The Angel's Share - Brandy Barrel-Aged - The Lost Abbey

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chocolate rules! Here is a barleywine well malted by the includion of quality chocolate, and must lead to an increase in score. Because of the darker look, the sweeter chocolate smell, and of course the Hershey chocolate taste with brandy from the barells. Above average mouthfeel. Better more complex barleywines, Belgiums? Of course. A very expensive choice of $70 bomber all-in at Beerbistro.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2007 00:00:28 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.6/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Burnt pecan shell brown that becomes dark blood red when backlit with bright sunshine. The golden brown sugar colored crown looks fantastic despite the 11.5% ABV. It's firmly creamy, is melting in slow motion and is beginning to deposit an attractive king's crown of sticky lace. In a word... gorgeous.

It was obvious on cork extraction that this is special beer. I'm reminded of a BSDA without the estery Belgian yeast and with a ton of oak barrel character. Knowing The Lost Abbey, that may be exactly what was intended. Each inhale delivers a dizzying array of darkness that includes roasted barley, dark chocolate, dark caramel, dark fruit and vanilla.

The Angel's Share is remarkable beer that tastes even better than it smells. And it smells damn good. First of all, if you aren't thrilled with beer that has been aged in barrels that previously held spirits, you probably won't like it. There's a tremendous amount of brandy character that is almost as warming as the real stuff. I need to continue to sip in order to finish this review with some coherence. It won't be easy.

The major flavors are a perfect combination of a world-class BSDA with a world-class RIS. It isn't quite as roasted as the latter, but it's close. The complexity of the flavor profile is mind-boggling: dark caramel, dark brown sugar, bittersweet chocolate, molasses, a big splash of Sambuca, dark rum-soaked raisins, crushed vanilla beans and... bourbon? I'm 100% sure that this 750 ml bottle is the brandy-aged version, but I'll be damned if it doesn't taste like Kentucky's finest.

It's a good thing that the alcohol, rather than being completely hidden, is right up front. After all, we're not talking about the grain alcohol-like flavor that one might taste in a fresh American barleywine, but the oak-infused goodness of a quality liquor. Big, big difference. The warming glow that has bloomed in my belly is beginning to spread outward and is approaching the tips of my fingers.

It's a mystery how this beautiful brew will age. Probably very well. I tried to hold off on opening it, but couldn't resist even one more day. Warming doesn't change much, other than amplifying what goodness was already present. Then again, the flavor was pretty close to perfect right from the first sip.

The mouthfeel isn't quite perfect. Like everything else about this beer, though, it's close. Slightly more fullness and crushed velvet creaminess needs to be present for the ultimate score to be granted. Nitpicking? Probably. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the amount and quality of the carbonation.

This insanely delicious ale is a masterpiece of the brewer's art. If it isn't the best American strong ale on the planet, then I'd love to know what is. The Angel's Share (Brandy) may be heavenly, but this bottle is mine, all mine. Let the angels get their own damn beer. Talisker deserves my undying gratitude for agreeing to part with one of his bottles.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2008 21:52:48 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.65/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle served at 50 degrees and poured into gold rimmed New Belgium Snifter

A - Poured a very dark brown, nearly opaque with only the slightest bit of light coming through on both the sides and the bottom of the glass. Very rich color, with slight reddish tints, but mostly just a deep russet brown. A smallish maybe one finger high head of gold and tan colored foam rose up from the bottom and lay across the top of the glass like a pillow. This settled down eventually, but left behind a thin film covering the top and very nice side glass lace. The side glass presentation was a bit remarkable in that it almost had a gold shine to it as it swirled around, very nice looking.

S - The aroma was huge, and full of alcohol from the first whiff. I did not think this would be coming off as strong as it did. Lots of wood and oak like aroma mixed in as well. I had to let this one sit and warm up to see what else was going to be coming through from it. The next whiff was much more complex then the first. Lots of oak notes still underlying, however these were now being layered in with a good bit of dark fruity notes, plums, or raisins perhaps. Still a touch hot from the aroma, as the alcohol was very discernable. There was definitely some spiciness to it as well, like a good spiced rum smell almost. Very dark and complex, I was getting the feeling that this one was going to put a hurting on me.

