The Bruery Papier (Brandy Barrel Aged)

Deep brown pour with no head at all. Big, massive, chewy, intense nose that is loaded with woody character, bourbon, oak and a heavy bitter cocoa/soy character. It’s quite hot and boozy although with all of the woody tannins, you tend to notice them more than the actual alcohol. Sticky and sweet with loads of char and roastiness in addition to the oak. I really want to like this, but it’s pretty tough to get through.

Bottle from MaxxDaddy to cap off a long tasting. This was like finishing a marathon and once home, instead of getting a nice massage from your lady, she smacks you across the face with a frying pan. To say I didn’t like this is an understatement: I despised this. I’m less and less impressed with big, barrel-aged beers recently, and this just drove it home. Everything to be the craziest beer possible and what comes out instead is cyanide. Do not want. Sorry Max who surely traded his left nut to get this.

Bottle: Muddy deep maroon brown with a wispy bubbly ring. The aroma is huge and sweet yet cohesive- big brandy presence, toffeeish richness, toasted buttery oak, toasted marshmallows and tons of alcohol to sting the nostrils. Slick, very hot body. Maple, marshmallow, and tons of alcohol! An enormous beer that’s picked up on tons of dessert-like booziness from the brandy barrel. Tough to choke down- nothing finesse or subtle about this bad boy. Open this in about 20 years.

Dark pour, a bit thin and no head, still. Aroma is booze, and sugary sweetness and faint wood with more alcohol. Flavor is sweet and burning. Some more dark rich fruit and plastic with tons of alcohol. Crazy hot and not enjoyable at all.

Bottle courtesy of Max at Peter’s tasting. Milky looking brown without much of a head. Pretty still actually. Brandy, chocolate, wood. Way too sweet, chocolate, candy, wood. Little bit hot and still more sweetness on the finish. Started out really promising, but ended up a bit of a sweet mess. Bit of a disappointment given how solid the regular version was.

Dr. Bill Tasting - Falling Rock - GABF 2009: Cloudy brown beer with just a thin ring above. One ring to rule them all. Thick Molassis nose with some apple cider notes. Deep, boozy and malty cidery bliss for flavors...i mean, thick...deep sensual apple and booz...big....sexxy...hot.

Bottle at Mekong on 07/19/2009 courtesy of Patrick Rue. Bottle 2423/4777 - Somewhat cloudy brown body with a small off-white head. Big wood, caramel, vanilla, rum soaked fruit and brandy aroma. Very sweet caramel, wood, vanilla, cherries, rum-soaked fruit, chocolate and brandy flavor. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation.

(A couple 750ml bottles, one bottle courtesy of BMan1113vr) Pours an amber-brown body with a spare beige head. Aroma of caramel, toffee, brandy, raisins, and brown sugar. Flavor of brandy, caramel malt, toffee, raisins, light banana bread, cocoa, and maple. Tasty!