Melange No. 3 - The Bruery

rye726

Colorado

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is quite an impressive offering from The Bruery. Pours a dark woody brown with a thin tan head.

The nose and taste are too complex for my vocabulary to even attempt describing. There is a huge oak and bourbon presence along with sweet pitted fruits and dark roasted malts. Peppery alcohol, more ripe cherries and plums, chocolate, caramel, toffee, vanilla and so much more.

Full body was thick and creamy, light carbonation. Amazingly drinkable for 15+ percent. I had way too much of this at the Boulder Strong Ale Fest, but I am very glad I did.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2009 19:42:00 | More by rye726

vacax

California

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at The Bruery. 8 oz. allotment into my tulip glass.

A: Melange No. 3 is a dark chestnut color, nearly opaque if viewed from a distance, but up close the color of a dark brown sugar. Creamy tan head looks nice, leaves little lacing (not unimpressive for 15% ABV).

S: Bourbon, brown sugar, candy, hints of dark fruit.

T: Quite along the nose. Delicious brown sugar and bourbon melted together. Swirls of dark fruits, vanilla, and oak. The three base beers in this blend mix together expertly. The bourbon and brown sugar are intense but perfect--unbelievably smooth--never cloying or harsh. Masterful.

M: Heavy body and silky smooth, not quite chewy. Low carbonation appropriate for the flavors.

D: Taste is simply amazing and drinkability is equally magnificent. 15% ABV goes down smoother than than many beers with half the ABV, but there is no need to down it quickly with such rich flavors. The worst part about this beer is that it is likely I will never taste this again. The best beer I have tasted yet from The Bruery, and on par with any world class barrel aged blend. Epic.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2009 04:51:38 | More by vacax

0110x011

California

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Bruery 1st Anniversary Extravaganza.

A - Murky porter brown. Reminds me of other RIS-influenced blended beers. Highlights are lighter brown. Thin, wispy head fades fast, leaving little lacing behind.

S - Holy barrel-aged wonder! Huge whiskey aromas combine with vanilla, cocoa, and coffee notes. Dark fruityness (fig & prune) mix with a leathery earth in the back of the nose. A bit woody.

T - Vanilla, cocoa, and caramel flavors hit first, followed closely by the dark fruit and earth overtones. More of a sweet, toffee-like candy flavor in the middle. Oak and whiskey throughout. Amazing depth.

M - Full bodied, but not insanely huge. Tight carbonation keeps it silky smooth. Incredibly long finish.

D - One of the most drinkable ales of this ABV I've ever had. This stuff is truly dangerous.

One of the, if not the, best beers i've ever had. On par with any of the greatest beers in the world. This is one to sell your soul for. i just may.

In.Sane.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2009 23:36:13 | More by 0110x011

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Holy hell I get to try this one. A 22oz bomber/growler that was sent my way that literally could not make me happier. Served up at cellar temp, this beast was poured into the appropriate Darkness snifter and consumed on 10/02/2009.

Dark as night this one pours out of the bottle, looking as daunting as it can it is just pitch black. Small tan head, maybe an inch hangs for a bit and then slowly fades into the abyss leaving a dark, ominous looking oil like liquid in front of me. As I lean in and try to get a whiff of this, I fall back, drowning in a sea of vanilla and butterscotch. It is bourbon overload, everything I have ever dreamed a barrel aged stout could be is coming to me now. Rich notes of vanilla, toffee, caramel, butterscotch are all surrounding a huge boozy middle. Its like some sick and twisted candy bar only I could enjoy. Each sip now becomes its own voyage into a realm of sweet boozy bliss that few have gotten a chance to be near. Rich is not even the right word to describe this flavor. Soo sweet, with a barely noticeable booziness in the flavor, 15%? Where? Rich notes of vanilla and woody textures combine and wrap around that sweet bourbon flavor, just absolutly sublime. Smooth, delicate, complex, perfect.

Overall I can make this real simple. This beer has made me rethink all other big beers I have ever had. The deep and rich flavor of butterscotch and toffee that I so try to find is rediscovered here. This beer is sublime, please, do yourself a favor and go find this.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2009 01:33:39 | More by mikesgroove

msimmons32

California

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this beer on tap at the Bruery during their St. Veronus celebration. I was lucky to get a full 12oz pour.

