Cuvee Series Two (Oak Aged Series) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

SLeffler27

New York

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From a tulip glass, deep ruby highlights are evident (SRM 13). There is a scant, off-white head, spotty lace, and thin, viscous film.

Phenols are up front with fruity tones, strong caramel and spice, while oak, raisin, and some molasses linger in the background.

Nuts and oak preside over sweet tea, while light bitterness lingers in the finish. Vanilla, brown sugar, and lots of malt are accompanied by wine-like flavors as this one warms.

A full body with velvety texture, fizzy carbonation, and well-controlled alcohol.

While this is a fine Strong Ale, it lacks depth of character and layers of development that I have come to expect of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 21:17:30 | More by SLeffler27

tdm168

North Carolina

4.19/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked this up on a trip to NY during Thanksgiving

A - dark brownish amber with a thin lacing of off white head

S - bread and candy sugar

T - very bready, burnt sugar, some toffee, slight woody notes in the finish

M - full bodied, well carbonated, a bit warm

This was really a nice beer. It could hold it's own as a barleywine. It has more flavor than the Cuvee One which offers a more pleasureable drinking experience. It also has a bit more oak notes in the finish. I really enjoyed this beer. This reminds me a bit of an early version of their barrel aged Backburner. If this were still brewed, I'd pick up another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 01:16:39 | More by tdm168

FungusBrewer

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've been sitting on this bad boy for over a year now. Series Two slowly slept in a dark dusty corner waiting for the end of days, which my homefries the Mayans tell me is in a few hours. This beer smells amazing, up front oak and dried date flavor--the dried fruit smell is intense. Hell, the smell's what makes this brew. The head retains silky white and lines the snifter just right. A straight up liquid assault of nutmeg, raisins, sweet malts, and chewy chocolate. The aftertaste is of biscuits and..pancakes. Aged perfect, since someone needs to drink it. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 05:55:41 | More by FungusBrewer

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass on 10/22/12

Deep, browned copper and rustic appearance. The head was reluctant; an aggressive pour yielded only a one finger head that didn't last long, save for loose, soapy bubbles. Some small lace.

Lush malty aroma with notes of caramel, toffee, figs, raisins, chocolate and cocoa, candied sugars, molasses, baked spiced bread, oak ans soft vanilla. The overall blend is very well-balanced between many nuanced layers.

Oxidation give up more to the palate than it does to the nose; however, it is modest at best and the malts are able to remain rather expressive. Caramel, toasted bread, soft spices, cocoa, raisins and figs. Earthy overtones. Toasty sugars with plenty sweetness. The oak is less apparent here than in the aroma; very mild wood tones with hints of mustiness on the finish.

I'm surprised that the body isn't more robust; it's something of a thinnish medium (though it does round out over time). Subtle gritty undercurrents. Carbonation is reasonably low much to my enjoyment.

I've been eying the Oak Aged Cuvees for some time now, but have been reluctant to pull the trigger (mainly due to price and Southern Tier's penchant for sugar bombs). When I found a bottle on clearance, I snatched this right up. I'm glad I did. It made the debate tolerable. Sort of. Haha.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 04:09:03 | More by Ryan011235

billab914

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into my CBS snifter. It poured a murky looking caramel color with a thin, spotty lacing scattered across the top. Good retention to it.

The aroma shows a pretty strong woody oak presence. It's got some bold malt flavors as well with caramel and dark fruits both playing a big role. The oak aging compliments very well.

While the aroma had some bold flavors, it pales in comparison to the taste. The oak is strong with notes of wood and vanilla. Caramel and dark fruits are there but there is some added toffee and brown sugar flavors coming out of the maltiness. The oak is a little astringent and dry in the finish, but really compliments pretty perfectly. Some hop bitterness balances it out nicely in the finish.

