Cuir - The Bruery

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750mL champagne style bomber, bottle #04575; poured into a Sniffer

The body sits a muddy brown with maroon/purple highlights. A thin, less than a finger off-white cap. No discernable lacing.

The nose is rich and sweet. Brown sugar, plums, raisins/figs, loads of toffee and a hearty amount of booze. As this warms, I get additional notes of grapes, leather, and vanilla. Extremely complex and deep, but really sweet and boozey.

On the palate, this pretty much follows the nose. Brown sugar, vanilla and raisins/figs dominate with plums, grapes, toffee and leather rounding everything out. Big and boozey and cloyingly sweet.

Full body, oily, with minimal carbonation. Finish is overly sweet.

Overall, this is a complex old ale; lots going on. It's just entirely too sweet. If the sweetness was tuned back a notch, this beer would be leaps and bounds better.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 17:55:26 | More by ColForbinBC

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Bruery

A: The pour is sort of a murky copper color with a finger of off-white head.

S: Sweet malts with plenty of caramel, toffee, molasses, and brown sugar. There's a surprisingly dominant oakiness to it and a strange spice note--perhaps all-spice? Hints of booze and dark fruits are also there.

T: Spices which sort of throw me off, but they're quickly covered by vanilla, oak, and booze. Sweet bread, toffee, caramel, and brown sugar make up the bulk of the flavor and there are some mild dark fruit notes.

M: Medium to full in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: Out of the box, this is the easiest to drink of all the Anniversary ales from the Bruery. Looking forward to the 100% -bal version.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 19:56:46 | More by womencantsail

caskstrength

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very nice dark red, appropriate carbonation. Actually could have been fewer bubbles given the style and ABV, but I'd rather have a bit too much than not enough.

Smells are on the complex side of things. Plums, leather, and brown sugar are the main players. No solvents, no alcohol.

Tastes are not as good as the smells. More warmth, dark fruits the main thing. Some leather/tobacco. Not very sweet, seems well attenuated for such a big Old Ale.
Would have liked more barrel. (25% not enough). 14.5% alcohol...I certainly didn't taste it.

Mouthfeel was great. This isn't a thick beer, nor a thin one. Carbonation lifts things. More dry than I expected.

This is good. But it's not $20 a 750ml good. Is it just an appetizer for the 100% barrel aged version?

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 21:01:20 | More by caskstrength

AgentZero

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Smallbar Division

A - Chocolate brown beer that turns a deep red on the edges. Great looking beige head that didn't leave much in the way of stick on the sides.

S - Caramel, sweet brown sugar. I get some dark fruit and a ton of pears with apples on this one. It smells particularly rich, but not boozy at all considering how high the ABV is.

T - Exceptionally rich. A lot of vanilla, dark fruit, apple core. I don't really get much bourbon on this, and the base seems to be brown sugar and dark fruits.

M - Smooth, mildly carbonated, very full feeling.

O - Solid beer, I really had to try to get through the glass, but at 14.5% this could be a killer if it were easier. It's a very rich beer that you can only take in small doses, but seems to be one of the better ones of this series so far.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 19:10:27 | More by AgentZero

brystmar

New York

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: dark brown, much more head than expected for an old ale. Mild lace.

S: figs, booze, banana, dark fruit, hints of caramel, more alcohol.

T: lots of fruit. Bourbon / port. Hints of wine grape-ness. Toffee. Plenty of alcoholic warmth as it descends. Complex, but a beer this hot begs for a couple years of cellar time.

M: thin and weak-bodied like some old ales; definitely needs more body.

D: slightly above average for drinkability given its near 15% ABV. This one's a sipper for sure. Again, a brew like this really needs 3-4 (or more) years on it to mellow out. Right now, this beer in my glass is full of potential.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 03:08:35 | More by brystmar

amphion1065

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle into a Duvel tulip. Reviewed from notes.

