly biscuit coloured head. Oaky vanilla chocolate malt nose. Soft smooth palate., a little dry. Very moderate carbonation. Oaky dark chocolate, rich. Subtle vanilla and spicy Port Wine. Equally subtle blackcurrant, red berry fruits and brandy. Minerals and a little coffee. The only thing I can’t taste is the grapes! Warming finish. Very good stuff!

From notes. First reviewed 2/23/2011. Poured from a 300 mL bottle into a pint glass. The pour is molasses brown, with a small cocoa colored head. With the ABV what it is, I am not surprised at the quick disappearance of the head or lack of lace. The aroma has some tart cherry notes. Molasses, caramel, and brown sugar all provide a sweet aspect to the aroma, and some roasted malt, vanilla, oak, and dark fruits add some serious depth. Even knowing how sweet this is going to be, I am still turned off by how overwhelming the sweetness actually is. Brown sugar and molasses really overpower the medium roasted malt. Some plums, brandy, vanilla and oak add complexity, but unfortunately add to the sweetness as well. A bit of oak later on helps a bit toward the end. This is clearly a dessert beer. This full bodied strong ale starts off sweet and chewy and finishes a little bit dry from the oak. Light to medium carbonation. A bit of heat is apparent in a warming sensation that hits my stomach. I enjoyed the small glass I had and thought it was very well-crafted, but I would not really be able to handle much more of this outside of a dessert setting.