White Oak - The Bruery

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a Bruery tulip. It's a beautiful pour. Perfectly clear and gold in color with just a hint of amber. It has rather high carbonation and produces that nice fluffy head that is typical of bottle conditioning. The nose is not as assertive as I had hoped it would be, but I do get notes of grain, cherries, booze, wood, and sherry.

The beer has a full body and a strong, sharp flavor. After a soft cereal flavor teases the tip of your tongue, your mouth is assailed with bourbon and oaky notes. Booze, cherries, vanilla, dried fruit, and the coconut promised by the label all join in. The finish is winey and warming, though not so winey as to betray the nearly 12% ABV present in this beer.

I've only had a couple of wheatwines so my opinion doesn't count for much here. I enjoyed this beer, but I'm not sure the high carbonation suits it well. It opens the palate and intensifies the flavors, where I found that a bit of degassing tends to smooth the beer and adds to the drinkability. After trying two of these barrel-aged (in this case, partially barrel-aged) wheatwines, I must confess I'm not entirely sold on the concept of a barrel-aged wheatwine. I'm not sure that the grainy, cereal-like qualities of the style are well complemented by the bourbon notes it inherits. I find the transition on the palate from soft wheat to harsh booze to be offputting at first, but who knows. It might be a taste I could acquire.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 01:09:33 | More by deadonhisfeet

cvm4

Mississippi

4.09/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy/hazy orange that slants towards amber. An eggshell white head billows to a two finger head and sticks around for the duration of the drink.

S - Tropical fruit & bourbon collide. Mango, wheat, bready malts, caramel and bourbon are noticeable.

T - Same as the smell. Tropical fruits surround the bourbon. Sweet, vanilla, oak, bourbon characteristics and tropical fruits.

M - Very carbonated... Wet, thick body but not cloying at all.

O - Interesting combo that some thought went into.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 22:50:33 | More by cvm4

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.49/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a brown 750 mL bottle into a small but bulbous snifter/tulip hybrid glass. I believe this is the 2013 version.

Appearance - Ruddy brown-orange with highlights of yellow make up the cloudy body. An yellowish-white head of about a finger and a half rests atop with ample bubbles. A film of head remains throughout the beer, with a little more thickness around the edges of the glass. Lacing is moderate and silky.

Smell - An intoxicating smell with note of fruit--mango specifically--along with a grainy wheat presence highlighted by veins of citrus and an underlying boozy element from the high alcohol content. Smells strong, but balanced and promising. Gives the impression of a stronger dessert wine, like a sauterne.

Taste - The fruity element continues to have a strong presence, but is now flanked by notes of sweet caramel and even some cinnamon. Vanilla comes through from the heat of the bourbon barrels. Again, the wine-y elements are present to make this a very complex and interesting beer.

Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied and highly viscous, with the liquid oozing back down the side of the glass after taking a drink. Carbonation is lower, but enough to counterpoint the thickness of the beer.

Overall a wonderful beer from The Bruery, which is probably good, given the cost of this particular 750. Brings to mind the feel of cognac or even moreso a strong brandy. If this was more available, I would definitely keep it around.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 20:54:23 | More by LambicPentameter

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.84/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Another expensive one from the Bruery…why do I keep buying these. Oh wait, it’s because they’re AWESOME.

2013 Edition, bottled March 9, 2013 (only three months before the date of this tasting).

A: A golden body with a hint of brown to it (like a tawny yellow), capped by a thick white head of sudsy foam. Sizeable retention and a handful of lace strings linger as I drink – quite a good-looking beer.

S: Now this is a nose worth remembering, or at least dissecting: light, dry Belgian character juxtaposed against a substantial wood aroma. Yeast esters at its core are rife with fresh mango and passionfruit, accompanied by an herbal hop scent of lemongrass and lime rind; underneath is hickory sawdust and a hint of smoke, a bit like a rauchbier. Booze sits deep within, coming out with a warm quality you’d find in a big red wine.

T: A robust palate with a powerful wheat flavor: pronounced apricot, mandarin orange, and banana, all with a flaky cereal grain backdrop, form the bulk. Yeasts provide some unique charm to go along with the wheat – a slight tartness of white grape and lemon – as the body flattens out. All that’s left is a bit of funk, booze, and wood flavors, an earthy meatiness reminiscent of cooked mushrooms; finishes with the yeasty snap of dry champagne.

M: Like sparkling wine, it’s full but exceptionally fizzy. Not a refreshing beer by any means, but the bubbles make it nothing like a high-alcohol wheatwine; again, I’ll compare it to a champagne, where you get none of the alcohol but a puckering dryness that hits like lemon juice.