Cutting through the wax with a corkscrew sort of made me feel like one of the (non-murderous) apes from the opening scene of Space Odyssey. After that arduous ordeal, I was rewarded with this beaut. Seriously, other than de Struise, is there another brewer that makes beers this big look this good? The pour is actually much lighter than I expected: it's a soft auburn, with ruby highlights, not quite opaque in the light. A two-finger very light tan head forms remains for a solid three minutes. Pretty minor lacing with no real legs to make up for it is the only reason this doesn’t get a 5.

Tons of rich malt in the aroma. A classic old ale sweetness, this is rich with toffee and figs. Honestly, I could be fooled into thinking that this was -bal aged, as there are some pretty serious alcohol phenols coming out of this combined with a sort of leathery, woody character. That said, for the actual amount of alcohol in this beer, the aroma of alcohol is remarkably restrained.

Like the aroma, the taste is a carnival of malt. Loads of butterscotch. There's a certain old, weathered element to this beer, rich with wood, tobacco, and leather. The alcohol is really, really muted, much more so than in the aroma. In many ways, this actual reminds me of scotch. There is, however, a very evident, medicinal, cough syrup taste in the finish. As the beer warms, this quality only become stronger, and it really detracts from this otherwise delicious beer.

The carbonation is lively, but not detrimentally so. It does seem to detract from the viscosity of the beer, though this is still very thick and lush.

Given the relative youth of this beer and how enormous it is, it is drinking very well right now. Were it not for that off-putting cough syrup flavor, this would approach perfection for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 00:44:21 | More by amphion1065

kylehay2004

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3 finger offwhite head with some lacing on a clear amber with brown and red hues body. Aroma is very unique; woody, almost like A1-sauce like with smokey and almost soapy aroma. Flavor is very sweet with a subtle hickory/mesquite flavor. Boozy as would be expected for anything barrel aged. Body is medium but syrupy with light to moderate carbonation. This overall is a heavy beer. The sweetness is a little much. Fruitier then I expected for a barrel aged beer of any kind.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 05:53:29 | More by kylehay2004

Etan

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml, #12857, into a snifter.

A: Pours an amberish brown with a nice off-white head.

S: Lots of raisin and prune in the nose, some oxidation, mild oaky bourbon.

T: Heavy grape flavor, almost quad-like, with a backbone of cooked caramel, light oak, dark booze, a bit buttery, and some light bourbon and bitterness in the finish.

M: Thick with light yet creamy carbonation.

O: The prune/grapey aspect of this beer makes it a bit too sweet, but I still enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:41:06 | More by Etan

realmpel

California

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Maybe it's the solera method being used, but these anniversary brews from the Bruery, which were complex to begin with, are beginning to sport some new layers of flavor that I must say I dig. Cuir has a bit of a chocolate flavor to it that I do not recall tasting in the previous two iterations. Of course, there are lots of similarities, and you get the same thick bourbon-y sweetness as in Papier and Coton. I'm a big fan. This beer is very strong and heavy so I could not have more than one small glass. Still, one to check out.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 14:13:00 | More by realmpel

swthomas55

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sample on tap at the tasting room.

A: oak, toffee, raisins and prunes, vanilla, some alcohol. A harbinger of things to come.
A: brown-orange, hazy, tan head that drops but lingers.
F: huge dried fruit, raisins, cherries, prunes. Oak and vanilla. Malt sweetness barely balanced by hop bitter. Finish is long and fruity / oaky. It just goes on and on,
M: full but not cloying or syrupy. A touch of carbonation keeps it lively. Definitely warming but not hot.
O: a big, flavorful, warming "sipping" beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 23:07:22 | More by swthomas55

cetherid

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured into a tulip

A.

Beer is a dark brown color, with ruby highlights when held up to the light. A couple fingers worth of frothy off-white head going down to just a small film of head after a minute or so. Decent lacing going on as well.

S.

Dominant booze aroma with dark fruits such as raisins/figs with a little brown sugar. Barrel aging is evident as there is a nice little oak aroma in there. A few more sniffs bring out aromas of leather as well. Complex smelling brew, however a little hot. Cellaring this one would probably be ideal...lets have a look at the taste.