The mouthfeel is leaning towards the heavier side with carbonation being a little below average. Overall, I thought it was a great beer that really aged well. The oak was bold, but I thought it complimented it perfectly. I really enjoyed sipping on this beer tonight, it was one of the best pure oak aged beers I can remember having.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 01:02:43 | More by billab914

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled in 2010. Very cloudy brown/orange with practically no head; only fine yellow lacing and bubbles. Rich molasses, wood and dark fruits; plums, dates and sour apples are heavy in the aroma along with hints of roasted nuts and malts. First sip is an extra sweet kick of thick molasses and sour fermented fruits. A wet and simultaneously dry body; like sucking on a wet piece of wood. Strong, large bodied with very mild carbonation. Lots Massive boozy and smooth malt mouthfeel linger throughout. Sour, plummy aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 02:08:06 | More by YouSkeete

bamadog

Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This one has been sitting for 2 and 1/2 years, and since I'll likely be moving soon, I should start weening down the collection. Review is from notes taken on 5/10/2012 and poured from the bottle to a snifter.

Appearance: Pour is a toffee/caramel brown, and it starts with a short 1/4 finger head that fades quickly to nothing other than a thin skim sitting in the center; body is murky through and through, no chance of seeing what carbonation may be present with the exception of one strand bubbling up near the side of the glass;

Smell: Very sweet, plenty of caramel and syrupy malts, but I would dare say that candied, dark fruits dominate; reminiscent of some Belgian quads in terms of fruitiness.

Taste: Holy schyte this beer is very sweet -- tons of sweet malt that has tons of caramel/butterscotch to them; there is also a ton of dark, candied fruits -- figs, raisins, even some acidic green apple in the mix; touch of vanilla comes through from the oak aging; definite presence of alcohol, but since it's 11%, it would seem obvious that it's going to be there.

Mouthfeel: Body is a solid, medium weight; carbonation is very soft and smooth; mouth is left with a moist stickiness; belly is left tingly and warm.

Overall: Definitely worth having, and would make a great dessert; not something I would want often though due to the extreme sweetness to it. Kind of wish this came in a smaller format bottle, but que sera sera.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 02:34:04 | More by bamadog

Kopfschuss

Oregon

4.4/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 Vintage served in a handled mug (I wish I had access to a tulip)

Look: This beer pours a rusty red with fine bubbles and no haze. More carbonated than I thought this beer would be given the age. Thin white head that sticks lazily to the side but dissipates before I finished was able to finish my glass.

Smell: Big nose full of toasty malts. Funky yeast, fig, oak and coconut round out this delicious smelling beer. One of the best aromas I have smelt in a short while.

Taste: Toasted malt and dark fruit saturate the mouth at first. Sherry, coconut, complex yeast and muted oak and hop presence round this beer out quite nicely. My friend who also sampled this beer thought the sweetness was too cloying, but I think that it plays nicely with the beer.

Feel: Great carbonation given the age. Great mouthfeel on this beer as well.

Drinkability: Seems to be holding up quite well after four years and simply goes down great. Having seen a case of these on the shelf, I wish I have got a couple more. A beer worth visiting for sure as I had a great experience with this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 18:09:18 | More by Kopfschuss

Immortale25

Florida

4.16/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Southern Tier tulip-style glass. Pretty sure it was brewed sometime in '09.

A- Pours a dark brown color that's slightly reddish. Struggled to get a head out of the pour but it only yielded an 1/8 inch head at best before vanishing to a paper-thin ring around the edge of the glass and hardly any surface foam. Small amount of lacing.

S- Has that signature ST hop aroma but with a dark malt sensibility. Also smells sweet and biscuity.

T- Holy schnikes. Burnt toast comes in with a staggering dose of roast but then the hop backbone kicks in and provides a steadying bitter to the sweet roasted malts. Notes of plum, raisin and caramel. Can't taste any oak, though. But I also can barely taste any alcohol so this is a real treat.

M- Kind of limp due to the extremely low carbonation. Doesn't get in the way of enjoyment though.

O- Although I would've liked more oak and just a tad more carbonation, this certainly met my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 01:05:23 | More by Immortale25

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sampled October 2011
An aggressive pour into my Lost Abbey Teku glass produces a two finger thick, nicely tanned head. The beer is a dark, concentrated amber / brown color that shows a brilliantly clear, cranberry red hue and a touch of gold when held up to the light. The beer smells rich and malty, with lots of toasted notes that are also accentuated by some soft oak notes. Lots of the toasted character comes from concentrated caramelized malt notes, there is some nutty character to this beer and some spicy grain almost like rye. There is a touch of richness to this beer, it sort of smells a touch buttery (no doubt from the oak, but also a bit from the rich caramelized malt), a definitely butterscotch type note, or perhaps a bit more like toffee.