O: Beer that makes you think! Put all the flavors together and you get something that’s anything but conventional, a Belgian wheatwine with enough wood and fruit to make it unique. Even after I look at the empty bottle, I wonder if there’s anything inherently good about this beer that makes it special or if it’s just something different to a palate that demands something different. Though it isn’t a Sour in the Rye or an Orchard White, this beer is damn good – one that I’d buy again at a moment’s notice if it wasn’t almost a dollar an ounce.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 01:55:07 | More by BarryMFBurton

weonfire

Illinois

4.19/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Dark Golden, Big 2 finger white thick head, dissipates slowly, patchy lacing, hazy, opaque

S - white grape, wheat, carmel, bourbon

T - Carmel, coconut, vanilla, wheat, light bourbon, spices, and slightly boozy

M - carbonation is high, fully body, froth is medium, booze does linger a bit

O - really enjoyed. Bourbon doesn't dominate. wheat/vanilla/coconut is balanced out really well. yes, finish is a bit boozy in the finish but real smooth. wish it was a bit more frothy. do recommend.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 03:23:00 | More by weonfire

cosmicevan

New York

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

big thanks to portable for sending me a bottle of the 2012 vintage of this, enjoyed from a pair of bruery snifters with the mrs.

a - brew poured a crisp transparent yellow with a hint of orange and a massive few fingers of big foamy head that hung out for eons and left chunky lacing coating the side of the glass like a milkshake from the diner.

s - crisp, tropical, a bit citric...some bourbon sweetness and oaky vanilla. banana and some caramel and a bit of smarties.

t - big boozy sweetness hits me first then a bouquet of banana, bubble gum, citric acid comes sliding in. smarties tang but vanilla oakiness. big sour apple snip. extremely sweet.

m - a bit of a boozy tingle. vinous. sour apple pucker.

o - overall a nice wheatwine. the bourbon and oak give a big sweetness. enjoyable, but a bit overly sweet and i tend to love sweet beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 01:23:23 | More by cosmicevan

Thickfreakness

New York

4.44/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Bruery tulip as it should be.

Perfect mid-day sun yellow with bright white head made of the biggest bubbles of foam I've ever seen. Cloudy with touches of orange and Arizona sunrise. The head fades away leaving little to no traces of lacing. Just a thin foam of brilliant white resides.
Sweet Banana bread, orange peel, homemade caramel, slightly toasted oak, vanilla beans, tart/sour fermented wheat, touches of bourbon, caramelized onion, cloves, star anise, all spice. This is very unique!!! Wheatwines are one of my least favorite styles, but something about this one keeps me dipping my nose into the glass. It must be the mix of banana, bourbon/vanilla, sour apple and citrus.
Sour banana, vanilla/oak, tart citrus, and notes of dead flowers, cloves, onions, chinese 5-spice, bourbon and fermented wheat grass. For the style itself, it's fantastic... but for the taste... it's not my bag at all!!! I gotta rate it for what it is and not for what I like. What it is, is damn near perfect for the style.
Sour, bitter, sweet, vanilla, toasted wood, tropical, green apples, nutty, and full of spice. All over the place as are most Wheatwines. The best I've EVER had of this style which is how I rate. Rotted banana, citrus peel, toasted bourbon oak barrel and slightly sweet and tangy wheat... but I somehow like it!
Every time I have a Wheatwine my mouth says WTF? Lots of flavors that don't mesh nor go away! LOL!!! This one is even more over the top and if this is wrong to my tongue, I don't wanna be right! Certainly not something I would or could drink daily. This may get better and smooth out with age. I'll grab another bottle and let you know in a few years.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 03:11:18 | More by Thickfreakness

harrymel

Washington

3.36/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 08MAR13

Pours golden with a solid quilt of light yellow foam; brilliant clarity. Smells like co2, pears, vanilla, some apple skin, some dandelion. Flavor is booze, sweet malt, sweet vanilla, some bourbon, some oak, some more pear and honeydew. Full bodied with moderately hi carb and a semi dry finish. Meh, tastes more like an old ale than a wheatwine, and although I'm not a wheatwine fan on most occassions, this one isn't at the top of that list. I think it will age gracefully however. A little sweet and a little too much pear for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:56:48 | More by harrymel

Resuin

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a hollow stemmed Goblet.

Appearance: Pours a hazy blonde and leaves a solid 2 fingers of fluffy white head. Looks nice and light.