T.

Up front is booze soaked dark fruits...not as sweet as the nose had me to believe but definitely a noticeable sweetness..however the towards the end I get a weird tartness to it...almost like there are some cherries in there. More tart than sour....checking out some posts regarding this beer, a few others noticed the tartness and led them to believe it was infected. I actually enjoy the tartness to this. Just as the nose however, the booziness is a little too warming. It's not really like a bourbon booze taste but more straight up everclear/vodka.

M.

A little on the thin side however good carbonation for the style. I would like a little more thickness to it...maybe a little more stickiness/syrupiness...like I'm drinking a barrel aged 4D. It actually drinks pretty dangerously as the booziness is more up front than in the finish. It goes down pretty easily....surprising for a 14.5% brew.

O.

Overall its a decent beer but drinking a little hot right now. I would like the booziness to die down a bit and have more of the sweet malt/fruit come out. The tart cherry taste was not expected but kind of enjoyable. If it's infected, it didn't really hurt it. If I get another bottle it will be to age for at least 1 year.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 23:32:49 | More by cetherid

oline73

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at Max's.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy dark reddish brown color with a finger of tan head that leaves a ring around the glass.

Smell: Sweet with some spices and smoke coming through. Reminds me a little of a bbq sauce. I'm also picking up some dark fruit.

Taste: Very sweet. Hints of smoke, brown sugar, dark fruit, and some spice. The finish has quite a lot of alcohol in it.

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick body with smooth carbonation. The finish is slick.

Overall: This beer would benefit from some aging in my opinion. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that I could drink more than a few ounces right now. Still a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 00:20:05 | More by oline73

schwaeh

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle shared by Mbpbugeye.

A: Pours a dark tobacco brown. Nice light beige half inch head that fades into some nice lace.

S: Smells somewhat hot with tobacco, rum soaked fruit, sugar, and molasses. Smells like bourbon syrup. I get mesquite BBQ sauce once it warms all the way up.

T: The taste starts as leather, molasses, tobacco, and raisins. The alcohol is very noticable but not off-putting. The bourbon notes are very minimal in this blended version but add to the complexity.

M: Small amount of carbonation. Thick and viscous mouthfeel. Somewhat hot, but not overly so at 14.5%.

O: This is a slow complex sipper with plenty to offer. I'm very happy that I got to try this behemoth of a beer. Consume near room temperature to get the most out of this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 20:47:27 | More by schwaeh

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2011. 750mL brown glass pry-top bottle. Black wax dipped.

Pours a dark brown color with moderate off-white/light tan head that grips the glass with all its might. Nose is of a huge barley wine, wet barley grain, sticky caramel and toffee, some moist tobacco too. I also get some red berries and maybe a little plum too.

Palate is big and chewy, and huge with alcohols both high and low. Lots of fruitiness like red licorice and chewy dark tobacco and fig flavors too. Slick with booze. Long leathery finish.

Notes: This is a big boozy monster of an old ale. Lots of higher alcohols which isn't surprising given the ABV. Not my favorite old ale - think the North Coast and Alesmith Decadence are better.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 03:19:53 | More by SFLpunk

homebrew311

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: deep brown, ruby highlights, thin white head, little lacing

S: lactic acid, almond, maple, and cherry. A whole lot I going on here, subtle vanilla comes through at the end

T: starts off with fig, cherry, and tobacco. A little tartness starts gaining momentum, the end is very acidic with a bit of booziness

Mf: thick syrupy body, low carbonation

O: lots of flavor, nice flavors, heavy on the booziness

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2011 05:37:23 | More by homebrew311

Trilogy31

California

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer is coton on sweet sweet steriods, again reminds me of abacus but not quite there. Pours a rusty hazy dark brown amber with a fleeting finger of head. The nose strikes of rich coffee and chocolate along with toffee and nougat, nicely done. The taste brings sweet sugared coffee, creme brulee, a sweet sherry character, along with some dqrk fruits and a tannic bourbon barrel finish. Well carbonated and a tasty beer yet i prefer a year old coton to this guy.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 05:55:52 | More by Trilogy31

marikoangel

California

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass at Amsterdam in SF.

