Red Brick The Lost Years - Red Brick Brewing Company

chinchill

South Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Growler from The Beer Growler in Atlanta, served in a St. Bernardus snifter. "an American Strong Ale brewed with spices and aged in Jim Beam bourbon oak barrels" that are being used for the 2nd time, imparting a more subtle bourbon character, according to Red Brick..

Pours very dark reddish-brown, clear with a moderate size tan head. The head reduces to a partial coat and ring too soon, but then hangs on, leaving attractive lacing on the glass.
Disclaimer: I don't like bourbon and think a number of beers have been harmed by over-exposure to bourbon barrels. Nonetheless, this ale has a fantastic aroma that seems at first to consistent almost entirely of sweet bourbon. There's also a solid malt component, a note of orange peel, some spices, and a trace of oak: these all mesh completely with the bourbon effects. The taste is also exceptional: high complexity; very flavorful yet not challenging; and superb bitter/sweet balance.

O: Art, science and luck all came together in this beer from a brewery known for making good but not great beers. With a marvelous aroma; great flavor, and high complexity, The Lost Years is highly recommended. Red Brick: please make more!

Serving type: growler

05-01-2013 23:07:53 | More by chinchill

cvm4

Mississippi

3.69/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours a tea brown, pretty opaque with a light tan one finger head.

S - Light bourbon, vanilla, toffee and slight oak.

T - I'm getting more oak up front, some citrus, caramel and bourbon on the finish.

M - High carbonation with a light medium body.

O - Bourbon isn't overpowering in the beer, which lets other subtleties come forth. Not a hot beer and an easy drinker for the abv.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 16:35:32 | More by cvm4

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a tulip glass

A: An opaque, ice tea brown with hints of copper. A half finger off-white head that dissipates pretty quickly, leaving bubbles in its wake. Decent lacing.

S: A wonderful bourbon/vanilla concoction that begs to be sipped.

T: Smooth, bourbon-y. Light chocolate malts. Toffee, vanilla. Sweet.

M: Medium with smooth carbonation.

O: On par with their 17th Anniversary ale. Bourbon is more muted, which is nice. Highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 17:28:59 | More by brewskifan55

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, fresh release. Served at cellar temperature. For the record, this is aged in Jim Beam Bourbon barrels.

Pours lightly hazy reddish brown with a two finger beige head that leaves nice bubbly rings and sheets of lacing and recedes to a light to wispy cap.

Aroma is bourbon, toffee, alcohol, caramel, vanilla, oak, bread, molasses, touch of fruit & anise, as it warms some chocolate and coffee come out. Very good strength. Smells amazing.

Flavor is oak, bourbon, vanilla, oak, toffee, caramel, nice dark fruits, anise, good bit of herbal hops, pretty woody, fairly sweet, mild to moderate bitterness, mild to moderate alcohol. Finishes a little weak for a barrel aged beer, doesn’t quite live up to the aroma, but still quite good.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sticky, good carbonation.

This is really fresh and is pretty good out of the gate. The aroma is amazing, very complex. The flavor has a good bourbon presence, a lot of oak, hops could use some time to mellow, although it’s not very hot, some age still might help.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:31:23 | More by elgiacomo

ThickNStout

Georgia

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from Bullocks (Marietta, GA). 10.99/ 4 pack. No bottle dating but just hit shelves last week. Served in a Brick Mason snifter.

Pours ruddy brown with a quarter finger off white head. Very little lacing.

Smells of mild bourbon, pronounced star anise and caramel.

Tastes of smooth vanilla-y bourbon, oak, toffee, anise, citrus peel, coriander and caramel. A little alcohol but it's blended well.

Medium body with ample carbonation. Fairly creamy but the carbonation keeps it dancing. Long sweet boubon soaked citrus peel finish.

My favororite of the Red Brick anniversary brews that I've had. A much more complex variation than either 16 or 17 were. The spice additions really compliment the Jim Beam barrel aging. I'll be picking up more of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 04:48:20 | More by ThickNStout

chefmikeanderson

Georgia

4.14/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

75% bourbon aged strong ale with citrus peel and star anise 25% Amber

A: lovely amber color with a bubbly white head. Lace coats well and a thin layer of head remains
S: sweet bourbon alcohol. Vanilla oaky tones with a touch of apricot dark citrus
T: Mellow bourbon comes first and very quickly slips away into a base kind of old ale taste. Almost like a light Manhattan with the bourbon citrus notes. Sweet dark citrus tones push the bourbon away in the background. Very little noticeable alcohol
M: a little more carbonated than most barrel aged beers. I enjoy that because it makes it so easy to knock this one back. Nice slick mouth feel gives the urge to keep drinking
O: A very nice introductory bourbon barrel aged beer. At first you get the bourbon you're looking for, then it quickly mellows out and doesn't overwhelm in any way. Sometimes its nice to have an easy drinking flavorful barrel aged beer. Worth a try for sure

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:01:50 | More by chefmikeanderson