The beer is has lots of caramelized notes in the flavor, again there is a significant toffee note, and maybe a touch of butterscotch. The beer finishes with a green, sort of astringent oak like character that helps to balance the rich, sweeter side of the malt. The oak contributes a touch of peppery character to the finish, as well as some alcohol that reminds me a bit of brandy, though it is a bit too malty for that. The nuttiness is perhaps accentuated a bit by just a hint of oxidation.

In many ways this is clean and perhaps a touch simplistic, it does have some richness to it, but even the body seems to be lacking a complexity that would make this the beer it is trying to be. Having said that though, this is still a quite enjoyable beer. The oak is really well done here, it is quite subtle, and it is just enough to balance the up front, caramelized malt character; it even manages to keep this from being cloying.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 03:03:53 | More by Gueuzedude

muskiesman

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured from 22 oz bottle into snifter at 42F

Poured a thin cream head very little lacing
Color a cloudy deep ruby and brown

Nose is ripe dark fruit sweet with sugars a hint of vanilla and oaks

Taste is plum
then warming vanilla and oak also rich caramel and nougat

Mouth feel is fairly well bodied the cream vanilla and caramel flavors just fill and cover the mouth very warming low carbonation

Overall a very good strong ale, I know it has been retired but I just had to try it. Very smooth rich and maybe a little too sweet if anything it hid the oak and the 11% abv too

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 00:29:00 | More by muskiesman

BrokenStones

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

ppearance: cloudy copper with a very slight off white head.
smell: quite a nose on this one. Rich oak and caramel. Reminds me of Avery Samael's, that is to say, very good.
taste: quite a taste to match the nose. Heavy oak and caramel, without overbearing sweetness. Nice balance for such intense flavors.
A very goods.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 02:01:37 | More by BrokenStones

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Jason, 22oz into a tulip.

Poured a murky purple/burgundy with a cream coloured head. Only a collar and a smidgen of lace stick around. Nose has milk chocolate, sweet candied notes, heavy caramel malt notes, vanilla, brown sugar and perhaps a hint of oak. Taste has more of the same sensation, brown sugar, vanilla and milk chocolate. Oak and dark fruits as well, with dark breads and a hint of earthiness. Thick and creamy with a bit of booze on the back end. Full bodied, low carbonation and tasty. Haven't had this fresh but this appears to have held up reasonably well over a couple of years.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 18:37:21 | More by liamt07

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Two year old, properly cellared bottle. Poured into a Nostradamus flute. Pours a dark red-orange amber, slight fine white head that disappears quickly into a ring around the glass, minor lacing. Aroma of sweet and caramel malt, dark fruit, oak and a hint of whiskey. Flavor follows, strong on sweet malt, vanilla, oak, dark fruits. Finishes smoothly with a bit of neutral hops and alcohol. Not as complex as a barleywine, but with an interesting and pleasant combination of flavors and fairly well integrated. Medium mouthfeel with a hint of creaminess. I enjoyed this, but would have hoped for a bit more intense flavor to counter the high ABV. I've enjoyed drinking this and the Cuvee One.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 04:03:22 | More by LiquidAmber

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle. Pours a murky dirty brown color with a thin layer of head. Lots of lacing. Aroma is of booze, dark fruits, malts and brown sugar sweetness. Flavor is of booze, raisins, earthiness, malts and sweetness. Doesn't have that usual over-the-top Southern Tier sugary sweet flavor, but there is a good amount there. Nice warming alcohol at the end. Malty finish. Pretty boozey with not too much of the oak flavor. Its present but its definitely in the background. Overall, a decent beer worth having again.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 04:35:16 | More by PicoPapa

FosterJM

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

987th Review on BA
Bottle to snifter
22oz

Thanks to Herbie Hombrewer for sharing

*Shared by those in attendance at MrHirschybars*

App- A nice ruddy brown with a mix of ambers/oranges in the bottom of the glass. A nice flowing bubble mixture with a touch of lace and cling.