Smell: Wheat, apricot, peaches, Belgian yeast, caramel, vanilla. A load of flavors in the aroma - definitely a lot of standard wheat beer smells as well as some completely different smells like caramel and vanilla which changes the overall profile.

Taste: Caramel, cloves, lemon, banana, vanilla, apricot. Matches the smell but packs a kick at the end. This one has an interesting combination of flavors that meld to make a "wheat-wine" type of profile.

Mouth-feel: Highly carbonated with a medium body. Much thicker than other wheat beers I have had, a little bit of syrupy texture as well. Interesting feel to it.

Overall: A very interesting brew. It reminds me of a wheat beer just taken up a few notches: heavier mouth-feel, more flavor, stronger aroma. I don't get the impression that any of this was aged in bourbon barrels, like the label says that it was, which is interesting. Definitely a lot going on in this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 00:48:16 | More by Resuin

tut2528

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: pours like a typical murky golden wheat beer with about 1 fingers worth of head formation and moderate lacing and decent carbonation.

S: big sweet mixture of wheat and caramel right up front, with subtle touches of fruits, apricot, lemon zest, and slight barnyard funk as well. i fin d this resembling more of a saison, and i like the nose.

T: similar to the nose, with sweet caramel, wheat, and subtle fruits. there's a nice vanilla cream finish that really helps pull this brew together. the bourbon qualities lie in the background, expanding it's complexity, but I'm not finding the alcohol heat to be as bold as most people mention. nicely balanced.

M: on the lighter side of medium bodied, nice carbonation, and leaves a slight saison-like quality on the palate (tropical fruits, slight funk)

O: i think that this is a solid brew all the way around. it has a nice complexity and is nicely balanced. definitely worthy of a try and it would be great as the weather continues to warm up.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 16:56:41 | More by tut2528

Zorro

California

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Clear gold colored beer with a puffy white head that doesn't last.

Extremely strong scented, glass is three feet away from me and I can really smell it. Strong apple aroma. Whiskey and vanilla with ginger and cinnamon. Certainly strongly scented reminds me of apple butter.

Starts out tasting of apples and whiskey, strong vanilla after taste. Powdery yeast and vanilla, the taste is far milder than the scent. Tastes a lot like apple butter too.

Mouthfeel is light for the beer style.

Overall not something I would buy often, strong beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 02:12:01 | More by Zorro

mjc3151

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - lots of head (may have been over-carbonated because i poured very slowly), light brown, slightly more clear than cloudy

S - smells sweet, almost like a saison. bourbon smell is prominent

T - tastes like a saison too. can definitely taste the alcohol. bourbon flavor is very noticeable. very sweet, slightly fruity. Tastes better warmer.

M - crisp, flows nicely

O - a very good beer, but at $16 a bottle i probably will not buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 21:33:22 | More by mjc3151

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.71/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance. Pours a hazy yellow gold with three big fingers of frothy white head. Tons of bubbles rising to the surface.

Smell. Grainy and slightly sour wheat, some clove and a bit of banana with just a trace of fresh barrel wood.

Taste. Grainy wheat, again some clove and a bit of banana, a little pear and just a bit of wood in the finish. Just a slight sourness that helps to cut through the sweet.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, medium-strong carbonation.

Overall. A decent and big wheat beer with a bit of that hefe flavour going on. Not really my thing but it's not terrible.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 00:33:34 | More by Rutager

flayedandskinned

California

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

No bottle date, besides "2013 edition" on the front label.
Poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Pours a very cloudy pale orange with yellow highlights. Almost glows as light strikes it. A huge and thick, 3 fingers tall white head erupts out of the beer and leaves plenty of lacing behind as it slowly dissipates.

Aroma: Vinous, citrusy aromatics initially leap out of the glass, with lemony yeasty phenols in tow. Almost smells exclusively like a Belgian golden strong ale, until it starts to warm; Big notes of coconut and vanilla begin to shine as the oak bourbon barrel character begins to show. It almost smells like a great and complex white wine. Some very faint alcohol begins to meld with the oak. A very unique and complex nose.

Taste: Big notes akin to a traditional Belgian Golden Strong Ale up front; a bracing, orange-y hop character with some nice Belgian yeast phenols that are fairly reminiscent of plum and clove. On the back end this beer really shows its wild side; slightly tart and tangy wheat and biscuit-y malt. The beer finishes very dry, warming and bitter. The oak presence really comes out in the finish, with its light tannins as well as lingering notes of vanilla, coconut and of course, bourbon.