I could drink this beer all day long or till i pass out. It is definitely a sipper but you just keep wanting more after each sip. Every sip I took I tasted something different. I could taste the BT and the oak sap, but the most prominant flavor was the Papier. I can't wait to get this beer through the reserve society and age it.

Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2010 04:48:50 | More by msimmons32

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.97/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Shared by Huhzubendah.. Thanks Matt!

Pours a dark amber with a one finger cocoa head. Great lacing on my snifter. Nose is butterscotch, caramel, toffee, Vanilla, burned toast. Taste is the same profile... Super smooth, with an incredible taste to it. Feel is perfect. Where's the alcohol? Overall, a really amazing brew with a slight alcohol burn. This is a strong beer, and very stealthy alcohol-wise. I literally fell asleep for 30 minutes after enjoying this brew.... Not for the faint of heart. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 00:18:25 | More by jayhawk73

vissai

California

4.95/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I actually had this out of the bottle and tap during the same tasting. Bruery Clusterfork tasting #1.

A: A lot lighter in color than I remember. It was noticeably lighter than Oude Tart with sour cherries. Almost no head. looked oily and slick.
S: Black Tuesday is what jumps out at me first. The beautiful sweet boozy vanilla slap you next. Can I get this in a cologne??
T: Black tuesday is what pops out in the taste also. I taste barrel notes and vanilla also. Very pleasant booziness.
M: Very chewy moutfeel. Carbonation is very low, which I enjoy.
D: All day everyday. Goes with being a a sibling of Black Tuesday. 15% abv is hardly noticed.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 18:01:20 | More by vissai

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at The Bruery tasting room on 3/21/09. Served in a tulip glass.

Pours a deep and dark cranberry with a 1/2 finger of angry, reddish, burnt mocha colored head. Thin creamy retention that flares up beautifully, just absolutely COATING the sides of the glass with sticky lacing. This just has an awesome dark & stormy look to it but I don't think that it fully prepares you for what's next. HOLY SH*T! The aroma on this is just freaking outrageous! Bourbon, dark fruits, vanilla, smoke, brown sugars, toffee, molasses, oaky tannins, wet tobacco, and a stiff waft of heat. Do I need to continue? Seriously?

The taste is quite frankly...HUGE. Warming bourbon mixed with dark fruits, vanilla, and oak up front, smoked meat and tobacco leaves in the middle, with a sticky finish of blackstrap molasses and brown sugars that just STICKS straight in the mouth. Unbelievable power and complexity here. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with an enormous creamy carbonated feel up front and then a more viscous layer underneath which carries all of that tangy tasting sweetness along. And I still can't get over that this beer is 15% ABV. It literally drinks more like it's in the 9-10% range. Oh, it's definitely warm and a sipper for sure but I've had 15% beers that have had some really low drinkibility because of it. This luckily isn't one of them.

Wow! Just wow! It's been a while since I've awarded three 5's to a beer (only three beers prior to this that I've reviewed) and this one is real close to four for me, with between a 4.5-5 on the mouthfeel as well. This is just a TREMENDOUS blend, one of the best beers that I've ever had, and is hands down my early pick for favorite of 2009. Two weeks later and I can still taste the tang in my mouth. Patrick Rue and this brewery are the real f**king deal folks.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2009 16:50:27 | More by Kegatron

newk340

California

4.93/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Flight at the Bruery.

A: A dark hazy maroon/brown. Little to no head and relatively little lacing.

S: Wow, what can't I smell? Plums, prunes, caramel, toffee, and maybe even a little bit of chocolate. Deliciousness all around.

T: Perfect. Absolutely delicious blend of caramel and toffees, dark fruits permeate the mouth. Worth the several bottles I bought.

MF/D: Extremely smooth with relatively little carbonation, but couldn't believe the ABV. Certainly tasted strong, but not 15+%...

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 04:18:39 | More by newk340

maximum12

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to dbhog for sharing his allotment with me. I've had sips of this beer at a couple of tastings & couldn't wait to have a full pour. Well, half-pour at least, if I cracked this open without my wife she'd shiv me in my sleep. Kidding! I think. 22 oz. bottle.

