Drakes Apple Brandy Barrel Olde Ale

Formerly brewed at Drakes Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
San Leandro, California USA

Nip bottle from CaptainCougar. CRAZY. So active in the nose, with some mild oxidation mixing with a hoppy green apple fruit note, sharp and dry smelling, but also with an old stale wood smell. Bright and active up front, with a burnt of malt syrup, wood, maple, apple and grass, turning sharp and dry over the middle and into the finish, with a fizzy but thick finish, with some boozy brandy notes. Good stuff.

6oz bottle, thanks eclectic! Dark brown, fizzy white head. Complex aromas of funked cheese and oak that warm to grapey apple overtones. Medicinal boozy flavors turn tart and bretty with further caramel and apple skin notes. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, warming finish. Interesting brew that I think worked out well. Almost Jolly Pumpkin-like in nature…

6 oz. bottle courtesy of a trade with dirty_martini. Pours a muddy brown with a thin light tan head that faded to a thin film after the first sip. Lots of rich toffee in the aroma along with some light apple notes and a bit of alcohol. Unfortunately, the flavor does not closely resemble the aroma in this case. There is an overwhleming brandy/alcohol flavor that completely masks anything else that is going on with this beer. Some of the wood manages to surface, but that’s about it. Light bodied and frankly dry and dull at the finish. Disappointing, especially at $6.99 for a 6 oz. bottle.

6 oz. bottle. Thanks to Eric for sharing this brew. Pours a light brown with a decent head. The aroma is a sort of odd appple and brandy? The flavor is unique and good: quite woody and apple like. A tartness and smooth finish. Unique and Good.

6oz bottle, huge thanks to Colin General_Gao for giving me this. Clear ruby orange with a small beige head, slowly fading to a thick ring and a thin film. That this was aged in apple brandy barrels is evident. Tart Granny Smith apples and oak are at the forefront, followed by some piney hops--did they dry hop this? It seems what I smell doesn’t correspond with the label stating "the hops take a backseat to everything. . ." Some caramel sweetness is present, as well as a hint of vinegar acidity. There is also a fair amount of alcohol as the beer doesn’t seem to want to hide its strength. Flavor has lots of raw alcohol that is spicy and hot and detracting. I don’t think this was the intention--this beer is already two years old, how much longer are you supposed to wait for it to mellow? Flavor still has apples and some light caramel sweetness, but is mostly overpowered by the wood. Over attenuated, perhaps? Hints of acidity and the resiny pine mimic the aroma. Bone dry finish with just a little bit of earthy bitterness. Thin body with with light soft carbonation. This stuff is almost four times the price of a Dark Lord (per ounce). My review didn’t take in to effect the price tag, either. Not impressed.

Pours a murky brown with tan head. It looks dirty. It has a huge aroma of an old oak tree going through a wood chipper. Hidden behind the pile of wood chips is a mild fruitiness made up of dates, prunes and figs followed by a hint of alcohol. Smells yummy. The taste is full in flavor. I get a dryness to start with a mild tart tannin note followed by a smooth mixture of dates, prunes and figs. Behind the initial flavor the woodiness begins to flourish. It ends somewhat as it started. I get mild fruitiness and muted wood into the after taste as well as a faint dryness.

Thanks to davecooks for the bottle. Cloudy burnt orange color with a medium head. Aroma of fermented apples, oak and dust. Tastes of tart apple, almost bretty with wood and caramel. Still a bit warm. A really interesting concoction that I’m glad I got to try.

Courtesy Ibrew2or3. Thanks Dave. Dark plum colored body, small tan head, no lasting power or lacing. Aromas of brandy, oak chips, tropical fruits, and pretty big notes of apple chips/skins. Very hot aroma, knocked down a few points for that, because otherwise it smells fantastic. Notes of dark fruits - plums, figs, raisins - make up the flavor, along with complimentary notes from the barrel aging (wood and fusels). Full bodied, round mouthfeel. Sticky palate, not cloying or overdone. Get a small sense of tannins there as well. Medium length finish, full of fruits and brandy.