T - So I build it up and dive in for a taste. I had waited a long time to try this one, and I was not disappointed. Avery robust and full flavor profile, this was definitely one to sit down and think about as you go through it. A full on blast of spiced alcohol was the first thing that I noticed, kinda hot, but as it warmed it mellowed out and by the end of the session had all but blended into the background and simply become an outstanding ale. Loads of dark fruit notes were permeating through the flavor. Prunes, Raisins, Figs all very discernable in the flavor and really adding balance to it as they melded together. Lots of spice here as well, very big. The notes of oak and wood in the flavor were clearly becoming evident as it warmed, giving it a very subtle, yet very powerful presence. I can see why people rave about this; it is very unique, very dark, and very seductive almost. The flavor really needed some time to catch up with you, the first few sips were nothing compared to the last few, really outstanding I have to say and very different then anything I had in the past.

M - Super smooth and creamy, this medium bodied ale was just about perfect in the way it should have felt. Great carbonation profile throughout the session really never let up and gave it that silky smoothness that really lets the flavor pop and keeps it from getting too heavy. In fact it was really not filling at all, despite how big it was it was excellent as far as that.

D - Now if there was ever something designed to be sipped, this was it. I mean it was tremendous, and to be honest, I did not share and took care of this bottle on my own over the course of about 3 hours. It was just amazing how well it tasted. I thought in the beginning it was going to be a little too hot, but that was my fault for serving too cold, or being to anxious take your pick. But after letting this come up in temperature, it turned into one of the best I have ever had, really a tremendously good beer.

Overall I really loved this one. Now I have not really had anything from Lost Abbey that I have not liked, but this and Devotion on back to back nights have really taken this thing to a while new level. The complexity displayed in the is uncanny and I really had a touch time with this review, as I am not usually at a loss for words with my reviews, but this one had me there, it was just that good. I really look forward to the Brandy and Bourbon barrel aged editions later this year; they will truly be breathtaking as I can only imagine the heights to which this one will get.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 23:01:05 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Tomme for replacing a flat bottle for me with a re-conditioned one. I appreciate the gesture and hopefully it will help to get some people to open up to LA again.

A: The pour from the cork and caged bottle is a dark, dark brown color with some highlights and a ring of tan foam. There was indeed a nice pop upon opening the bottle, but not too much in the way of visible carbonation.

S: This is definitely not for the faint of heart. A rich, chocolatey aroma with lots of brandy notes and also a bit of oak and sugar.

T: The flavors follow the nose for the most part. The brandy is very prominent on the front end but quickly fades to a combination of chocolate, brown sugar, and a slight oakiness on the finish.

M: A low level of carbonation on the tongue, but it really lends the beer a silky and full feel on the tongue.

D: I want to keep drinking this, but I also don't want to fall on my face. A great strong ale in that it hides the alcoholic burn, but it's present enough to remind you what you're drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 06:24:42 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375mL bottle (2009 edition) shared by bmanning at a recent tasting.

A: Dark brown with very little head. Some head after a bit of agitation.

S: Brandy, oak, dark sugars, dark fruits, and a bit of alcohol. Very nice complexity.

T: Very similar to the nose, but a little heavy on the alcohol at this point. A greater emphasis on the brandy than in the nose.

M: Didn't really have any carbonation issues--this one fits about right considering the style and alcohol level. A bit boozy, my only complaint at this point.

D: Very drinkable for how hot it was. Nice and complex, this is a good one to savor for a while.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 15:15:42 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle of the 2007 Angel's Share. A release, I'm told, is rather prone to...well, some issues. Let's hope this little rendezvous is issue-free (at least for the next half hour)!

Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with a thinnish, wispy, beige-hued head.

Smell: Lightly sweet-smelling, particularly fruit nose smelling of homemade jams and marmalade dosed with sugars, booze, and dusky wood notes.

Taste: A sweet (initially) swirl of dark fruits, spiced fig jam, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla sugar, and particularly punchy oak tannins. Very meager hints of roast. A small sprinkling of dark brown sugar and lightly smoked fresh grains. Faint earthy bitterness perceived midway. More puckering oak tastes as it is unwavering. Tablespoon of belly-warming, soul-pleasing brandy. Touch of earthiness in the semi-sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-low carbonation.

