Barrel Aged Jubilee - Eagle Rock Brewery

kojevergas

California

2.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

2011 Jubilee aged in Cabernet barrels. 8.1% ABV. Not to be confused with the regular Jubilee. 22 fl oz brown glass bottle with waxed over pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired at the brewery a few hours ago. Pricing was around $17 (even though it was marked $12 at the brewery; see my review of Eagle Rock itself).

Served straight from the fridge and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head of nice cream and thickness, and fair retention for the high ABV (~2 minutes). Body colour is an understated caramel-copper; opaque and nontransparent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Generally appealing for an old ale.

Sm: Red wine, certainly. Lightly tart sourness; that's a nice a touch. Gingerbread/ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and malts. Rich toffee malts in classic old ale fashion - but strangely artificial. In any case, it's an appealing aroma and I can't wait to try it. I don't detect any alcohol.

T: Definite wine/cabernet notes, but they go a bit too far into wine territory, hinging on an undeveloped richness that doesn't suit the balance. Light vanilla covers any spices that might otherwise have been present. It's strangely built, but it has a certain bent appeal. No sourness at all; that was just the aroma I guess. A bland malt body comprises the foundation. Little yeast comes through, if any. I don't get any alcohol. Not at all as subtle or complex as it should be for the style, but decently executed. Unnecessarily refined, to its detriment.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Good carbonation and thickness. Decent palate presence.

Dr: Hides its ABV well. It's certainly drinkable. I like it, but the wine notes are over the top. One of Eagle Rock's better beers, but that isn't saying much. I wouldn't want to pay for it again; the price point is awful. A decent effort, but poorly priced. I'm liking Eagle Rock less and less. It just feels amateur.

High C

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 03:16:53 | More by kojevergas