The Bruery/Lawson’s Finest Acer Quercus

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Here’s the weird thing - I didn’t get a lot of maple. Is it too old? Was there more maple in it when it was new? I did get a lot of oak, however. And molasses, as well. I get winey notes, some chocolate, some coffee. As it warms, I finally get a bit of maple. Only a bit. Still, tasty stuff.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown with not much head. Aroma is slightly sweet with some burnt chocolate cake. Taste is more barleywine with a pronounced note of sweet vanilla and some slight bitterness. Overall, meh.

750 ml shared by Gonzoillini. Thanks Tony! Served in a Deschutes snifter. A: Pours a dark brownish color with some lighter edges. A thin khaki colored head forms on the pour and recedes quickly to a thin ring. Some minor splotches of lace. S: Light and smokey. Wood char with some dark fruit and a little pale malt. T: Same as the nose. Pale malts, smokey and some char. Light oxidation with some paper. Booze is well hidden by the smoke. M: Medium light bodied with a medium carbonation level. Slightly smokey finish. O: Decent enough with some well hidden booze. I enjoy smoked beers, but this one was a little one note. Booze was hidden nicely though. Serving type: bottle

[Old rating--Bottle, thanks Daknole!] Pours brown with a nice big tan head which eventually fades to a small ring. Alcohol, anise, barley, not much else. Dark chocolate and light ash in the finish. Alcohol, anise, a little blackberry, lots of oak—too much, and barley. Not bad, but not great. Good mouthfeel, smooth, finish length is above average. Overall, interesting, and it improved as it warmed, but still failed to impress. Thanks again, Daknole!

Dark, translucent brown color with no head. Interesting aroma of booze, vanilla, wet oak, slight sourness like apple vinegar, some sweet maple syrup, and dark stone fruit. Fruity, sweet forward with baked apple, maple, and molasses, with some rich oak and bourbon notes followed by a touch of sour smoky phenols. A very rich, boozy, and odd taste. Medium body, with a strange sweet and sour finish.

27th November 2011
Opaque black beer, big pale tan head. Light palate, a little soft and dry. Obvious alcohol. Dark malt that has both bitter and sweet chocolate. Maple is not obvious. Sweet candy fruit before the alcohol dry finish. Bit clunky but all right.

Aged bottle. Pours a deep murky brown with a tan head. The aroma is sweet smoke, plums, chocolate; very complex and exciting. The smoked malt and maple play very well in this beer. I enjoyed every sip.

Another brew thanks to Terminus at the Annual Black Friday tasting. It pours with a mahogany body supporting a thin tan head of foam. The aroma offers up blueberry and molasses covered apple wedges as well as a bit of graham cracker. The taste has similar notes as I get a pleasing rich experience full of blueberry fruitiness, some raisins, a snippet of dark roasted malts and a slipper yet sticky slope of molasses.

Bottle:   Deep dirty pond water like brown, thin frothy beige head, little lacing.   Assertive wood and smoked aroma, slight maple syrup.   Some salt water taffy like aromas as well.   Sweet maple like charred wood or campfire on the tongue.   Salty yet sweet, maple like syrup amongst some obvious campfire or charred wood.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate to full.   Finishes with a strong smoke aspect, moreso than the start.   Sweet maple syrup start, yet resides in the rauchbier world once finished.   Great beer, wished it were a little sweeter with more emphasis on the maple syrup.   Comes across as more of a Smoked than anything, which is fine, but given the subtle nature of some of the sweetness, I wished it were a bit more pronounced over the smokiness.   Otherwise, very well crafted.

S - pours very dark mahogany with 1 finger tan head that dissipates quickly. S - strong sweet maple syrupy smoky goodness. Earthy woodsy notes. M - medium bodied brew with a nice round body. Full palate. Lingering smoky malts ends. T - maple syrup and smoky malts throughout. Oaky earthy notes with a hint of cacao and dark dry fruits. O - pretty good. Well balanced nice rounded smoky oaky brew. 6+ ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone