 awaisanen (1161), Irvine, California, USA
May 29, 2008
From a 375mL Bottle. Generously shared by KAME. Mostly transparent, light brown color with tannic hues and a finger of fizzy off-white head. Aromas of caramel malt melanoidins play with raisins and sticky dates. A soothing pretzel dough barrel character adds depth, bringing out some brandy-laden booziness and plenty of vanilla from the oak. Flambeed pears and brown sugar. Lot’s of oak in the nose, but it melds together beautifully with the beer, adding vanilla, brandied fruits, and soothing alcohol, all the while leaving behind any astringency, fusels, or husky woodiness that often accompanies barrel aged beers. Full bodied, softly carbonated mouthfeel with a smooth, malty texture. The flavors are all barrel, with some semblence of a barleywine folded in. Loads of vanilla flood the palate along with some raisin and fig, bringing a gentle warmth to the face. Plenty of alcohol, but welcoming and smooth. Mid-palate, some caramel and toffee melanoidins start to poke through, developing additional complexity and adding some honey and brown sugar sweetness. Finishes moderately sweet, but leaving behind a delicious final smack of maple syrup and spicy oak. Many beers are great; few are inspirational - this one is certainly the latter. Thanks for sharing, Dillon!
henrikb (1132), Aarhus, Denmark
Oct 7, 2008 Deep dark red amber body, beautiful big big bubbled beige head that disappears quite fast; Huge amazing nose, it has all the standard malt aromas but with an extreme clarity, also a fruit vinous sharpness that accompanies the malts excellent; Huge soft carbonation (way to much) on soft a little thin body, slat and sweet, could be more complex; The salts stay in a long finish, strange pleasant alcohol burn, the fill of the beer disappears way to fast. Good beer that lacks in every part but the nose.
jjpm74 (3155), Stratford, CT 06614, Connecticut, USA
Oct 5, 2008 2005 vintage courtesy of Darkelf. Pours brown with some negligible tan bubbles. Smells of cherries, spice, oak, some vanilla. Tastes fruity and oaky with some warming alcohol on the finish.
AmEricanbrew (1009), Swamp Shreveport, Left Coast, Louisiana, USA
Sep 17, 2008 Murky brown with a fleeting tan head. Big brandy , sweet vanilla woody aroma. Medium body with mild carbonation. Big boozy flavors of caramel, wood, vanilla brandy. Nice brandy essence here, but in the end this one’s just too boozy. Probably best to save this one for a cold winters night next to the fire.
BlackForestCO (549), Fort Collins and Black Forest, Colorado, USA
Sep 14, 2008 Huge shout out to SoLan who hooked me up with a bottle of this beer, I greatly appreciate it man. Poured a thick, deep garnet-brown color with a thin beige head that quickly receded to a ring. Aroma of sweet brandy, caramel malt, brown sugar, some sweet fruit including apple, plum, and some red grape, with a bit of oak present. Sweet, smooth entry with some strong plum and caramel, brown sugar, and toffee leading into a nice apple flavor with some sweet brandy and red grape. Nice vanilla and soft oak on the finish. Low carbonation, slick and smooth on the palate with a nice drying oak character. I really liked the Bourbon version, and it would have taken a lot to enjoy this more, but it delivered. One of the few beers that actually delivers. Awesome, I thank you again Alan.
Theis (2212), Frederiksberg, Denmark
Sep 9, 2008 Bottle at Sune’s (T+M thanks Mikkel). Clear reddish - white head. Fucking fantastic, brandy, smooth as hell, brown sugar, wood, light alcoholic, chocolate, sweetness, fruity, caramel, barley, high malty. This is fantastic. I would give this 800 - but the scale stops at 50..... so !!!!
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