Pour is black with a bit of pop on top, more than I'd expect from a brew this big & dark. The smell rolls the instant the wax is breached - wow. Massive bourbon & vanilla fringle with chocolate & sweet fruits. Yumza.

Melange No. 3 is just sublime. Hot alcohol seems appropriate rather than daunting & is right up front. Huge whiskey presence with attendant vanilla. Sweetness has a gravitas that mocks lesser beers attempts at killing diabetics. The Papier is distinct in the middle, dark hard fruits & more sweetness, here molasses & brown sugar. Toffee. Malts. Jeeeesus, so much going on. The ending is hot alcohol & more whiskey. Despite the ABV & the ridiculous, over-the-top shit going on here, I could easily take a bomber by myself. And probably will the next time my wife is out of town. Shhhh. Don't tell her.

This is easily a top-shelf beer & possibly one of my favorites of all time. Just beautiful. I could drink this every night.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 02:37:24 | More by maximum12

Floydster

California

4.9/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Sampled today at the Bruery on Valentine's Day, reviewed this from notes on my cell phone, this is a blend of three bourbon barrel aged beers: Black Tuesday Imperial Stout, White Oak Wheatwine, and Papier, their 1st anniversary brew, I will start off by saying that this is by far their best beer to date and one of the better ones I have ever had period, color is a very dark brown, not much of a head, maybe a quarter inch and slightly bubbly, went away pretty quickly, this stuff just looked good, do not say that often but it was surely the case, there was a big bourbon nose, lots of roasted almonds and malts, very small amount of booze, oak, vanilla, milk chocolate, molasses, dark fruits, honey, buttered bread, and lots of caramel, flavor is so good, lots of caramel and toffee up front, roasted and bready malts in the middle mixed with vanilla and oak, finish has a nice caramel and bourbon finish, slightly dry in the aftertaste and keeps you wanting more and more, gots sweeter as it warmed after a few minutes and the complexities of the wheat wine component seemed to shine through, cannot barely detect any booze somehow, wow this stuff tastes great, mouthfeel was the only issue with this beer but it was still good, just a little thin at times, sweet, roasty, and tangy mouthfeel, soft carbonation, taste lingered a long time, what really makes this impressive is that is fifteen percent and you barely taste a drop of alcohol, I had to really look for it to even taste any, it was amazingly hidden, could drink a whole lot of this stuff and that would just get me into trouble because of its strength, fantastic drinkability, most amazing part of this brew, the attendees at the Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest will be lucky to have some of this stuff, too bad there is only a few kegs in existence, Patrick outdid himself with this one and I made sure I told him before I left, hope to have more as soon as possible, a blending masterpeice, highly recommended

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2009 23:07:46 | More by Floydster

tpd975

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I can not thank JohnQVegas enough for this beer.

A: Pours a nice amberish shade of brown with a nice sized off white head. Nice retention and some lace left behind.

S: Wow heaven in a bottle. Lots of chocolate, dark fruit, and sweet molasses. Notes of oak, vanilla, and a touch smoke from a chunk of burning oak.

T: Nice mix of black cherry and dark fruit up front. Chocolate and oak can be picked up along with dark brown sugar and molasses. The level of oak and vanilla from the vanilla is absolutely perfect. Can not pick up a bit of booze despite this one packing a huge punk at over 15% ABV.

M: Rather full in body, bold, rich, sweet, smooth, um yeah basically awesome.

D: Would be on my short list of beers if I were on death row. This is not just a beer it is a true beer drinking experience, one I wish everyone had the chance to try.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2010 01:32:29 | More by tpd975

TK5150

Maine

4.9/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Pours a murky brown/amber with a small beige head that recedes quickly into a small ring around the glass. Alcohol legs on the side of the glass as I swirl.

S- Big sweetness. Caramel, molasses, oak, bourbon, vanilla, and just a hint of alcohol. Awesome.

T- Big sweetness again. Caramel, molasses, sugar, oak, and bourbon. Dark fruits come through towards the finish with some light heat from the alcohol and barrel. If I didn't know Black Tuesday was one of the beers in this blend, I would never have guessed there was a stout in here. Either way, it works, and its fantastic.

M- Full bodied, but not huge. Lighter side of full bodied I would say. There is a little bite to it.