Drinkability: For me, it wasn't quite deserving of the perceived inflated hype and permissive praise, nor was it one of the accused, loathsome issue-prone bottles. So, I hit happily somewhere in the middle -- a fine beer to accompany me through a few episodes of House and catching up on my e-mail.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2009 00:41:24 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

2008 Bottling

Appearance: As others have noted, this looks like prune juice, not beer - no carbonation at all

Smell: The best attribute of this beer, as the lack of carbonation has no impact; the boozy element hits the nostrils right away, with a little bit of burn; underneath is the dark fruit (prune juice, perhaps) and brandy

Taste: Prune dominated dark fruit, with raisins and molasses, up front; by mid-palate, they oak and brandy elements rise to the fore and linger after the swallow

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body and flabby, with no carbonation but plenty of warmth

Drinkability: The flavors are enjoyable but this beer seems to be heading downhill, not only from the lack of carbonation, but from the effects of oxidation; such a pity that the carbonation issues across so many of the Lost Abbey beers have compromised the brewery's reputation but they chose economics over reputation

Note: I am now drinking the 2009 on 4/1/11 and have gotten over the lack of carbonation and decided just to focus on the flavors. While I am going to leave the ratings from the 2008 alone, I have to say that I am rather enjoying the taste of this one. The port-like character of the aroma and the taste is enticing and, while there is some booziness, it has mellowed into a flavorful melange.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2010 00:05:35 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to AndrewK for sharing this one at his tasting.

2009 vintage.

Pours an almost opaque brown-black with no head and no lace. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, raisins, dark fruits, vanilla, brandy, and wood. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick on the finish and a woody aftertaste that lingers after each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is good beer that smells better than it tastes. I just wish the carbonation level was better.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 01:04:14 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.33/5  rDev -39%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Poured a deep murky brown color ale with no head whatsoever. Aroma of of alcohol vapor with some gross residual sugar. Taste is overly dominated by brandy notes with some sweet sugary malt with an almost gross feel. Body is full with no carbonation and strong alcohol showing. I know the issue this beer had with carbonation but the fundamental issue are bigger then only carbonation - way too much alcohol is showing even though I understand beer as been barrel-aged with a lack of complexity. I must admit that this example is definitely over-hyped and fall well below my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2009 03:02:57 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.53/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The much anticipated and heavily scrutinized beer finally sits in my chalice and begging to be drank.

Without over doing it, the beer can be summed up with words like port, chocolate, raisons, plumb, cherries, rum, licorice, apples, figs, dates, nuts, berries, vanilla, caramel, sorgum, grapes, anise, currant, pepper, vineous, woodsy, nutty, bready, candied, whisky... the descriptors can go on and on.

What makes this beer special is the well aged, sherry notes that become the thread that weaves in and out of all of the characteristics of the beer and ties them together. The beer harks to the beers of Sam Adams, in the Utopia and Tripple Bock. Extreamily candies and rum-soakes fruits throughout. Dehydrated fruits of pineapple, cherries, and raisons remind me of an alcoholic fruit cake.

Complex and surreal throughout, this is a unique and unforgettable drinking experience. The beer has a mystical quality about it that goes well beyond beer and into an experience of after dinner wines and brandies- imagine that. The high, and boozy, alcohols don't bother me as they only lead to added complexity, strength and boldness in this beer that strives to behave more like a liquor than a beer.

Sure the recent controversy about the carbonation level has come up and with a lot of dissatisfaction. This beer wasn't carbonated to my liking, but wasn't flat either- perhaps somewhere in between. It may cause the beer to take a hint on the appearance and mouthfeel, but the meat and potatoes of the beer hold firm. This beer ranks up there with the Utopias, J.W. Lee's, and Thomas Hardy's of the world. A truely unique beer. Thanks to Lost Abbey for the challenge of the palate!

Thanks to Adamdc! Rock on Rockstar!

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 03:14:59 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a tumbler.

Big thanks to papollo for this gem!

Tried the bourbon version, now on to it's cousin. It pours a nearly opaque black-brown topped by a sputter of off-white foam. The nose comprises oak, whiskey, toffee, butterscotch, raisins, and molasses. The taste brings more of the same, though the whiskey has transmogrified into brandy, some chocolate is added, and there is a distinct alcoholic burn in the back. The body is a straight medium, with a rather light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a very nice brew, though the heavy brandy and oak notes and the more-than-palpable burn detract a good deal. Still, I liked this one more than I did the bourbon version.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 06:50:49 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer is dark brown, poured from a bottle into a becher. Beer forms a white head and carbonation is mild.

The aroma is sweet with a back end of brandy in it.