Mouthfeel: Robust with a very creamy full body. Moderate carbonation with some alcohol presence in the finish.

Overall: A huge, boozy, dynamic, well balanced and well blended beer. Very unique stuff, as usual from The Bruery. I think this beer will only get more refined with age. I'm definitely looking to aging some bottles of this, just to see how it develops. Highly recommended for someone who is looking to try a bourbon barrel aged beer that isn't a stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 00:49:21 | More by flayedandskinned

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.33/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

750 mL bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter.

Appearance - Hazy orange with quite a big head. Settles to an off-centered chunky white collar. Not so much on the surface.

Smell - Very bright aroma. Boozy as hell. Some bourbon, but not prominent. Not sure if I imagine the coconut because of label, but definite coconut. Lots of vanilla. Tropical fruity aroma.

Taste - Definite tropical flavors. Some bourbon again, but it's not an easy flavor to discern. Almost lemony in its brightness. Strong wheat character. Dry and boozy.

Mouthfeel - Hefty alcohol presence. Medium low carbonation. Harsh grainy and boozy finish.

Overall - Fascinating combination of flavors. Not convinced it works all that well, but only the booze is offensive. The rest of it is just a crazy big wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 01:22:41 | More by Alieniloquium

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-yellow with a finger of frothy white head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Sweet wheat and some caramel malts, vanilla, toasted coconut, oak, Bourbon, candi sugars, pineapple and other tropical fruits, lemon zest, Belgian yeast, some spices, and some booze.

T - Sweet wheat and light caramel malts, vanilla, toasted coconut, oak, Bourbon, candi sugar, pineapple and other tropical fruits, lemon zest, Belgian yeast, coriander and some other spices, and some booze.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Very interesting mix of flavors, but very well balanced and complex.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 04:54:34 | More by ngeunit1

rawfish

California

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark opaque gold, filtered sunlight, rough pour nets a fluffy two finger head that doesn't stick around long.

Aroma is pretty complex, Belgian candy spun sugar, grainy with lemon and of all things pineapple. Bourbon character wafts up with adding oak and vanilla. Moderate alcohol.

Caramel malt, slightly grainy and lighter lemony and apple juice flavors atop the toffee like sweetness. Bourbon character is pronounced, adding more oak and vanilla. Slight cinnamon spiciness and a large alcohol note on the finish. Some dark sweet citrus and bourbon lingers in the finish.

Alcohol is really overpowered by the complexity of the flavors in this beer. Moderate carbonation that goes down as an easy complex sipper.

The complex light dessert flavors really complement the alcohol in a beer that seems refined and is both complex and delicate.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 23:05:01 | More by rawfish

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From the website: "White Oak is a blended beer-- 50% wheatwine aged in Bourbon barrels (we call it "White Oak Sap"), and 50% Mischief (our Golden Strong Ale). Vivid caramel, coconut and vanilla flavors blanketed in a crisp yet robust wheat ale, White Oak is an exercise of balance.

ABV: 11.5%, IBU: 20, SRM: 7, Release: Varies (1st Release October 2009)"

Pours a golden sunshine color showing off some lazy carbonation. Huge fluffy off-white head that begins sticking all over the glass. Pretty solid creamy head. Starts with some haze in the body, but after it warms up, the clarity becomes better.

The beer has a wonderful aroma that blends notes of oak, vanilla, and coconut from the bourbon barrels and a sweet wheat quality that is complimented very well. A robust beer, filled with flavors of sweet caramel, coconut, vanilla and oak, that finishes with an alcoholic bite and some bitterness. There is heat at the finish that warms the stomach in a comfortable way. On the exhale there is more of that oaky, scotch-like quality. Very delicious!
The wheat really lightens up the body, creating an almost fluffy, creamy mouthfeel, but not quite. As it warms, a tinge of tartness hits the back of the palate.

This is maybe my third time with this beer, and I have always been equally impressed with it each time. A great example of how barrel-aging needs to evolve, with a careful touch of blending and a remarkable balance that brings out a deeper flavor to the palate. I will be buying this again...highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:53:03 | More by MusicaleMike

timc100

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Hazy gold orange with a big foamy white head. Looks like a belgian strong ale

S: Spicy Belgian yeast, slightly musty, lemon. In the background is creamy bourbon sweetness- coconut, vanilla, and caramel nuances.

T: At the front of the tongue it is all Belgian strong ale - yeast, spices, light citrus. It finishes with smooth bourbon sweetness - lots of coconut and vanilla. Very interesting and well balanced.

