Melange No. 3 - The Bruery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My bottle shared with Andrew and Nick. Rich and complex. Dark bottled with bubbly head. Above average mouthfeel. The imperial stout, the Black Tuesday is the centerpiece, some chocolate, A sour finish. Somewhat like a good red wine (though with tannins).A sipper and one I would have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 00:26:44 | More by northyorksammy

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

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Bruery

A: The pour is a slightly muddy dark brown color with a some reddish highlights and a thin layer of tan head.

S: The nose is quite sweet with plenty caramel and dark fruit notes with a touch of chocolate. The bourbon really comes through providing lots of vanilla and a bit of oak.

T: The flavor is quite sweet with the White Oak Sap really holding it's own against the beast that is Black Tuesday. Between the White Oak Sap and Papier, the beer has quite a bit of sweet caramel and vanilla with just a touch of chocolate to it. Both the bourbon, and alcohol flavors come through, but even at such a high ABV, it's not all that hot.

M: The body on this beer is massive, as you would expect from its components. Still, the low carbonation helps it from becoming too syrupy.

D: This beer is boozy and the flavor keeps you from forgetting it. However, it's still quite easy to drink--dangerously, even. I can't wait for the bottles to come out.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2010 06:14:10 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.72/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to bmanning for opening this bottle.

A: Pours a very deep brown bordering on black with a fairly nice head and whisps of lacing as it goes down.

S: Quite sweet. Amazing how all the different components of the three beers come out. Can absolutely simultaneously sniff out the Black Tuesday, Papier, and White Oak, all of which are great beers in their own right.

T: Sweet, caramel malt alongside dark, roasted chocolate malt and a good dose of bourbon and oak. Surprisingly not hot at all in the flavor department; however, my nose feels the slightest alcohol burn after swallowing.

M: Thick and fairly chewy. Remarkable how little alcohol presence there is for a beer of this strength.

D: Only gets better as it warms up. Delicious all around. Great to savor its complexity throughout and keep discovering new flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 15:47:44 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Burnt caramel color with a thin foam that quickly fades to a ringlet; while there is not much lacing, there are legs (not unexpected for 15.5%)

Smell: Very boozy, with bourbon, vanilla, butterscotch, honey and chocolate elements

Taste: At the outset, the bourbon, rum-soaked raisin, prune, honey, butterscotch and cinnamon elements lay down the gauntlet and build in alcoholic intensity by mid-palate; after the swallow, the flavors meld together, with a mouth-puckering, oaky intensity in the finish

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation and considerable warmth in the gullet

Drinkability: Considerable complexity and a fascinating range of flavor; just not particularly drinkable though I am very impressed

Thanks, ptykozoon, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 01:50:44 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.47/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Los Angeles, CA as part of their Jingle Bell Jubilee.

Pours a murky dark brown with a 1/2 inch foamy khaki cap that settles to an oily film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly slide back into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of bourbon, wood, malt, brown sugar, toffee, and dark fruits. Taste is of bourbon, wood, malt, brown sugar, toffee, plums, and figs. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. A definite alcohol warmth in the back of the throat with each sip. Overall, this is a fantastic beer with very complex aromas and flavors. I am really glad I was able to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2011 19:16:38 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.31/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Bottle: Poured a dark cloudy brown color ale with a relatively large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of roasted malt with sweet notes, some bourbon and some vinous notes makes for a unique mix. Taste is a mix between bourbon and vanilla notes with some oak, dark fruit and some vinous notes which feels more or less balanced with the rest of the mix. Body is full with limited filtration and light warming alcohol. I didn’t really dig the mix between rich stout/old ale sweet notes and the dark fruit and also vinous feels of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 19:09:18 | More by Phyl21ca

drabmuh

Maryland

4.7/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

At the time of this review, this is the #3 beer on the "Top Beers - American Strong Ale" list. Served in a Bruery tulip because the end of the world is coming and I want to go out in style. It should be stated that this is one of my longest and most elusive wants.

Beer is brown, hazy, thin tan head of small bubbles, head breaks and pulls to the walls of the glass. A little lazy looking but it is a blend of three barrel aged beers, what was I expecting?

Here we go! BOURBON! And brown sugar, caramel and roast, mild woodiness and oak and some booze / alcohol as well. Smells like awesome.