O- One of the best beers I have ever had. I like big, sweet beers, and this hit the spot. While it is sweet, the barrel character helps balance it out. A true piece of blended beer art.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 16:29:18 | More by TK5150

SaucyA

Michigan

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

1 liter Growler from Whole Foods in NYC. Thanks Brett! I'm drinking this all night...

A - Pours a deep, cola brown into my big ol' snifter. The head is a soap bubble mass that at first sits atop the entire brew, but slowly creeps to the edges. Slight lacing, but awesome for a brew of this size.

S - Mmmm... barrel. How many nuances can we discover?!? Let's find out. Wood. Bourbon. Booze. Vanilla. Coconut. Pipe Tobacco. Molasses. Brown sugar. Carmelized sugar. Toffee. Caramel. All those. And more. Wrapped up into a seamless mass of heaven. Fuck. Me.

T - There are times when a beer transcends beer and spills over into other aspects of life. This is a beer. It is a dessert. It is an artistic work. It is an experience. This beer is truly phenomenal. What's in here? What ISN'T in here? I taste all the smells, and then a whirlwind of alcohol notes, plums, dried sweet fruits, and massssive malts. More sips bring out different flavors at different times. Major coconut backend. The booze is remarkably well hidden, despite playing a welcomed and enjoyable role in the taste now and again. The best description for this is "Imperial Firestone Walker Eleven".

M - Perfect carbonation. Just the right amount of crisping, yet completely subdued enough to let the beer shine. The medium to heavy body really makes this a really fun beer to dissect.

D - Wow. This is one beer that deserves every last bit of hype it's getting. It's fantastic, on every level, in every way. Goddamn this is gonna be a good night.

Notes: Woah. This MAY be the best beer I've ever had. I know it's the highest I've ever ranked a beer. Frankly... I couldn't tell ya if this is the best beer I've ever had.. and that's seriously a tall order to follow... but holy shit if this isn't everything a brew is supposed be.

Serving type: growler

04-03-2009 00:46:07 | More by SaucyA

francisweizen

Australia

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had this on tap in Manhattan when the bruery were first making their push into the city.

I had it on tap in a small 6oz wine glass at Rattle & Hum.

This is a dark flat beer that looks like sherry in the glass. No head, no lacing, no nothing.

The aroma is phenomenal, like the Angels Share if it were somehow more concentrated and better.

The taste is perfect, booze, oak, vanilla, toffee, caramel, etc, etc. I could go on for hours, there were so many many flavor notes in this beer that it is obscene.

Mouthfeel was creamy thick and coating but not cloying at all.

I could not believe that this stuff was 15%, I could drink it all day long.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2009 20:05:04 | More by francisweizen

gregmoscetti

California

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

First off, congrats to hophead84 below me for knocking out 25oz. of this monster. I had 2 glasses and questioned my ability to drive automobiles or any heavy machinery.

I have to say that in a year of beer hype going through the roof with over hyped barrel aged so and so's, this was the one beer that truely did not disappoint. It was like hearing everyone talk about inglorious basterds, and having it still demolish your expectations.

I could have drank this all night and not flinched... in fact after my first one disappeared so fast, a fellow BA and i both noticed how remarkable easy this was to drink (a characteristic that i think all of their big beers have). I will admit, I can see where those who are not crazy about big beers or are unwavering hop devouring machines would not get along with melange, but i can assure it did me just right. If its still there tomorrow, I think I'm going back...

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2009 17:35:29 | More by gregmoscetti

domtronzero

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Bruery. From notes.

A - slightly murky dark ruby brown color. Low tan head with high retention. Lots of lacing.

S - boozy bourbon. Dark malts with a little toffee. Raisins and alcohol.

F/M - caramel and toffee and dark fruity raisins. Big alcohol flavor with a touch of bourbon. Vanilla and prunes. Low bitterness. Full bodied with decent carbonation. Nice lingering aftertaste of dark fruits and bourbon.

D - exceptionally good for such a huge beer. The clean alcohol and well-balanced flavors make this an easy drinker for being such a big bold beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2010 06:46:46 | More by domtronzero

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

A - Pours a nice rich mahogany with some nice dark caramel edges. There is a nice dense 0.5 inch head that is a light ecru color. The head recedes to a nice ring around the glass with some thicker bubbles.