The flavor is complex, very nutty, full bodied. Lots of sweetness and the brandy flavor is in there as well. There is a hint of caramel and a slight roast at the back end. Not a whole lot of bitterness.

Overall, I enjoyed this variant over the bourbon aged variant and apparently I'm in the minority. The flavors of the base beer were not overwhelmed by the brandy as they were, in my opinion, in the bourbon. If I want bourbon, I'll drink bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 17:43:19 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

2009 vintage. The beer pours dark brown with only a few bubbles. Looks like this is one of the flat Lost Abbey beers. The aroma is brandy, oak, maple and alcohol. The flavor is even better with a lot of maple notes as well as some oak. You also get a lot of vanilla, brandy, dark fruit chocolate and alcohol. Very low to flat carbonation and a medium to thick mouthfeel. Even with the bottle conditioning issues, this beer was very good. It was sampled side-by-side with a 2010 Bourbon Angel's Share and this beer was superior in my opinion due to the strong maple notes.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2010 01:53:58 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a brown color with a red tint. Almost no head and no lacing.

S - It smelled a little like Sweet Tarts candy. Some caramel sweetness, too.

T - It tasted sweet and slightly tart. Lots of booziness. I guess a little brandy taste. Some maltiness with hints of caramel and Belgian spices.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is a nice beer. Don't know if this was how it was intended, but it certainly was interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 19:32:03 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.85/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle, Batch 1, sampled October 2007
The beer pours quite a bit darker than I was expecting. It is an opaque burnt amber color, that shows a brilliantly clear, light chocolate hue as I pour it. The head starts out a fat two-fingers in height and is frothy, rich amber tinged, dark tan color. Quite barrel influenced; some fruity, brandy-like notes are noticeable at first (including some slightly hot notes, that seem alcohol induced, but are really from the oak character). The nose soon picks up notes of oak-derived vanillin, touches of butterscotch and some spicy oak notes. The underlying beer is still noticeable though throughout all of this, though it does play a secondary, supporting role; aromatic notes of deeply caramelized malt sugars, some chalky cocoa notes, touches of toasty malt / dark bread, hints of dark grain notes (chocolate and something like Special B malt) and some fruit notes which meld with some probable brandy-induced aromas. The combination of the brandy & malt produce aromatic notes of raisins, a touch of cherry and some dried fig character. At times the aroma has me convinced that a mix of vanilla & hazel nut extracts has been added to the brew, or at least it seems that way. This is a very nice aroma, while it is certainly highly barrel influenced, it is not so much that it is detracting for me. I could wish that a bit more richness of the base beer came through though.

Soft, creamy, malt textures up front yield to a light spritz provided by the carbonation, but the beer really doesn’t lose that creamy texture. In fact the malts cling to the palate, even coating the mouth in their velvety touch even after the beer has left my mouth. As I was sort of expecting, the oak plays the secondary role in the flavor to the combination of beer & brandy flavors (opposite to the aromas balance). The malt & brandy contribute a nice level of fruit character here, including notes of concentrated raisins, figs, and a very slight cherry note. The fruit notes seem to be slightly roasted in character; the dark malts used here contribute a slightly chalky roast grain character, touches of chocolate & really something that seems like burnt raisins. The oak really provides an incredible balance & contrast to the flavors of this brew. As the beer warms, flavors of sweet nut extracts start to become quite prominent; touches of hazelnut, almond and something much like amaretto become quite pronounced and enjoyable.

The oak flavors are very well integrated here; soft notes of vanillin are noticeable at times, and towards the middle through to the end is noticeable a subtle butterscotch note. Spicy oak flavors are noticeable throughout, but especially show up in the finish; in combination with the hop bitterness, these notes provide a balance to the sweet malt & fruit notes. I get the feeling that this beer has a nice hop influence to it, but for some reason (other than the fair amount of bitterness) I can't separate these contributions out from the rest of the competing flavors. As the beer warms up, the vanilla flavors really become much more prominent.

