Avery Samaels Oak-Aged Ale

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

This was the last of the Avery trio for me to try, having already had Mephistopheles and The Beast), and I thought it somewhere between the other two. I’m not sure there’s any merit in evaluating these three on a "true to style" basis, as I’m pretty sure part of Avery’s intent in launching these beers is to "bend" some styles. On a purely "tastes good/is easy [or least punishing] to drink" basis, I enjoyed Samael’s considerably more than The Beast, but considerably less than Mephistopheles. The beer a surprisingly bright red color with a pretty well-textured head of fine bubbles that faded rather quickly to a scummy coating. Aroma was definitely extremely caramel-y, but not of the malted-milk ball variety. Flavor was also a lot of caramel maltiness that was not cereal-y and I found to be rather pleasant. I got some vanilla-ness off of the oak, and I also got a lot of spiciness that was reminiscent to me of eggnog. This nutmeg/nogginess was easily the most surprising and enjoying aspect of this beer to me. Mouthfeel was pretty astringent and definitely warming. I thought this beer was pretty good, and was definitely interesting.

2005 Bottle. Poured a reddish brown body with thin head. aroma is oak, carmel, sweet malt, alcohol. Flavor has a heavy sweetness to it, figs, dates, and some oak. Alcohol is noticable and sometimes too rough, sometimes smooth. Decent beer but a little too over the top.

This 2006 pours a clear dark ruby amber color with a small off-white head that sticks around a whole lot longer than you would think with an ABV this high. Aroma is a pleasant sour merlot with some minor notes of molasses. Chewy, rich, sweet, and brandylike; this stuff is truly exceptional. Very complex, yet well balanced in the face of what could be described as a cloying feel.

May 2006, batch 2, bottled, consumed 11/7/07. Pours a deep amber with very little carbonation. No head in trappist glass, just thin ring of white bubbles clinging to the sides for dear life. Nose is massive, with oak and sherry aromas with a hint of spice (cinnamon?) and sweet candy. Oddly, most of the flavor doesn’t hit until the beer slides down the tongue, no matter how long it is held in the mouth. The powerful body is primarily sweet (cane sugar) with warming alcohol and smoothly bitter wood aftertatse. ghostly flavor of white grapes lingers on the palate as well. Good lord, this is a big beer.

Amazing!!! Pous a vey dark clear ambe. Massive sweet malt on the nose, with carmel and oak. Silky smooth with a heavy body.Massive cany sugar, sweet malt, oak, fruit, and an under tone of hops. Finish is powerful! Alchol is hidden very well. Very nice. Again, very nice. Once more time, very nice.

Bottled 2005. Poured a dense dark amber with absolutely no head, alcoholic viscousness instead of lace. Big "oaky" aroma with slight prune/raisin notes. Heavy body, very malty and big residual sweetness. Underlying alcohol evident. Complex caramel flavor, slightly sticky mouthfeel and late warming make for a sipping this one.

(on bottle) Punched a whole fight trough my tatebuds, this did. I loved the heavyness of alcohol, barley, dirt, wood and old ochards in the aroma. But the first mouthfull was a blast; so much of it all and then so well balanced. Can´t remember last time I had a heavyweight beer that seemed so overwhelming and still was a delight do drink.

Botlle. Batch 2. Moderate malt aromas of molasses and caramel, hop aromas of perfume and light orange, and yeast aromas of leather and beef broth, with date/raisin, alcohol and brown sugar. Head is creamy white with fair lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is a hazy red/brown. Flavor starts heavily sweet and the long finish is moderately sweet and bitter and lightly acidic with a touch of salt. Palate is medium to full, between creamy and syrupy with soft carbonation and finishes moderately alcoholic and quite chewy. I did like this beer because it was definitely bold in all aspects, but it seemed a bit out of balance. I would pick other barley wines over this though.