A: It pours an opaque chestnut brown; the color is a bit flat. There was no head and no real lacing. The whole appearance of this beer is just heavy and flat, not very exciting looking.

S: The smell is so yummy! Brown sugar, dark fermenting fruit, prunes, over-ripe fig, candied persimmons, apple juice, molasses, caramel malts and small hints of vanilla and oak. It has a very juicy nose. I know that I'm probably missing some notes in there, but there is so much going on in this beer!

T: Juicy and sweet. I definitely am getting over-ripe fruit and apple juice. Rich caramel malts, dark fruits, sugars, complex. The flavors are less intense than the nose, but still very robust. There is a sour quality in there without it actually being sour...I'm not sure how else to explain that...Dry oak notes. Overall the flavors start out more boozy sweet and intense, then mellows out so quickly that you forget it has a 14.5% ABV

M: Medium body, light carbonation, wet juicy start with a dry finish

O: Overall this is a very drinkable beer...dangerously so! It's easy to forget how strong this one is. It is definitely a good one to split with others. It's not an everyday beer, but a great treat.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 23:43:59 | More by marikoangel

vandemonian

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at ChurchKey in DC. Cuir is a tasty old ale that takes on many of the characteristics of the whiskey who's barrel it was aged in. The alcohol was a little overpowering.

A: Brown and translucent. Decent head that fades to reasonable lacing. 4

S: Alcohol with a hint of raisins. 3.5

T: Alcohol and buttery, almost whiskey, liquor flavour. The alcohol is overpowering. 4

M: Thick. 4.5

O: 4

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2011 06:02:02 | More by vandemonian

claaark13

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Founders snifter at cellar temp. The bottle is just cool enough for the outside to fog when touched.

A - Dark reddish brown with a thick white head.

S - Sweet licorice. Some spices and the slightest amount of oak. It smells good, but nothing exciting. Too much sweetness.

T - Sweetness throughout. Not an immense amount as I see in some reviews, but it is sweet from start to finish. Burnt caramel/toffee and dark fruit. I think the licorice in the aroma I was getting is actually raisin. Dry, oak finish. Somehow it is noticeably dry and noticeably sweet at the same time. I actually like how the dryness plays against the sweetness. Not much, if any, booze evident.

M - Somewhat thick. I actually find it to be in line for the style. Not sure if it could get better. I think it will feel thicker in time if carbonation dies.

O - It is good, but I can't say that I'd order more than on serving at a bar....assuming the serving were 8oz or less. I do believe the aging potential here is great. I guess I'll snag more for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 00:14:52 | More by claaark13

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle #5291: poured out as a hazy brown color, there was a really nice tan head on top. Light retention and minimal lacing. The smell actually had quite a bit of bourbon on the nose. There is some sweet malt and fruity notes on the nose. The taste at first was a little harsh, as you drink it the flavors get better. There is a subtle spicy vanilla flavor along with some juniper or pine notes. It's got plenty of sweetness with a healthy amount of booze. The mouthfeel of the beer is smooth, nicely carbonated ever after a few years of age. Overall this beer is pretty good, worth trying if you haven't already.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 01:10:24 | More by Knapp85

jrallen34

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Small Bar... pours a dark mahogany, good seductive color, light tan head, very creamy, great lacing... the nose is a bit weird but grows on me, lots of star anise and other spices, brown sugar, basically spice and malt... the nose is the same malty and spicy, theres a slight medicinal note that's a bit distracting but this is very drinkable and much better than Coton

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 14:55:40 | More by jrallen34

jwinship83

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml waxed capped bottle drank from my stone IRS snifter. my wife gave me this bottle for fathers day. to be honest, its kind of scared me. massive ABV, not my favorite style, no one to drink it with me, overall bruey skepticism...oh well, here it goes.