While I was expecting this to be at least good, I really am impressed how good this really is. This beer really works quite well with the brandy barrel. This is truly and enjoyable sipping brew, as the label states, 750ml is definitely a good size for slowly sipping & savoring amongst friends. I really like the flavors found in this brew as well as the silky textures of the body / mouthfeel; the two really compliment each other quite well. I can't actually the texture of this beer being any better for this particular set of flavors. I really think more brewers need to explore this particular barrel type, as I just transferred a bunch of a Belgian-style Quad from a Heaven Hill Brandy barrel (same type of barrel used here I believe), that is shaping up to be quite phenomenal as well. Speaking of which, the brandy character really seems to move this beer into the realm of a strong, dark, Belgian beer like a Quad; ultimately, I think this is why I like this beer so much, barrel & barley wine did not really excite me that much, but little did I realize that the combination would evoke the complexity & fruit character that I like so much in a really good Quad. Quite surprisingly (at least to this lover of funky beers), this is easily, objectively (removing the situational aspect) the best beer I have ever had from Tomme. I really wish I had at least a couple more bottles of this batch as I have a feeling it is going to age quite well. Without the barrel character (brandy & oak derived), this beer would merely be at most good and more like just decent; really it is the marriage of all of the components of this brew that make it so incredible.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2007 02:16:44 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I managed to get a really generous discount on a bottle of this brew one night from a guy I became friends with who was a server at a bar I really enjoy. He ended up only charging like $14 for a bottle of this that on the menu should have been almost $40.

Anyway we opened the bottle and it was poured into a wine glass, fitting for this brew because it looked just like a dark red wine as it poured out. The beer had no head on it at all. The smell was very rich with lots of sweet boozy aromas. We drank this one slowly trying to savor everything we could in this. The flavors of sweet brandy and the dark malts gave this beer a very unique flavor. The mouthfeel was a little flat and didn't really spark my interest too much... It finished with a dry aftertaste and was a little on the boring side I thought. Overall I'd like to try it fresh, not sure how old the bottle was that we had but I would enjoy having it right from the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 03:39:12 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -37.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Thanks Don for the chance to try a bottle i'd never take the risk on... an aged 750 served in a snifter glass.

Pours a tawny dark brown, transparent in the glass with a feeble ring of bubbles around the edges. No visible carbonation, looks a bit still.

Smells interesting, likely infected, but a bit of sour mash, maltiness and odd musty barrel character. Taste touches on these notes with a bit of tartness and a mealy unpleasant taste as well. Thin and tart, the drain drank more of this than I did :(

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 07:51:44 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.63/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle, 2008 edition,

A: Pours a murky brown with no head, just a smattering of ochre bubbles.

S: Great smell, oak, vanilla, wine grapes, brown sugar.

T: Taste is outstanding as well. The flavour is vibrant and complex - heavy toffee and vanilla. Brandy barrel aging is evident, sweet fermented fruit and butterrum candy.

M: Flat, but in this beer I didn't really mind. The flavour keeps your attention, and with the high alcohol, the beer really drinks more like a fortified wine or dessert wine (Pedro Ximenez sherry).

D: This is the second time I have gotten to try this gem of a beer and the taste has been incredible each time. I know people are complaining about the carbonation issues, but I think the controversy is a bit overblown in the context of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 19:07:19 | More by Halcyondays

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A snifter or two at the Brass Rail Deli. Memo at my side with a Shirley Temple.

A: The Angel's Share is black, a midnight-hued color that is as imposing as it gets. A thin head, off-white with a tan hue, comes with both pours.

S: The nose is brandy strength, booze and oaken vanilla, along with hyper-roasted stout notes. The brandy element is deceptively sweet, drawing me in with each inhale.

T: The brandy barrel drives the flavor, oaken and vinous, fortified for extra special strength. The oak adds vanilla while the brandy adds the grapey vinous notes. The strength of the ale is always just below the surface, a big filling ale no matter how you slice it. Darker, roasted malts emerge in the finish, lending a stout-like ending to the ale. Both barrel and roasted malts linger, with the brandy recurring in periodic burps.

M: The mouthfeel is lush and rich, drawing on the experience of the barrel before yielding to the fullness of the stout. The brandy barrel is a pronounced difference from a bourbon barrel, intense but not in the same manner.

I'm glad to finally have an Angel's Share on tap; a brilliant ale from Lost Abbey.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2011 21:12:09 | More by akorsak

Billolick

New York

4.7/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, on tap at the EBF, this past Saturday. The only brew I took notes on all weekend. Enjoyed 2 large sized samples that were truly savored. Poured burnt dark chocolate, near black, under a fierce looking dark tan head, sticks and sticks and emits loads of raisins and bourbon to the waiting nose. Rich, chewy and complex in the mouth and around the tongue. I picked up luscious notes of more raisins, dark chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, ripe dark fruits...lovely beer....