S - Starts off with some nice strong sweetness. Pure molasses and carmel with brown sugar on top. There is definitely some woody notes and some extreme and awesome Bourbon in the nose. Tons of vanilla is present as well as slight maple syrup notes and some oak. Delicious Bourbon aroma with some butterscotch as well.

T & M - Starts off with an extremely sweet and boozy but at the same time delicious and smooth note. It is sooo rich and delicious with tons of toffee and some nice caramel and extreme Bourbon notes. Wow. I am quite impressed with this offering. Tons of vanilla in there as well. Some slight oak character to it but mostly sweet smooth Bourbon. The booze notes are more on the sweetness side than the hot side. The 15% is definitely not noticeable at all. Extremely surprising and delicious. this beer is rich, silky, smooth, creamy all at the same time. The sweet toffee, vanilla and Bourbon are layered well with some slight wood notes that make this a delight.

O - I was a bit skeptical of this beer as I kind off get turned off by overly sweet beers but this was just right. Very sweet but still manageable brew with some awesome Bourbon and butterscotch notes that don't overwhelm but are intense. Awesome brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 00:31:23 | More by JoEBoBpr

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A beer I have been wanting to try for years. I cracked this open with a good buddy during the football games this weekend.

The beer appears walnut brown with subtle burgundy highlights. Small off white head that leaves minimal lacing on the goblet.

Smell is phenomenal. Oak, vanilla, bourbon, malt, sugar cookies...wow...yes, please.

Flavor = silky smooth. Staggering! What just happened?!? I am instantly convinced that I need to fill a portion of my cellar with this delectable concoction. Go Patrick! A vanilla and toffee bomb. Black Tuesday emerges more than the White Oak and Papier. Wonderfully complex and insanely delicious. Beautiful milk and dark chocolates. Likely the best strong ale I have ever had.

Feel = give me more ASAP. Delicate and smooth. Hard to believe this is 15% abv. Lingering flavors of vanilla, bourbon and toffee.

Shocking. World class. So grateful to try it. My highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 00:38:30 | More by Huhzubendah

DoubleJ

California

4.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at The Bruery is this, a three thread beer with 30 proof. Yummy goodiness is calling my name. On to the beer:

The beer is charcoal black with creamy caramel colored edges. Trickles of thin lacing stick to the glass, and a paper-thin sheet of retention remains over the liquid. The flavors found in this beer make me think this is 30 proof, but the medium-heavy, un-viscous body and hidden booze scream no way. This is like Bourbon County Stout with much of the boozy feeling bitchslapped out of it. Out come the barrel, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, whiskey, burnt sugar, and a mild, well-controlled cinnamon-hot alcohol. Very drinkable and approachable.

Just when you think Pat and the crew can't further diversify their portfolio of beers, they do it again. And once again, quality is not an issue. This might be my new favorite Bruery beer, and instantly one of my all-around favorites. Well, until Melange No. 4 is conceived.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2009 05:59:32 | More by DoubleJ

Kaiser81

California

4.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This bottle was hand bottled from the bruery and drunk saturday night. We're calling this on tap.

A - It's a dark, see-through brown with faint orange highlights. There is minimal head and lacing.

S - Very complex. It's just sooo good, and I don't know where to begin. Maybe some caramel, and vanilla, and...I really don't know how to describe this. There is a slight booze smell on the back end, but it's faint.

T - VERY VERY VERY good. Those who got bottles of this will be lucky. it's got caramel, and vanilla, and spices...and did I mention how good this is? it's really complex, but I just want to keep drinking this until I pass out.

M - Minimal carbonation with a heavy body and a slightly boozy aftertaste. But it tastes nothing like the 15% it's advertised as.

D - I wish I would have bought the Bruery membership just for this beer, it's that good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 04:48:27 | More by Kaiser81

Overlord

California

4.8/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What a beer!

At first glance pours a somewhat translucent black (oxymorons FTW!), but upon closer inspection it's actually a slightly ruddy very dark, cola brown. A thin crust of light brown/dark tan head. You know what ... I actually have to ding this beer slightly for appearance. I can't give it above a 4.0, which is a shame, as with the skewed rating system here (appearance, to me, is at most 5% of the overall impact of a beer on my quality of life ... 20% is insane) it's going to get a lower score than it deserves.