Beer is heavy in my hand, I can feel the density and the gravity as I raise my glass to my mouth, although the beer finishes a little thin and dry the forward flavors are sweet bourbon, mild spiciness on the late palate, sweet, dry finish, lingering sense of almost corriander and citrus. Heavy throughout, nice nutty oakiness on the backend as well. About as complex as a beer can get. I love it. And I should know, I'm a certified beer server.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 03:02:10 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

2.93/5  rDev -34%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to SaucerSam for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a medium to dark brown color with some red highlights and a tan head. The aroma is extremely sweet. I get a ton of brown sugar and molasses notes, as well as some wood, maple and vanilla. Unfortunately the flavor is just as sweet as the aroma. I get a lot of dark fruit and oak, as well as some brown sugar. I get some maple notes as well. I know Black Tuesday is a part of the blend but I get no roasted malt or chocolate notes. Very boozy. Thick, syrupy mouthfeel and low carbonation. I am very glad I got to try this one, but it was way too sweet and messy for my liking. Still, definitely a unique brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 02:07:49 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to bkrefetz for trading me a 1L swing-top growler of this stuff. I thought it was extinct so it was a huge surprise when his ISO came up. There was a nice pop and gunsmoke while opening this up - shared with Jay & Dave. Served in my Utopias glass.

A - Woah! There's some foam! I was expecting a totally flat pour a la Papier. Maybe a quarter-finger that dissipates to a thin ring and a touch of haze. There's actually some spotty lacing too. On first inspection it looks black, but when held to the light there's some ruby red, copper, and brown highlights and it's actually sort of transparent. Nice legs too when the foam goes away.

S - Damn - this is one bourbon bomb, with tons of butterscotch and toffee flavor coming out as well. Reminds me a little of Skor bar in the mix of roasty cocoa and butterscotch flavors. There's also some dark fruit flavors courtesy of the Papier - cherry, fig, dates, and raisins. It's obviously boozy, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.

T - The taste is pretty similar to the smell, although the balance is somewhat different. It's more old ale and less stout, with sweet dark fruits, roast malt, brown sugar, and obviously plenty of bourbon, vanilla, butterscotch, etc. I'm interested to see how this compares to bourbon Papier. The finish is slightly tannic but it isn't a wood bomb - it does mount a little bit though. The taste is more of a 4.75 - wish that was an option.

M - The body is thick and chewy - very viscous - with light carbonation. There's some definite heat, but it's at the back end and warms the chest. Just super smooth and not at all harsh considering the ABV.

D - Well - I went for a refill of what was probably a 4oz pour. I'm not sure about those guys giving out 5s to this, Papier, and Black Tuesday. It's gonna be trouble killing all 32oz but it'll be fun all the same. The knock isn't really on the booze but instead on the intensity of flavor - it's like trying to eat a super-rich chocolate cake.

I wasn't getting a ton of the wheatwine - I suspect pouring some bourbon Papier into a Black Tuesday would come pretty close. Not hating on this beer - it's f*@%ing awesome - but it's a sipper and a night cap.

Serving type: growler

09-20-2009 01:37:35 | More by MasterSki

Halcyondays

California

4.63/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Sampled from a growler at The Bruery,

A: Pours a murky brown, small smattering of bubbles, really no head, not surprising though when I found out it was 15%. Looks good for a high alcohol beer.

S: Smell is just great. Beautiful aged malt, molasses, prune/raisin/dark fruit. Has the smell of fine English barleywine, outstanding.

T: Big on the malt for sure. Wheatwine is really most evident and stands out. Fermented brown sugar, hint of vanilla, caramelized dark fruit, butterrum candy.

M: Very light carbonation, very smooth, full-bodied for sure, really no alcohol.

D: If I thought Partridge in a Pear Tree held its alcohol well this is exceptional. I knew the blend of the beer so I was thinking 10%, but I found out it was 15% and was shocked. Really it drinks like a 5% beer. I hope they have this on cask at a later date, I'd really like to have it again.

Serving type: growler

02-15-2009 00:55:03 | More by Halcyondays

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 22 oz growler courtesy of jw347. Shared with Deuane, ksak, and sierrags.

A: The ale has a dense, dark body, heavily influenced by the stout. When held up to light, only the faintest chocolate brown colors come through and only at the mouth of the glass.

S: The nose is heavy on the oak, imparting a boozy warmth and full flavor that features both vanilla and cocoa powder. The sweet, treacly barleywine aromas are also evident.

T: Taste-wise, both the stout and the barleywine aspects fight for attention. The barleywine angle seems, to me, to be the winner in a close finish. Cocoa powder and vanilla re-appear and reinforce the barrel aging. Malts that do come through are sweet and thick. Every now and again, burnt malts from the stout base pop up and add more coffee and chocolate. Dark fruits add a lush sweetness that isn't too sugary. The taste is very full, a luxurious ale to sip on.

M: The ale has a sharpness driven by the carbonation, scrubbing at the taste buds after each sip. The complexity is a treat in the mouth.

D: 15%? Really? The strength rarely pops up, content to hide behind the full profile. A masterfully blended ale, rich and intense. More, please.

