Alvinne Podge Bourgogne Barrel Oak Aged

Brewed by Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Style: Imperial Stout
Heule, Belgium

Bottle at Alvinne. Pours very dark brown with orange highlights on the edges. Large creamy beige head. Aromas of dark toasted malt and creamy, perhaps vanilla, odors. Medium body with smooth carbonation. Flavor is astringent, very red winey. Smooth notes of oak and vanilla.Sips like a fine, aged red wine - but with a heavier body.

750 ml bottle labeled as The Oak Podge at Churchkey in DC. ABV listed as 9%, which makes me think this is a separate beer from the Bourgogne Barrel, but I haven’t tried that one, so can’t say for sure. Poured (by Greg the beer manager) with a massive tan colored head that settled quickly and left nice lacing. Aroma had notes of licorice and caramel candied apples. Taste had emphasis on the malts with a subtle background of wood, dark cherries and figs. Long lasting finish was both dry and mildly bitter. Best beer of the night.

Bottled @ Olfestival 09 pre-tasting. Dark brown color, medium head. Aroma of malt, red wine, some coffee and chocolat. Delicious red wine addition to the bit unbalanced regular imperial stout. Balances out superbly. Delicious.

Green bottle, 750 ml, lot 336, best before APR 20 14, via Philippe Boutin (merci!), savoured on October 11 2009; eye: dark brown, opaque, good effervescence, nice beige sheet, light lacing; nose: roasted malt, burgundy, candied fruits, dark chocolate, molasses, light alcohol, light brown sugar; mouth: roasted malt, light hops, oak, burgundy, candied fruits, dark chocolate, molasses, light alcohol, light brown sugar, tannin, finale in malt-candied fruits with presence of alcohol, full body, average carbonation, mildly bitter, lightly sweet, foamy texture, light acidity; overall: quite good FRANÇAIS Bouteille verte, 750 ml, lot 336, meilleure avant APR 20 14, via Philippe Boutin (merci!), savourée le 11 octobre 2009; œil : brune foncée, opaque, bonne effervescence, belle couverture de mousse beige, légère dentelle; nez : malt rôti, bourgogne, fruits confits, chocolat noir, mélasse, léger alcool, léger cassonade; bouche : malt rôti, léger houblon, chêne, bourgogne, fruits confits, chocolat noir, mélasse, léger alcool, léger cassonade, tanin, finale en malt-fruits confits avec présence d’alcool, corsé, carbonatation moyenne, moyennement amère, légèrement sucrée, texture mousseuse, légère acidité; en résumé : très bonne

Bottle from fata, another great gem he sent my way. Pours a dark reddish/brown color with a light tan head. Aroma has some nice raisiny characteristics, red wine, chocolate, prunes and a bit of tartness. Flavor is lightly tart from the red wine barrels mixed with a light amount of chocolate, cherries, oak and damn its good!

Bottle. Deep dark brown color. Red wine and a touch of roast in the soft aroma. Syrupy mouthfeel. Roast, dried fruit, red wine, toffee, laurel and a hint of oak in the sweet but complex and delicious flavor. Just a touch of tartness towards the finish. Excellent and well balanced.

Bottled @ Olfestival 09 pre-tasting. Aroma is winey, has liquorice, some roast, black currant and dried fruits. Dark, red-brown coloured beer with a medium head. The taste is sweet, has a little bitterness, oak, roasted malts, some fruitiness and red wine. Very elegant. This might be the balance Alvinne was searching for with their previous beers. Very good.

Bottle at Alvinne. This dark brown ale poured with a decent beige head and a malty oak aroma. There is a sweet dark malt start and a more bitter finish. The oak has caused a slight amount of sourness to accent the chocolate and other stout characteristics. In fact this brew is more reminiscent of a good burgundy wine than a stout. Nevertheless, a very interesting and enjoyable beer.