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2009 01:07:08 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

3.28/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From 6/12/10 notes. 2009 vintage, one of the bottles that isn't carbonated.

a - Pours a dark brown with no head or carb.

s - Smells of straight up bourbon, oak, vanilla, and sweet dark fruits. Not bad but the bourbon dominates.

t - Tastes of bourbon, oak, and vanilla, and dark fruits again. And again, the bourbon just dominates everything else.

m - Medium to heavy body and no carbonation.

d - Very disappointing. I like bourbon beers a lot, but in this one the bourbon just dominates everything in the smell and taste. Being flat doesn't help it either. Would not want to have again, unless it had some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 00:05:10 | More by mdfb79

ppoitras

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

750ml bottle purchased as a single at Julio's, Westboro, MA. Corked and caged, 2008 vintage.

Poured into a Chimay chalice, and under-carbonated is an understatement. Scant few bubbles form with the hardest of pours. No head to speak of over this opaque dark brown brew. Upon swirling, heavy legs and tiny bubbles are seen along the glass.

Aroma is sweet and sour, tartness coupled with syrupy maltiness. Taste is worlds away from the nose: sweet and fruity upfront, moderately smokey old leather tannins in the middle, with an evaporating alcohol close. Warmth and numbing come along soon enough too. Mouthfeel is thin for the look and flavor, and drinkability is pretty limited.

Save your $30. The bad experience stories are true, much as I wanted to see them wrong.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2009 02:38:25 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Much thanks to TomDecapolis for this...
Appears a dark, russett brown with red edges and a mild tan cap with a thick collar. Spotty lacing is left all over the glass.
Smell is rummy with oak & bourbon notes. These aromas are followed up with complex brown sugar, raisins, fruit cake, black grapes, caramel, and toffee.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a beautiful, sticky mix of caramel, oak, and mollasses.
Mouthfeel is sugary, & medium bodied with a vivacious lingering of raisins, sugar, oaky vanilla, and mollasses.
Well done brew! I felt bad about taking so much for myself but it was in love with this beer and the brandy complexities that it melded together with.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2008 02:16:38 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Angels Share. July 4th 2009.

Left this warm for a few months, result? Still no carbonation.

Murky brown colored beer with no head. 3

Smells very boozy and strongly of grapes and whiskey, vanilla and brown sugar. Scents of rum and especially brandy. No other way of describing this though, this is a highly aromatic and boozed up beer.

Starts out dry and not nearly as boozy as it smells. Lots of vanilla and oak flavor. Bourbon is the main flavoring here. Strongly boozy though and very warming in the chest.

Mouthfeel is OK; the bottle did manage to create a feeble carbonation in the mouth so this is Luke flat if you know what I mean. Maybe Luke fizz would be a better word?

First thing about drinkability is that this is a nearly flat beer that costs $33 a bottle. Tasty beer but that flaw isn't a point of recommendation, for $33 they should be able to put the fizz in.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2009 23:23:03 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375 ml corked & caged bottle into a tulip glass. I'm not sure if this is a late '09 or early '10 release but it's the one in the new style of bottle.

Pours black in the glass, with a very thin covering of bubbly off-white foamy head. This completely dissipates in all of about 5 seconds, leaving the surface dark and still. No lacing at all is left behind. The aroma has a heavy stickiness to it up front, with notes of baker's chocolate and caramel pushing themselves to the front. The brandy flavor pulls up the rear of the nose, giving up fruity tones and subtle notes of vanilla and wood. A sizable heat presence hangs on the edges of the bouquet and singes the eyes a little as you go down into the glass for each sniff.

Man, the brandy is strong in the taste, spreading a ton of fruity warmth and char around in the mouth, mingling with thick base of cocoa, toffee, and roast. The finish is fruity and dry with leftover barrel notes of vanilla and slick oaky char. The mouthfeel is full bodied in the mouth, with a generally pretty easy and bubbly feel to the carbonation. The easier overall feel is off-set by a sharp pang of alcohol heat after each sip, which seems to worsen the deeper you get into the glass. This definitely tows a boozy line in parts but I wouldn't say that it absolutely hurts the overall feel. Hell, I'm just glad that the body was carbonated for this release!

Some issues with the look and feel aside, this was a warming tasty sipper. The brandy added an extra fruity layer of welcome complexity to this that worked well with the vanilla and green tannic character of the barrel. This was nice.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 17:11:56 | More by Kegatron