Serving type: growler

05-04-2009 12:10:26 | More by akorsak

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a hazy dark brwoen with a small tannish cap

S: Immediate boozines stings the nostrils, chocolate, caramel, raisin, oak and vanilla.

T: Delicous and amazing! Booze soaked fruits and chocolate covered raisins, bourbon, oak and vanilla just like the nose. I also get a nice Earthiness with oak.

M: Big body, loads of flavor

O: Just delicous and I see it being cellar worthy for sure

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 15:30:54 | More by barleywinefiend

mdfb79

New York

4.38/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 03/12/11 notes. Had at EBF up in Boston, MA. Was excited to see this on the list.

a - Pours a dark brown color with a reddish tint, light carbonation evident, and one inch of white head.

s - Smells of chocolate, alcohol, bourbon, oak, alcohol, vanilla, roasted malts. Alcohol is pretty strong.

t - Tastes of sweet vanilla and fruit, alcohol, oak, chocolate, and roasted malts. Lots of alcohol and a little too sweet, but still decent.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Thick body.

d - A decent beer but nowhere near the level of Black Tuesday. I have a bottle of Papier but haven't had it yet as I've heard it is very boozy, and I imagine it would be like this. Would give this another shot but wouldn't seek it out again; I'd imagine with more time it will get better, whereas BT is good to go right now.

4/3.5/3.5/4/3.5
___

EDIT 09/25/12: Drinking a 2011 vintage in late 2012.

While there is a still a little bit of alcohol to it, it is nowhere near as boozy as it the first time I had it. Tons of vanilla, caramel, and chocolate to it, as well as bourbon. Nose is a tiny bit too sweet, but the taste and mouthfeel are amazing. Really nice beer; looking forward to getting a few more bottles of this this year and sitting on them a while.

4/4/4.5/4.5/4.5

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 01:51:11 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had at the huge whale-ish tasting at Chris's. Thanks a ton to portia99 for cracking this. batch #1.

Light fizzy head covering, actually a decent head for 15+%,, dark murky coke brown colored beer.

Nose brings lots of bourbon, vanilla, caramel, candi sugar, sweet dark malts, little chocolate, light roast, touch of booze and a sweet awesome malt.

Taste brings sweet malts, lots of malts esp darker malts, little nutty, bit boozy, vanilla, bourbon, oak, chocolate, little roasty flavors, caramel, candy and candi sugar, molasses, bit of brandy soaked raisin, light fig, and a rich toffee, with more bourbon on the finish. It's fairly sweet and a bit boozy, but hits right on for what it presents, and is surprisingly drinkable.

mouth is heavier bodied, a little syrupy, decent carb and a bit boozy.

Overall an awesome beer! lots of great flavors, rich and malty, a bit syrupy, chewy, great vanilla, caramel, chocolate, bourbon, etc. And surprsingly drinkable for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 21:10:42 | More by jlindros

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

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Monk's.

Pours a ruddy dark coppery chestnut brown color which is completely opaque with a half finger dark tan head that quickly fades into a thin lasting ring.

Boozy bourbon aroma with lots of sweet alcohol along with caramel malt, toffee, chocolate and hazelnut. There's also a bitnof dark fruit, most noticeably dRk cherry, plum, fig and raisin. At first it smelled a little bourbon heavy but becomes kore complex in the nose as it warms.

Slightly chewy medium body that is surprisingly spicy up front followed by sweet alcohol heat and bourbon that lingers throughout into a sweet and very hot finish. This beer becomes more complex as it warms and a ton of complexity begins to show. Lots of sweet caramel and leathery malts along with earhty oak, vanilla, toffee, caramel, hazelnut and slightly tart dark fruit. A very nice balance of spice, sweetness and bourbon/alcohol heat. Hints of tart dark cherry, plum, raisin, fig mixed with silky chocolate malt and caramel. Very well balanced and pretty drinkable considering the ABV. You can taste the heat butni wouldn't have guessed this beer was 17%. I'm actually very surprised that after the initial palate shock is beer is very smooth and flavorful. The bourbon and barrel notes are excellently integrated Making me salivate for another sip. Very well done and actually lives up to the hype. I'm psyched that I got a chance to try this one. Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2010 03:20:52 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.31/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap at the 2011 RS party. Lighter than BT, a light brown, deep caramel color. Aroma was very much vanilla, super reminiscient of BT.

The % of BT in this beer really dominated the taste profile, I didn't taste much, if any of the other beers. The tree sap and/or white oak came in soft. Maybe a little more dark sugar and fruit feel to it, but it was barely above negligible. Drinkable enough, was smooth, probably hid its alcohol slightly better than BT, which is saying quite a bit.

