Lost Abbey The Angels Share

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

Bottle of the 2008’ vintage. Color is a solid muddy brown with almost no carbonation and no head at all. Aroma is a sweet vanilla, coffee and dried fruit scent with a whiff of alcohol. Taste is rich and flat. Starting with a full body it goes down with a flat sweet feel. Finish comes in sweet with just a hint of dried fruit, a touch of vanilla then a big brandy and oak like taste. After taste has a strong alcohol feel that leaves you warm inside and ends with a slight bitterness. I’m very disappointed, why can’t Lost Abbey get the carbonation right, most that I have had, have had poor carbonation. This seems like it could be a good brew if it had even a little carbonation, but it comes across a bit bland and flat. I am very torn with this brew, after drinking it awhile my taste adjusted to it (could be the alcohol kicking in) and I get a little more complexity in the character, but for the price and I am still very disappointed and yet I like it.

This was an excellent beer. THere was no carbonation on the 2008 bottle, but we took a carbonator and poured the angels share in to a bottle and forced carbonated the brew. This gave it some medium carbonation that really brought out the character in the beer. Brandy, red wine, dark fruits, very nice beer.

2008 bt. Hmmmm........No head, as you all know. I’m doubtful any carb will ever develop. Lovely nose of Purina kibble, oak and booze. What the fuck? Palate suprisingly one-dimensional. Caramel, brandy, malt, kibble. Thank god I know what this is supposed to taste like, cause this aint it! bleahhh, and I usually love beers like this.

’08 Bottle: I held off on opening this due to all of the negativity surrounding it...well it was about time to find out for myself. Pour was a dark brown/mahogany color with no head...very little "pop" upon opening. Nose was just insane...notes of candied red apple, pipe tobacco, vanilla, caramel, black cherries, dark brown sugar and oak. The body on this was the biggest surprise...even though there was very little carbonation, I actually thought the lack thereof complimented the brew nicely. Flavor started out sweet with some light caramel malt, dank earth, vanilla, some chocolate malt and a bit of dark fruit. The oak was also apparent...a bit hot on the finish but damn this was a great beer.

Pours a dark brown, surprisingly opaque, with absolutely no head, lacing, or apparent carbonation. Aroma is fine, complex; Loads of caramel malt as promised, cherry, chocolate, whiskey, and vanilla. The most complex aroma I’ve ever gotten from a barleywine, no doubt. Flavor, however, is where this heads south. The flavor is pure brandy for crying out loud! That and a little cocoa and Merlot. The flavor is decent, don’t get me wrong, but that’s it: Just decent, not world-class. Profound, mostly because of how the alcohol bitch-slaps your motherfuckin’ ass, but not particularly satisfying. Vanilla comes through at the end. Mouthfeel is just okay. I mean, flavor aside, it’s like drinking red wine; About the same viscosity and carbonation (none). I consider myself a barleywine fan, but not here. This stuff is just too goofy. I’d have again, but not on my dime (or $32 for a 750ml). Overall, just good, not world-class as purported.

2008 Bottle. Smells purely of whiskey, or at least that’s what the alcohol and oak combine towards. Dark amber to brown, no carbonation. Chewy thick but still softer, and well-balanced. Sweet but not cloying, even the lack of carbonation. Loaded with fruit and caramel, chocolate undertones. Figs, cherries, oak, lots of alcohol but in good balance with sweetness.

Pours a very dark brown with a medium frothy lasting beige head and lacing. Aroma is fruity sweet with heavy amounts of caramel malt, rasin, plum, licorice, bourbon, oak and light chocolate. Flavor is sweet with a nice medley of vanilla, chocolate, caramel and infused wood. Full bodied, somewhat oily texture. Very little carbonation, finishes mildly alcoholic.

this beer has got to be the most intense barley wine ever! this is like drinking a liquid oak barrel! amazing though i dont think its worth the 30 dollar price tag when a speedway stout is 10. still, its a beer that everyone should experience!