Smell- A bit of oak was there but not much. A little vanilla, a little bit of fruit and some cream in the nose.

Taste- Not as mind blowing as I was thinking. A tad sweet but not overly boozy for an 11%. A good bit of creme, sugars and malts.

Mouth- A creamy light medium body with a medium bubbly carbonation level. A good strong ale and delicately bold mix of flavors.

Drink- A beer I hadnt seen before but anytime you think strong ale and oak you have to think stone. This was more sweet and bubbly and a little less malty. I quite liked it. Thank again Brian for sharing!

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 23:30:59 | More by FosterJM

DCon

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a 22oz/650ml bottle of series two (marked on the box) @ Hair of the Dog in St. Louis, MO for $10. Poured from the bright purple labeled bottle into a 16oz Pint Glass. Does not have a freshness date on the box nor bottle...

Aroma- Good amount of booze and malt from the beginning. A definite and awesome Brown Sugar aroma comes in at the finish. Bit of oak also? Hidden but is around without a doubt.

Appearance- Pours a less than .5 finger head that dies immediately. Has a ton of ingredient with a medium brown colored body and orange in the background. Leaves no lacing then.

Flavor- Very strong tastes and too complexed to pick out much. There is a ton of booze in the taste and very sweet. Has an awesome caramel flavor also. Hop bitterness is well balanced in here.

Mouthfeel- Full Bodied, Light Carbonation, Smooth, A bit Syrupy, and then leaves boozy, oaky taste on the palate.

Overall Impression- This one has a ton of booze it looks like! Enjoyed it very much! Could be compared to an American Barleywine and appreciated every sip of this! Would love to try the Series One & Three and compare. Once again, thanks Southern Tier for all your great beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 19:40:19 | More by DCon

phichifiji00

California

3.2/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: Deed redish brown. Pours 1/2 finger of white head that fades quickly. Slight lacing.

Smell: malty, caramel, oak, nutty, toast.

Taste: Nutty, malty, caramel, nougat, oak.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, light carbonation, semi-dry finish, boozy as it warms.

Overall: Slightly darker/richer than Cuvee #1. Still overly malty and sweet. The oak notes are ice, but the complexity is again masked by the overwelming malt/sweetness. Drinkability is low.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 20:45:03 | More by phichifiji00

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: cloudy copper with a very slight off white head.
smell: quite a nose on this one. Rich oak and caramel. Reminds me of Avery Samael's, that is to say, very good.
taste: quite a taste to match the nose. Heavy oak and caramel, without overbearing sweetness. Nice balance for such intense flavors.
Very good this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 21:38:27 | More by cindyjeffsmith

stegmakk

New York

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a dark reddish brown. Tan headstayed longer than I thought but not for the whole time. Left nice lacing.

S - Smelled highly of raisins first, sweet malt...alcohol infused fruit beyond its prime.

T - Mellow well balanced barleywine. Raisin, honey, vanilla, maybe some roasted caramel/coffee but not much. Mostly sweet fruit (though not overpowering).

M - High carbonation, goes down smooth, lingering alcohol warmth.

O - Thought it was excellent for what it is trying to be. Not kick you in the head with alcohol. Raisiny/fruit tones a little more than I was looking for, but still for what it is, pretty good. I'm not going to get it often, or hunt it down, but I think I'll get 2 more bottles and try to let it age a bit.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 19:36:29 | More by stegmakk

dansmcd

Australia

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Deep reddish brown colour. Thin, fast head.

S - Big blast of sugary sweet malt and booze. Vanilla, caramel, dried fruit, oak.

T - As with the smell, caramel and vanilla. Port. Raisins, coconut.

M - Full and sticky in body. Lively carbonation. The abv heat lingers.

O - I really enjoyed my pour at a tasting, and I suspect that is the right way to drink this, with some friends. Possibly too sweet to take it on all to yourself.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 01:47:12 | More by dansmcd

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up the same time I did the Series One, a long long time ago.