The BT and Coton parts just dominate this beer, the white oak doesn't come across as much as I'd hoped. But with so much BT, its a damn good beer, and somehow hid the Coton heat more than Coton itself, maybe that's the role the white oak beer played in this one, other than the slight wood feel to it, but that could have been from the others too.

Toffee and caramel just all over this one.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2011 20:05:02 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.23/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another gem from the finewinemike tasting event.

The beer pours an amber brown color with good head retention and lacing. On the nose, this beer comes across as very sweet and boozy (what a surprise), and I seemed to pick up some of the component parts of black tuesday and barleywine. In any event, I picked up considerable sweet cherry, vanilla and underlying chocolate. This beer was very sweet and rich on the palate, as the flavor profile replicated the nose, but with more intensity than expected (and I was expecting a full flavored beer). I also seemed to pick up some brown sugar, cherry cough drops and light coffee. The alcohol is very noticeable in this boozy beer (given the abv., that's hardly a surprise), and while the beer wasn't hot on the finish, the combination of sweetness and huge alcohol tended to wear out the palate after a while. Mouthfeel was full with a very long, very smooth, rich, sweet finish.

This beer was delicious, albeit quite warming, and there' no doubt that a little bit goes a long way in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 13:40:30 | More by johnmichaelsen

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

HopHead84

California

4.6/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

25oz consumed on 11/27/2009 on tap at The Bruery over a couple hours. I should have had more. The color is dark brown and opaque with a big thick light brown head.

The nose has a lot of brown sugar and a distinct bourbon presence. I detect maple, and the brown sugar and maple notes pervade every aspect of the aroma. The beer is boozy but not 17% (as the sign reads) boozy. Perhaps 10% boozy? It's evident but at a level that I enjoy. Strong caramel, toffee, and vanilla notes are evident. I detect cocoa but it's hidden behind the bourbon and brown sugar sweetness. When the beer warms, the combo of bourbon, butterscotch, brown sugar, and vanilla is intoxicating. I'm a sucker for The Bruery's barrel aromas.

The taste opens with brown sugar, maple, butterscotch, and bourbon. Booze heat is powerful yet delicious. Sweetness is at an upper moderate level and oak is noticeable. The beer is quite sweet, but the robust bourbon and maple absorb it nicely. I get bourbon soaked dates. Strong brown sugary maple finish. Delicious bourbon booziness. I don't get any roasted malt out of the blend, despite previous reviews mentioning it.

The mouthfeel is robust, smooth, and sticky. Big bold and boozy. This beer is not for everyone, but it is definitely for me. This is one refreshing craft beverage.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2009 09:36:45 | More by HopHead84

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a snifter. The brew appears brown in color with ruby around the edges to more of a orange color when held to the light. A tan cap sits atop with spotty lace clinging to the glass as it fades.

The aromatics initially are all barrel characteristics. Sweet smelling like vanilla mixed with coconut and a mild tangy alcohol inclusion. Burnt sugars like caramel or toffee give way to almost a raisony feel.

The taste is sweet with burnt sugar before the onset of barrel presence. Vanilla gives way to tangy booze inclusion. Some coconut, oak and caramel to toffee round things out with a mild amount of raisony dark fruits.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. A very nice brew that is so easy drinking I could probably tank a whole bottle myself. Only after the fact did I realize that Fruet is (I believe) a part of this blend and it makes sense as that brew is really felt in this and helps temper some of the more raw booze from black tuesday.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 20:31:33 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into Old Guardian Glass.

Pours an off white head. Color is a murky caramel brown.

Aroma: Rich and malty. Bourbon, oak, vanilla, cherries, plums, raisins, and other fruits. Very sweet and warm. Chocolate and caramel as well.

Taste: Cherries, bourbon, oak, chocolate, caramel. Reminds me a bit of an old ale (cherry adam). Then I get some raisins, plums, dried fruits, and vanilla. Very well done.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, and warm. Medium to full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends malty with bourbon, oak, and vanilla. Smooth.

Overall, this is simply an amazing beer. Reminded me of an old ale, but much bigger. Very good and extremely drinkable for being 17%. I was impressed.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2010 02:20:49 | More by mothman

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.65/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from tap into a Bruery sampler imperial pint glass at the Reserve Society Party. Poured a deep dark brown with a minimal tan head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, chocolate, vanilla, and maple syrup. The flavor was of sweet malt, chocolate, vanilla, and cream. It had a heavy feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall impression... Effing wow! This brew was just plain excellent in all aspects. The flavor was more toward the sweet side without being overly sweet. The 17% ABV was NOWHERE to be found... This one is a must try without any doubt and I'm definitely glad I got to try it...

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 14:51:17 | More by thagr81us

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