A- the pour yields a very dark mahogany brown with a surprisingly large khaki colored head. as expected, the head fizzles away before my eyes to form no more than a thin skin on the top of my glass. small spots of lacing get left on the sides of my glass.

S- the nose is potent and complex. the alcohol certainly makes itself known, but this beer is a massive 14.5% and "fresh" so ill give it a pass. bready malts mixed with toffee and a little sweet caramel. brown sugar, vanilla (oak), the bourbon comes out a little. decently fruity. raisins/tobacco, cherries, figs, a little bit of green apple skins. earthy and leafy hops.

T- the taste starts out with a ton of sweet malts. caramel, toffee, and fresh baked bread. after that it moves onto the fruits. raisins/tobacco, cherries, figs, dates, and green apple skins, which add a slightly sour character to this. the bourbon and vanilla from the oak are more apparent in the taste than in the nose. earthy and floral hops at the end. alcohol can be tasted throughout.

M- the body is on the extreme upper end of medium. the carbonation is nice and subdued. intense warming from the alcohol, but once again, that is expected.

O- this beer wasnt nearly the monstrosity that i was expecting. very drinkable for the massive beer that it is. especially for how fresh it is. this gives me hope for the bottles of coton i have saved in the cellar. i cant wait do acquire some papier and do a complete mini-vertical (with plenty of people) in a few years.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 04:16:09 | More by jwinship83

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: poured a light copper brown in color with light brown highlights and had a finger worth of head leaving a good amount of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: upfront I was able to detect some banana in the aroma with a variety of spices but were not over powering, alongside toffee, caramel, molasses notes and faint oak character.

T: I was right about the banana character cause it was noticeable in the taste as well with toffee, caramel, molasses notes, and a touch of dark fruits.

M;The brew was medium to full in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, mild fruity, oaky, slight spice, and sticky finish.

D: It was actually drinking above average for an old ale and had a nice little twist to it as well. Definitely would have again and keep another in the cellar to see how it might develop.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 02:31:09 | More by Gobzilla

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap today at Galaxy Hut today in Arlington, VA. Poured into a 10 oz. snifter.

a - Pours a deep reddish brown color with less than an inch of light tan head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of dark fruits, cherries, oak, molasses, sweet fruit, plums, toffee, and very light vanilla. Little bit of alcohol but not a ton considering 14.5% ABV. A lot fruitier and sweeter than I was expecting. Little more alcohol came out in the nose as it warmed up.

t - Tastes of dark fruits, alcohol, sweet cherries and fruits, oak, toffee, caramel malts, and roasted malts. More toffee and caramel than the nose, as well as more alcohol. No real vanilla in the taste and plenty of sweet fruit again.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. You can notice some alcohol in the taste but this beer isn't hot like Coton was. Surprisingly easy to drink for 14.5% ABV.

o - Overall I liked this one. It didn't blow me away but it was a ton better than Coton, which I did not really like. It was a lot fruitier and sweeter than I was expecting. I've got two bottles of this and considering the high ABV I'll be interested to see what happens to this one after some time in the cellar.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2011 22:06:13 | More by mdfb79

sdderek

California

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a 10oz pour in a tulip on tap at Sea Rocket Bistro for their 3rd anniversary party.

I almost bought this beer but decided the high price tag was worth waiting. I'm glad I did. It's definitely a very well made and interesting brew, however I won't be paying the >$20 for a bottle.

Appearance is great with a full head and a dark reddish brown color.

Smell is boozy with hints of molasses and vanilla.

Taste is crazy sweet with blasts of brown sugar, nutmeg, toasted malts, and vanilla. And booze.

Mouthfeel is medium with a slight booziness (is that even a word?).

Overall I think it's definitely worth trying, but I wouldn't sit at home and drink this 750ml bottle alone.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2011 03:13:05 | More by sdderek