P: Medium, creamy, smooth

O: Very interesting beer, well balanced and hit on all cylinders

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 06:15:42 | More by timc100

Pencible

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured a cloudy muted gold with thick white head.
S: It smelled like lots of fresh wheat and bourbon and fresh oak and toasted coconut and lemongrass.
T: It tasted like fresh wheat and lemon grass and toasted coconut, with some bourbon and vanilla oak and Belgian yeast. It had a clean sweet and sour aftertaste with a little alcohol warming.
M: It was thick with lots of carbonation. Nice full and lively body.
D: This was nice and refined and complex. Well executed version of a difficult style, with nice scent and taste and body. It seemed like it could age really well, but it was also very good fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 22:10:58 | More by Pencible

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.46/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle poured into a Gouden Carolus chalice. Thanks Cheesemoose! White, frothy head, high retention on a hazy golden body. Soapy, sudsy lacing, sticky. Aroma includes sweet fruits, banana, percimmon, a pleasant tartness and a hint of vanilla. Taste includes candi sugar, slight tartness, slight alcohol, some coconut as advertised. All the flavored work well together and the beer is delicious and highly drinkable for a high abv.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 05:41:54 | More by KickbacksSteve

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

3.91/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bomber in to Bruery snifter

A - pours a hazy orange-straw color with active bubbly carbonation; significant white head present that dissipates a bit from a full inch to a half inch after settling; minimal lacing

S - Belgian sugars up front; oak; coconut; vanilla; just a hint of bourbon; some pineapple notes

T - Belgian sugars; bourbon and caramel; vanilla; coconut; wood; wheat

M - this beer is a little overly carbonated...it drinks like a sugary champagne; it's sweet though and pleasant towards the back-end; medium-bodied and hiding that 11.5 really well; really crisp

O - the complexity of the flavors is tasty; the mouthfeel isn't spectacular, at least not up-front; I dig what's going on here with all the flavor, but having recently had WC, this falls short...and I hate to compare the two, but I believe the base beers are the same; despite all that, this is a tasty beer with the Belgian sugars and other flavors coming through nicely.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 22:19:32 | More by SkeeterBoganski

nova009

Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a wine glass

A- pours a hazy golden straw color, a big fluffy white head appears and slowly dissipates, spotty lacing

S- sweet, i get a big hit of coconut, other tropic fruits like mango and pineapple, slightly woody, vanilla notes

T- slight bourbon flavors from the start, wheat, a little bit of caramel, Grain, some coconut notes, some woody oak flavors as well, slightly earthy

M- light to medium body, fairly high carbonation, the alcohol tends to beat up the palate as the beer warms

O- I'm not sure what to think of this beer, maybe a little age would help this, a little expensive for what I got out of it, I might come back to this later

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 23:52:49 | More by nova009

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

$13 for the 750mL bottle. Poured into a mini snifter
Sampled 07OCT12

[A] Average vigor on the pour and a bright head 1 1/2 fingers high is produced. Foamy on the bottom, fluffy on top. Retention is above average. A thick film and collar remains for quite some time. The body is a hazy peachy-orange with a little light showing through. Transparency is low. Lacing in wavy sheets.

[S] Bourbon infused caramel, light Belgian candi sugars, and an air of coconut wood, plus some wheat.

[T] Bourbon and wheat. Quite an unnatural combination of flavors. You can tell that White Oak is a high gravity beer, but I wouldn't have guessed anything close to 11.5%. So, in that respect...pretty impressive.

[M] The mouthfeel is great. Dances across the tongue with a consistent prickle, stays light, remains crisp, and a wheaty, tangy snap on the finish.

[O] While high gravity wheat beers don't really make sense to me, I actually think this would have been a pretty decent beer...sans the bourbon barrel treatment. The Bruery's website describes White Oak as: "50% wheatwine aged in Bourbon barrels...and 50% Mischief (our Golden Strong Ale)..." - now, things are starting to make sense.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 13:43:58 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A potent and unusual creation. Pours a lightly hazed, dull orange, with a sizeable white head that has good retention but minimal lacing. This one really changes as it warms; initially it's quite fruity and almost yeasty in the manner of a Belgian triple; over time layers emerge, bringing increased caramel sweetness, woody oak notes, warming bourbon, hints of vanilla, and a coconut character I looked for but didn't find initially.

This one really surges with booze after a while and it's not exactly easy drinking. Medium body and carbonation, slightly sticky, fruity and hot finish. Pretty wild. I probably would have preferred to split this three, rather than two, ways.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:27:50 | More by tobelerone