Smell is overwhelming. Delicious bourbon whiskey notes, vanilla, dark chocolate, molasses, and a deep, roasted pureed dark fruit undercurrent. Ahhh...so abundant in the nose.

Taste is, perhaps, almost too strong. And you can count the number of times I've said that about a beer on one finger. It's just overwhelming with complexity and quality. There's a definite boozy heat to it, but the kaleidoscope of aromas all translate to the flavors. Additionally, the taste adds in an earthy, woodsy flavor along with brown sugar and molasses. Thick, chewy, delicious.

What the hell was this made of, and why doesn't the Bruery bottle beers like this?

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2009 21:44:21 | More by Overlord

PeprSprYoFace

California

4.8/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the 2nd annaversary party.

Pours a cloudy brown. Light head. Little lacing.

Aroma of bourbon, cocoa, brown sugar toasted sugars.

Tastes awesome. Just as it smells. Sweet but nice. I'm about to get another taste.

Mouthfeel is great. Light carb. Not too thick.

Overall an awesome brew. Can't wait to get some bottles

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2010 23:17:29 | More by PeprSprYoFace

TheCrowsNest

California

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shared bottle poured in the back of Valentino's pizza shop. The packaging is fantastic, great label.

Melange No. 3 pours a gorgeous dark, reddish brown. Light barley pierces the liquid, but what does come through is a deep ruby red. It looks rich.

A quick sniff is just a precursor of what's to follow. I got loads of dark fruits covered in chocolate. Sweet, but not overly so.

Whoa. There's vanilla, beautiful oak over tones yield to complex fruits and touches of oak. It gets better with every sip. Now comes a little bublegum. This blend is an emotional experience to say the least.

Light, but in a good way - not thin.

This is a blend for the ages. There is nothing about this beer that is overdone. It's a perfect blend. The Bruery just convinced me to buy in to the Reserve Society.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 17:33:15 | More by TheCrowsNest

claaark13

Indiana

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed on 3/20/12. 2011 version served in a HF tulip at just shy of 55 degrees. Thanks Cory.

A - Dark brown with a head that rises over an inch, then fades into thick off-white lacing. Beautiful.

S - Somewhat complex. Dark malts, molasses, oak, caramel-like bourbon notes. The caramel and vanilla really come out when you dig in there a bit. There is some sweetness evident, maybe more than I'd like. However, I'm liking this a lot.

T - First two sips were a little sweet upfront, but was too interesting to put down. Sweetness from the wheatwine upfront mixed with the spices from the strong ale (Coton this time around?). This transitions so smoothly into the middle/finish. Maybe a little bit of raisin in there. The Black Tuesday begins in the middle, yet really shines in the finish with those chocolate, oak, caramel notes shining through. Slightest clearing of the nose, but no real burn. Some vanilla lingers with the slightest dryness of the oak. Great transition and development of flavors. Do I love this? I think so?

M - Somewhat thick with enough carbonation to make it drinkable. I honestly couldn't ask for a better feel for this style. Thick, yet drinkable.

O - I'm really having a tough time giving this beer anything short of a 5. I had a long day at work, I've been looking forward to this one for quite some time, it is my b-day and I haven't eaten dinner. All of those combined probably give me a skewed perspective, so I'll hold off on the 5 until I get an additional opportunity to sit down with another bottle.

Consumed on 3/26/12. 2010 vintage. Not sure where I got this, but thanks to whomever provided. Poured at cellar temp into a HF tulip.

A - Pours dark brown with a medium head, mostly comprised of bubbles instead of foam. This leads to eventual lacing. Looks nice with the thick legs after the bubbles go away. 4.0.

S - Getting some sweet notes, some spices and then some caramel coming through quite strong. There is a hint of vanilla, but mostly caramel. Smells more like a sweet old ale than anything else. 4.0.

T - A sweet beginning suddenly clears the nostrils. I knew I should have held off for another year. Some spices come through, bits of a brown sugar, raisin and then some caramel and vanilla kick in. The vanilla, again, is subtle. Caramel and heat in the finish. As the flavor develops, more dryness is evident int he finish. 4.0

M - A lot like the '11, but maybe a tad thinner. 4.5.

O - Not as good as the '11 at this point. Hotter, not quite as smooth. Still a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 22:50:07 | More by claaark13