Appearance – Pours a similar murky brown color as the Series One into a tulip. About ¾ finger of off white head is achieved.

Smell – Heavy candied aromas mixed with cocoa, vanilla, and oak. Plums and raisins become more apparent as the beer warms.

Taste – Lots of dark fruits, caramel, vanilla, and oak. Oddly this tastes somewhat like a dopplebock to me. The taste is not as candied as the aroma led me to believe, though it is quite sweet. Despite this, the oak/wood flavors help keep some of this somewhat cloying sweet flavor in check. Finishes with a smooth vanilla note.

Mouthfeel – Full bodied, quite creamy, lower carbonation.

Overall – In my opinion, much better (though still not “great”) than the Series One version. The mouthfeel is fantastic, but I wish the sweetness was toned down a bit. If there was a bit more oak presence and also a hint more bittersweet cocoa I think it would be a more balanced beer. However, it is a good sipper and the alcohol is hidden well. If you see the first and second series at the store and want to try one, grab the second hands down.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 01:04:21 | More by SpdKilz

brystmar

New York

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Muddy brown, thin head with poor retention and zero lace. Plenty of oak, aged booze, and caramel in the nose. Previous reviewer nailed it: smells like an aged barleywine.

Candi sugar, malts, and barrel flavors shine through the brightest. Unapologetically boozy; alcoholic warmth lingers, joining the hop bitterness in the aftertaste.

Body kinda fits the style, but it's just too thin for my preferences. A decent beer, but solidly below the level I expect from a big Southern Tier brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 03:59:18 | More by brystmar

GeezLynn

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle picked up several years ago, probably in D.C.

A: Cider brown with a dirty white head that quickly recedes to the glass edges.

S: Very potent with heavy caramel, vanilla and butter, along with a slight sourness and some oak. Much like an aged barleywine.

T: Starts off with dense brown sugar sweetness, mingled with vanilla, roasted malt, burnt sugar and a tannic woodyness. Finish is long and very sweet with an intense roasted/buttery flavor combo.

M: medium bodied and under-carbonated. Somewhat flat and syrupy.

This could pass as a mediocre oak-aged barleywine. But at $13.49 a bottle (sold in its own box), this has to be a disappointment for most people.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 04:38:13 | More by GeezLynn

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer's deep ruby body glows like Dorothy's shoes when held into the light. (There's no place like Lakewood, New York. There's no place like Lakewood, New York.) It is a striking beer, to put it modestly. Although utterly dead on the first pour, the bubbles got really riled up for the second; a creamy mound of head (and lace) became a permanent fixture.

The bottle may be pushing three years old but the beer has still got kick to it - and I'm talking 80s glam rock high kick. Only in this case, it's American hops stroking the guitar as if it were a Freudian appendage. Which exact varieties were used may forever remain a mystery but it was obviously something sticky and piny, something that compliments the wood.

Southern Tier's descriptions of vanilla crème, crème brûlée and nougat are not far off at all. The beer has a fantastic candy sweetness and grenadine-like sugary flavour. But there's also a bit of spice from the oak and some herbal qualities from the hops. It tastes a bit like Campari, or some like kind of aperitif. Lots of citrus peel comes through as well.

The orange fruit and bourbon-like wood spice notes aside, the beer starts to become a little cloying before the second half of the bottle even enters the glass. Maybe this is one of those offerings best served in a six ounce sample? The likeness to rye whiskey becomes more and more apparent. A likeness to maple syrup also arises (aided, no doubt, by the amount resinous pine flavour from the hops and the wood of the oak).

Fortunately, however, alcohol does not. At least not in any increment that isn't manageable. While any carbonation has been reduced to dust, enough roasted maltiness survives to infused some faint coffee notes. The oxidization that's ensued also helps the beer more than it hinders it; a sherry-like vinous quality adds complexity beyond that of the barrel.

Cuvee Series Two, as well as having such a creative name (rolls eyes), is actually a wonderfully enjoyable beer. With the temperament of an aperitif it's another innovative experiment on the behalf of American craft brewers that blurs the line between beer and, well, everything else alcoholic. Too bad it's gone for good, I would have liked to have another.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 04:08:01 | More by biegaman