Lost Abbey The Angels Share

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

Ok time to sample one of the bottles I scored at the latest release of this. Pours a very dark brown, much darker and I’d have to say black. A small brown head fizzes up then fades away. Aroma is a huge mix of flavors, caramel, vanilla, a big smack of sweet molasses, brandy, and oak! I was a bit nervous before my first sip cuz this thing smelled boozy as hell too. However, the alcohol is VERY well hidden once you take a sip. In fact, I couldn’t get over all of the tastes going on. More caramel and molasses of course but there is much more. Brandy comes together with dark fruits and sweet chocolate to blend into a wonderful and smooth flavor. The oak is very present in this beer and really is a very nice touch. Also, I don’t know what brandy was in these barrels previously but there seems to be a peach-like flavor going on. Just a thought. Tomme, Gina, Damien, and all the rest out there at Losty Abbey/ Port Brewing really know how to make some amazing beer, they certainly have a winner here. Very pleased that I have more bottles to visit in the future. My rating may go up after I put this down for a year or so! Side Note: Make sure you drink this cool, not cold. I tried this way too cold with my first sip and it was awful and harsh. Let this baby breathe for 30 minutes after you pull it from the fridge before you enjoy. A whole new world lit up for me. Cheers!

(2007 batch on tap @ ba bistro fest.)brown body with no head.heavy brandy,oak,and vanilla which is followed up by some molasses,brown sugar,and chocolate.the aroma is simply outstanding.i kept smelling it over and over again for 5 minutes before i even took a sip.the flavor is pretty much what i get out of the aroma and the alcohol is pretty well hidden.this is simply awesome.

10/10/07 Released Bottle: quickly dissipating tan head on top of darkness. Vanilla nose hinting of peach essence,. coffee, and caramel...Flat syrupy malt and astringent grassy bitterness are my first impressiions. There’s essence of whatever spirits were in the oak, but the actual beer itself completely clashes with it. It’s hot, astringently spicey, and the mouthfeel seems overly wet. The throat burns afterwards. I am completely missing it here, unless this new batch is totally different than the previous...I dont know what to think.

Thanks for sharing, Duane. Light tan colored head with a dark brown body. The aroma was rich with some pleasant oxidation notes. There was dark chocolate, apples and high quality booze, like cognac. The taste was tobacco with rich caramel notes. There was also some toffee and connamon notes. A little hint of brandy was also noticed. Solid, and I am glad that Duane chose to age this one a little while.

GABF 2007. I need to have this again. I was told that the stuff brought to GABF was nothing like the bottled stuff or stuff brought to other festivals. This was disappointing. Thinnish body. Untutored bourbon all the way through. Smells nice, the bourbon (which reminds me of GI Bourbon County) swaddled in some sugary malts. The beer leaves a filmy and oily sheet on the side of the glass. Very oily in the mouth, with a little vanilla and some hop oils. It didn’t necessarily taste bad, but it was unbalanced and without heft (for a 10.5% beer). I can only rate what I had, though, so here it is.

Rating Number - 1000

After sitting on this bottle from batch one for almost a year, looking for the right moment to pop the cork, I figured there was no better time than my 1000th rating to open up this top 50 treat. Helping me celebrate the occasion were Heemer77, Iowaherkeye & Weepster. Also, thanks to CaptainCougar for sending me the bottle last January.
Now the beer… pours a reddish brown with a small tan head fading to a ring of lace. Aroma was malty with raisins & various other dark ripe fruit with some brown sugar. Flavors were a nice mix of chocolate, caramel, dark ripened fruit along with notes from the barrel. All of this was balanced and blended perfectly with mild carbonation, a full body and a mild finishing sweetness. Well done Lost Abbey!

(Bottle, thanks WeeHeavySD) Pours very dark brown with deep reddish hints and a light brown head. Elegant and complex aroma with tones of chocolate, caramel, nuts, English toffee, English fruit cake, lingonberries, blackberries maybe some blueberry and strawberry jam and a wide subtle fruit spectra of raisins, plums, sweet pears, yellow apples and banana in the background. The oak wood blends in very well with soft tones of vanilla, cocoa nut and some butter. Also some hints of yeast, sugar, spices, peppery mint and sal ammoniac. Well balanced alcohol warmth carrying every aroma beautifully. The nose is extremely soft with notes of gruel. The flavour starts of with a second of chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Then a rather full caramelly and fruity sweetness comes along with some fiery alcohol. The finish carries all the sweetness with a balanced sour berry touch. Oak, vanilla and some subtle sugar sources goes through every stage of the beer. Undertones of dark berries and dark fruits like raisins and black currant lemonade. Hints of liquorice, salt and hops. Medium to full sweet and syrupy with a light tart edge. Light bitter and light dry. The mouthfeel is maybe the best ever with a silky, smooth and velvety character. The carbonation is perfect for the mouthfeel and carries the beer gentle down your palate. Sugar, chocolate, vanilla, salty liquorice and some earthiness linger in the aftertaste. Near full bodied. What a perfect beer from our new favourite brewery to pass the Marsiblursi millennium! Yeah baby!

Dang, this is good stuff. Pours dark black with brown highlights, like cocoa powder. Very flat, a thin head only lasts for a minute. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel, very flat but it’s perfect for this beer. Chocolate. Mmmm! Sour, roasted, hmmmm. Does this help: flat and dull yet somehow exponentially vibrant and interesting. Impossible to have too much, because you’ll always want to taste just a little more. Seek this out, I hope to locate a bottle or two. Great beer that defies categorization. At least one thing makes me proud to be an American: the craft brew industry! Cheers!