The Bruery Bourbon Barrel Aged Levuds

Formerly brewed at The Bruery
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Placentia, California USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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My 1500th beer enjoyed in Redwood City. Color was orange to auburn with very little to no head. Aroma of bourbon or hard alcohol, sweet malt, fruit, candi sugar, and fruit. Flavor was extremely sweet. Way too much sweetness, even for someone who generally likes that. Many characteristics of a barley wine. Sweet sugary malt, with some fruit, vanilla, and honey. Good barrel aging, but just way too sweat. Pretty syrupy in the flavor and just way too much. Really cannot see how this is rated this hight.

Bottle, thanks to alexanderj. Orange pour with no activity, seems dead. Aroma is light wood, banana sweetness, other sweet malt. Flavor is similar, overly sweet and syrupy, some light wet wood. Combination of belgian sweetness with barleywine sweetness.

Rating number 1300. Picture sent in to be uploaded. Bottle thanks to Patrick at the Bruery, I really appreciate it! Pours with a small white head that goes quick and can never be tempted into returning at all. Pretty orange body underneath. Room filling aroma of bourbon, with vanilla, oak, fruit, honey and orange blossom on closer inspection. Taste is all about the bourbon. Still very hot with butterscotch, vanilla, toast, and orange peel. Warming, light bubbles and syrupy, really pleasant.

750ml bottle #127. Dark gold pour with very little head. Sweet woody aroma, some candy sugar sweetness, slight bourbon. Strong alcohol flavor, clears out the sinuses, whew. I like it though, very warming and very enjoyable.

750 ml bottle, 141 of 456, shared by FlacoAlto a couple months ago - Pours a clear copper color with no head and very little carbonation. Aroma is bourbon, vanilla, and toasted toffee. Flavor is sweet esters, light bourbon, and light toasted malt. A smooth, medium body beer. This was a very good beer. Thanks for sharing Sebastian.

Bottle number 194 of 456. Hazy orange and amber color with a fleeting white head. Big vanilla and bourbon aroma with bready pale malt and spices. Medium body and barely carbonated. Sweet, strong whiskey vanilla flavors dominate, with light pit fruit flavors in the background. Very different from the non barrel aged Levuds. More American strong ale than Belgian SA.

<i>From a 750mL Bottle.</i> Mostly hazy, golden orange colored body with no head. Faint whisper upon cracking the bottle cap, but no more life. Aromas of pear and apple esters accompany a doughy, pretzel-like barrel character. Sweet honey and orange blossoms. Smells tasty, but heavy. Medium bodied, flat mouthfeel. Sweet flavors of orange and honey up front on the palate, along with some warming alcohol. Substantial fruit esters. Mid-palate, some of the barrel characters start to open up, bringing out notes of vanilla and peppery wood. This has a distinctive barrel character that reminds me a lot of of baked pretzel; a trait that is found in my favorite BB beers. Unfortunately, the complete lack of carbonation ruins an otherwise awesome beer. Flavors are great, but without the bubbles, it’s flat, alcoholic, and somewhat of a mess. If the beer wasn’t good, I wouldn’t be disappointed, but I’m sad to see the fruits of a love labor miss the mark at the last stage of execution.

1st rating since the site came back. Election Eve with Cyn, Thanks JohnC for grabbing this bottle for me. Pours orange with a thin tan head. Nose is sweet and biscuitty with a slight bourbon quality to it. Nose is slightly boozy with a lot of strange notes. Taste is sweet and big with lots of nice qualities. There is certainly a nice Belgian quality here, some nice yeast and with a bit of bourbon. Cool brew.

Bottle. Light bourbon in nose with lots of yeasty spice notes. Clear copper with no head. Flavor is pure caramel with honey and bourbon notes that clash. Thin and harsh.

750ml bottle. Bottle #182/456. Tasted side by side with regular Batch 1. Pours a little bit darker brown/amber than the un-BA version. Cloudier as well. No head. Stille get a bit of the base beer sweetness in the nose. Smells of sweet vanilla and wood with some bourbon. Tastes very sweet but this time half of the sweetness comes from the barrel and the other half comes from the base beer. Mix of sweet malty and fruity base with the vanilla wood and bourbon from the barrel. Better than the un-barrel aged version by far. Full body, zero carbonation.