JaBier (1130), Capital City, Ohio, USA May 25, 2009 2006 bottle sampled at DLD ’09. Dark brown pour with a medium tan head. Oaky vanilla aroma with some dark fruit and chocolate. Similar flavor with a bit of alcohol burn in the finish. Probably the best b-wine I’ve had. jstraw (750), Chicago, Illinois, USA May 22, 2009 Red mahogany with no head (as explained to me, the carbonation dissipates with the 1 year barrel aging) / Nose of dark fruit, bourbon, chocolate, and vanilla / Medium to full body, somewhat chewy but sweet and syrupy without being cloying, good balance, and slightly hot, long finish / Flavors of raisins, prunes, cocoa, bourbon, coconut, vanilla, and oak / Special, but too big to be drunk alone - share with several friends. jeremytoni (1067), Swedesboro, New Jersey, USA May 18, 2009 From a 2008 bottle, poured dark brown with no head. Very strong sweet malty flavor with a distinct finish of whiskey and a little alcohol burn. ChainGangGuy (2522), Kennesaw, Georgia, USA May 17, 2009 750ml bottle of the 2007 Angel’s Share. A release, I’m told, is rather prone to...well, some issues. Let’s hope this little rendezvous is issue-free (at least for the next half hour)!
Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with a thinnish, wispy, beige-hued head.
Smell: Lightly sweet-smelling, particularly fruit nose smelling of homemade jams and marmalade dosed with sugars, booze, and dusky wood notes.
Taste: A sweet (initially) swirl of dark fruits, spiced fig jam, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla sugar, and particularly punchy oak tannins. Very meager hints of roast. A small sprinkling of dark brown sugar and lightly smoked fresh grains. Faint earthy bitterness perceived midway. More puckering oak tastes as it is unwavering. Tablespoon of belly-warming, soul-pleasing brandy. Touch of earthiness in the semi-sweet finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-low carbonation.
Drinkability: For me, it wasn’t quite deserving of the perceived inflated hype and permissive praise, nor was it one of the accused, loathsome issue-prone bottles. So, I hit happily somewhere in the middle -- a fine beer to accompany me through a few episodes of House and catching up on my e-mail. marcus (1821), Sacramento, California, USA May 15, 2009 This opaque brown ale poured with zero head and an intense treacle and plum aroma. The flavor is incredibly complex - plum, caramel, treacle, vanilla, brandy and nuts. There is a fair amount of carbonation and a warm alcohol trail, This is an exceptional brew. studhamster (11), Idaho, USA May 15, 2009 Fantastic vanilla/coffee aroma. Dark brown with red edges and a mild tan cap with a thick collar. The rich barley flavors with the oak and fruitiness made this beer near perfect. Love it. alraicercsu (166), Ft.Collins, Colorado, USA May 14, 2009 Bottle. Poured a mud brown color with an okay sized tan head. Aroma was strongly whisky barrel. With some malty notes. Taste is very oaky and malty with a mild bourbon flavor. inkubus27 (237), Highland, Indiana, USA May 13, 2009 2008 Bottle for $27 with zero carbonation. I can’t say I didn’t know before I bought this that there was the possibility of it being flat, but I figured if i let it warm to 60 deg F, like recommended by Lost Abbey, there would be an ample amount of carbonation. I did that, and there was still nothing. Flat as could be. I will say that this does have a great aroma of vanilla, brandy or whiskey... whatever,, and some hints of malt. Flavor was pretty good. Palate was really hot in my opinion, and the alcohol was way too present. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but for the money I paid, it should have been so much more. And after reading that Tomme Arthur refuses to accept the fact that this beer is flawed or offer any apology or reimbursement to consumers, I will never drink another Lost Abbey beer again.
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