Livery Barrel Aged Agent 99

Brewed by The Livery
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Benton Harbor, Michigan USA

Hand bottle courtesy of BBB63 via tjthresh; enjoyed at csbosox’s tasting on 3/7/08. Pours a hazy orange with a thin, white head and decent legs. The aroma is a beautiful blend of slightly overripe apples, oak, and a touch of spicy hops. Medium bodied and oily with a dry finish. The flavor drops off quite a bit from the nose: fermented apple juice and alcohol dominate with some oak in support. This one began with great promise but steadily declined from there. If this is a quad it is unlike any other that I’ve sampled. Thanks again for giving us a chance to try this one, Mike.

Date: 03/07/2008
Mode: Growler
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: hazy dark amber, wispy beige head, bits of lace,
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma balanced by oak and a light tartness that dries it out, touch of smokyness rises out of the oak,
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of fruity character, caramel sweetness comes out as it warms, nice woodyness, light bitterness comes out of the oak, touch of cherry like tartness, light oaky bitter finish,
Overall: thanks to the brewer for sending this growler of excellent beer via BBB63 to the Georgia crew

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Thanks a million, BBB63! Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed amber body. There are a few disorganized bubbles on top, but calling it a "head" would be a somewhat dubious claim. Smell: A fruit platter served upon a wooden plank with a side of caramel. Taste: Caramel and a melted candy sweetness overlayed with a pleasant fruitiness of peaches, pears, and lychees. An everpresent woodiness and light tannins help lend it a dry finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: Pretty good. I, myself, did not find the wood character to be overwhelming (or even whelming).

Hand bottle by way of tjthresh and BBB63. Thanks! Sugary, doughy, sweet malt aroma, full of spice and fiery alcohol, also notes of calvados barrel(?). Some baking cinnamon rolls and green apple notes. Clear medium golden amber color, head is spotty and slight. Flavor is packed with turbinado sugar, green apple fruitiness, wood and rather intense alcohol, peppery and medicinal, tangy and hot with plenty of warmth and a touch of spicy bitterness. Smooth and lightly acidic on the palate, body is certainly huge. A bit harsh for my taste.

22 ounce hand bottle from Mike. Clear amber with a thin a thin dirty white swirl on top. Apples, solvant, and saw dust. Solvanty/cleaner flavors as well as cidery. Very thin. Ehh.

22 oz hand bottle shared by tjthresh, courtesy of BBB63 - enjoyed at the csbosox tasting on 3/7/08. Pour is golden, with some ruby highlights - no head whatsoever. Aroma of green apples, very bright and fruity. Some heat behind that. Wood is present, though certainly in the backseat behind the apples. I am assuming this was Brandy barrel? Taste is a fair amount of heat, with sourish apple and almost a Trippel body and finish to it. This was OK, but I thought the barrel was pretty overwhelming. Thanks to both Mike and Tom!

Thanks Mike via Jason! The beer pours to a glowing vibrant amber body with no head. The aroma is apricots, pears, sweet fruits. Some sort of sweet barrel, but not too much. The flavor is sweet and fruity with a nice oaken apricots and orange laden barley. Very balanced and blended. The palate is sweet, mildly warming, and medium bodied.

Many thanks to Mike for sending this my way! Poured clear, lighter-than-expected medium orange with just a loose-bubbled cap of off-white head. The aroma was sweet, with a whole lot going on... sweet pears and oranges, some caramel and toffee, and warm spices, but the ABV never really comes into play.. overall entirely sweet and enjoyable! The flavor began with sweeter toffee and lighter fruit notes with warm, spiced notes on the back-end, and an oak-accented fruity finish. Warm and heavier-bodied on the palate with lots of fruits and excellent balance! This was very well enjoyable!