Valley Brew Decadence 12 Cuvee Speciale

Huge thanks to Degarth for sharing this truly rare treat.

Pours hazy brown with thin off white head. It has a simply huge creamy – chewy – delicious – inviting aroma. Wow! I get sweet rich molasses, moderate wood notes, sweet dark fruitiness, some red wine and some understandable alcohol presence consider the massive ABV. I get a thick initial mouth feel ushering notes of dates, figs, prunes and sweet raisins that moves into wood and mild sweet booziness. It then becomes more and more whiskey infused as the taste progresses. It runs toward the finish with unbridled joy carrying tasty rich malt sweetness mixed with sweet dark dark fruitiness. Just plain old YUM!!

Courtesy of KrausenJockey. The aroma is defined mostly by the intense alcohol kick, but beneath this is what amounts to a brandy soaked macaroon with coconut, vanilla, sweet toasty malt and gobs of caramel. It’s just a joy to sniff. The appearance is that of a Barely Wine rather than a Quad as it never gets much of a lasting head though you can tease up a thin tan head with a vigorous swirl. The flavor is coconut, vanilla, toasted malt, brandy a coterie of rich dark fruits and boozy alcohol that manages to both burn and be delightful on the finish. Caramel and that "macaroon" flavor are the standouts, but the fruit notes are still quite pronounced. Just an amazingly tasty big beer that I would love to try with even more age.

Bottle courtesy Degarth. Pours a slightly hazy amber with a small short lived off-white head. Aroma is heavy alcohol that stings the nostrils, spicy yeast, dark fruit, caramel, and a hint of oak. Taste is tart dark fruit, spicy yeast, alcohol, with hints of oak and caramel. Medium mouthfeel with a mild amount of bitterness and very smooth alcohol. Very good.

My goodness, Steve is the man. At the NorCal tasting, he brought out several that just kept getting better, and better, and this was our last Valley of the evening. This was like sipping a fine cognac. Rich, malt and dried fruit nose along with the slightest of a brandy influence. Sweet, complex, unique flavor that is spot on the aroma. What a treat.

Once again provided by Mike. Wow. Brownish colored beer. Strong pleasant aroma of brandy and ripe fruity malts. The flavor basically took the good aspects of brandy and mixed it with and incredibly pleasant fruity caramel malt and oak. This was liquid desert and one of the finest beers I have probably ever enjoyed.