AleSmith Barrel Aged Decadence 2007

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Diego, California USA

Nice yellow edge in the glass. You can smell the barrel, with strong vanilla notes too. The flavor is not especially balanced, however, with the vanilla dominating more than I’d care for. Decent, to be sure. Bottle shared at RBSG 2009 grand tasting.

(bottle shared by tytoanderso) Pours black with a light tan head that retains well. Very potent aroma of cherry, coconut, and chocolate cake as well. There is also an ample amount of booze here that singes the nostrils, but the other listed scents match and neutralize the abundant alcohol presence. The flavors are exactly the same as the aroma, with a huge flavor of German chocolate cake and frosting, light roasted malt, and some vanilla as well. Just like the aroma, there is a significant amount of alcohol here, but again the alternate flavors are able to match and tame it down a bit. The mouthfeel is smooth and full, and upon exhaling I taste a bizarre flavor of turkey stuffing. This is really good now, but I suspect that with some more aging it can be even better. Thanks again for sharing Tyler!

750ml bottle, 343/814. pours black with tan head. nose has huge vanilla notes with oak, ashy, and some coconut. flavors are ashy, vanilla, sharply oaky and alcoholic, bourbon and chocolate notes as well.

Courtesy TheCheeseMan. Bottle #658 of 817. Pours mostly clear, dark mahogany to chocolate brown in color. A small, swirly, tan colored head offers up spotty arches of lacing. The first whiff hits with an intensely hot, overwhelming blast of bourbon. After the initial layer of heat is peeled away, deeper notes of scorched caramel and chocolate emerge, along with lots of vanilla and a good amount of woody oak. The flavor remains intense, bourbon-laden and oaky, with the same underlying elements of chocolate and caramel. While the body is substantial and well carbonated, it brings with it far too much of an alcoholic burn. Though this is tasty if you’re really into bourbon, I’m not sure that this one will ever mellow out to a somewhat balanced level. If I had a spare bottle, I’d probably let it sit for another couple of years.

(DC Local Gathering, 750ml bottle, thanks ygtbsm94) – Dark brown, off white creamy head. Bold toasted coconut and burnt vanilla aromas ride a thick undercurrent of bourbon and nutty caramel. Intense bourbon booziness and swirls of toasted vanilla oak flavors round with a subtle roasty bittersweet chocolate finish. ABV is full on assault. Medium to full bodied, soft carbonation, warming bourbon finish. This one is not for the weak…

Bottle 481 of 817 from padrefan98 shared at the UFC 100 gathering, thanks Jon. Poured a dark brown/black with a smaller tan slightly bubbly head. Aroma had some old ale qualities about it, woody, alcohol, sherry, roasty and chocolate malts. Medium bodied that had very noticable alcohol warming with medium carbonation and an alcoholic finish. Flavor was woody, dry bakers chocolate, sherry, and old dried out dark fruits. Overall this was a nice beer that could have been aged for several years but we drank it fresh and it ws nice but I think this one would have been even better after a few years of age.

Too bad I was sitting next to hellbilly when he almost shit his pants. Nice aroma of cocnut and just drifed off into man just drink this it is good. Black body with off white head. Thick coffee and swweet chocolate flavor with some alcohol sothing the body. Man what can you say but thanks and that may not even be enough Eric.

Poured an opaque black color with a small, tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla, roasted malts, cocoa, burnt wood, bourbon, coffee, and dark fruits. Taste of cocoa, caramel, vanilla, smoke, roast, burnt wood, light bitterness, and bourbony alcohol in the finish.