The Bruery Bois

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Old Ale
Placentia, California USA

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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Pours dark brown, thin head, spotty lacing. Nose is extremely lifted, much more expressive and forward than the standard Coton. Notes of caramel, oak, vanilla, coconut, toast, very deep & profound. I could smell this all day. Flavours of caramel, raisins, bourbon, there are still some hops here too, and they bring some real spiciness, as well as a vanilla spice brought by the malt and oak. A VAST improvement over the standard Coton, an absolutely classic brew.

Sampled at RBSG 2010 Grand Rapids. Ruddy, reddish brown pour with a tan head. Aroma of sweet dried fruit, toffee, caramel, and lots of big bourbon. Flavor is remarkably better than the ’other" version. Hot and boozy, still more sweet than I’d prefer in a beer, but the bourbon, oak, and vanilla notes add a bit of balance to what was a shockingly sweet blend in the other version. Certainly couldn’t drink more than the small sample I had. Mouthfeel is thick, and it finishes hot. This is better, but nothing I’ll pine for.

Sampled at the RBSG Summer Grand Tasting (Grand Rapids, MI). Pours a nice dark brown with red edges. Aromas are big and malty, toffee and caramel mix with subtle orange marmalade, raisin, substantial bourbon, vanilla tannins, rich on the nose. Initial is thinner than expected, warming bourbon hits fast, caramel and toffee, biscuits, more toffee, a touch of marmalade, touch of light creamy sweetness, cakey, with a decent sweetness, light bitterness and booziness on the back, light raisin and dark fruit. Nice, but nothing overly complex or earth moving, instead it starts to move a bit towards cloying. The flavors are on, but the overall experience just doesn’t hit me right necessarily. A solid beer but I don’t see the appeal compared to some of their better beers.

Bottle thanks to Brian! Pours a very dark brown, nearly black, with a mocha head that settled to a very pretty ring. Nose is big and malty, full of some very fine bourbon, with a lot of pipe tobacco and old leather. A winner. Heavy in the mouth, quite full of bourbon, with a lot of malt character. Pipe tobacco is really strong here, just a wonderful quality. Initially the carbonation is too strong, it has to sit for a bit. Some tangy flavors that concerns me...it’s hard to tell whether it’s heat from the bourbon or a sour/infection type thing. But that’s kind of allayed with time and I guess it’s just heat. This is definitely for people who enjoy boozy, bourbon barrel beers. A really nice sipper.

Had on tap at Bruery anniversary party and on tap again this past weekend. Pours with slight tan head and dark brown, red color. Aroma is sweet, full of bourbon, toffee, vanilla, and chocolate. Tastes sweet, full of bourbon, lots of caramel, sugar, and alcohol. The vanilla and chocolate seemingly take a back seat in the taste as the sugary sweetness steps up. Mouthfeel is very viscous, heavy, sticky, sweet, very little carbonation. A very enjoyable beer, the barrel aging really enhances the great flavors here. Will age quite nicely I’m sure.

UPDATED: AUG 29, 2010 On tap as barrel aged cotton (bourbon papier rate coming soon). Pours with a small tan head and a murky ruby-amber body. Aroma is huge with raisins, big, chewiness, caramel, barrel, soil, chocolate and wood. Taste is a bit of alcohol burn, wood, raisins, soil, barrel and exceptionally vinous. Lively bubbles, big, thick, boozy vinous. Excellent.

8,4,8,4,17:4.1

Bottle number 346 of Bourbon Barrel Aged Papier. Pours with no head over a brown to amber body that leaves legs. Aroma is decadent with dates, figs, bourbon, maple, vanilla, pleasant alcohol and vinous notes. Taste is vinous, maple, bourbon, jammy and awesome. Not much carbonation, smooth mouthfeel, some alcohol, but its well hidden after more than a year of age in the bottle.

9,4,8,4,18: 4.3

Bottled. Pours turbid deep ruddy brown w 1f ow head. Nose is sour mashy pruney fruit, oaky bourbon, c malt, raisins, brown sugar. Tastes thick, malty, rich, with big bourbony malt, prune, fig, and raisin. Man, does this start rich and bourbony and fruity, but it mellows out a bit as it warms, hiding the alcohol fairlt well,l and getting some apple cidery notes late. Reminds me a bit of a the HOTD FFTW mixed with a smidgen of Eis cider. Well made, and as usual from these guys, very complex, delcious, and unpredictable.

Pours a thin tan head thats short lived. Murky brown in color. Not a real looker. Nose is notes of wood, whiskey, dark fruits and alcohol. Med/full body fairly oily, alittle sticky, little carbonation. Whiskey and sweet malts, alcohol, fruity plummy notes, some raisn, charred caramel malts, layed back woodiness. Sorta sweet malty whiskyish finish, alcohol too! Better than expected. Thanks to eaglefan for sharing. Bottle from statelineliquors.

Tap at The Bruery Anniversary Party. Lots of dark fruits, vanilla, caramel and bourbon. This one will age well and improve as the bourbon settles down.
Earlier Rating: 5/16/2009 Total Score: 4.2
Bottle at The Bruery Anniversary Party. Lots of dark fruits, vanilla, caramel and bourbon. A big and decadent beer.

Tap at the 2nd Anniversary Party. This is a great beer, but I think it could use some time, to let the bourbon in this settle down. Pour is darker brown than regular coton. Nose is sweet and full of bourbon. Taste is very intense with a lot of bourbon.
Earlier Rating: 12/22/2009 Total Score: 4.4
One of my bottles brought to dasilky1 tasting originally to share with someone bringing a brandy. Pours blackish brown with no head. Nose is huge totally crazy rich big bourbonny crazy nose. Taste is sweet and rich and chocolaty, wonderful beer, lots of toffe, amazing huge beer with lot of legs.