Lost Abbey The Angels Share (Bourbon Barrel)

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Barley Wine
San Marcos, California USA

Bottle from early 2008 release. Dark brown / black pour with light brown head. Aroma is woody, nice bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, and light roast. The flavor is the same, very intense; sweet malt and vanilla / bourbon dominate. Enjoyed it.

2008 bottle shared by Rogueone at my refrigerator reduction tasting on 8/15/09. Opaque brown pour with a thin tan head. Boozy aroma that is almost peaty with some sugary malt. Sweet and full bourbon flavor with a slight bitter hop presence and a caramel finish. Good, but I prefer the original brandy version.

Well, well, well. The BA folks were right. No carbonation! But doesn’t really matter. Pours a deep brown. Lots of bourbon and vanilla in the nose. Sweet. Lots of plumb. Molasses/maple lingers. Very intense beer. 375 ml from Sinners Club.

Diverse, intense, different every sip but some how this is still tainted for me in some way. Could have one more layer of excellence with a little more carbonation. 2008 vintage. A little bit of a smoky woody aroma. Vanilla flavors with a bit of cocoa a little further down the palate. Lots of red fruit mid palate and a nice sweetness to round it all out. Caramel, plum, earthy tones, all a little bit in there. Finish is a little hot and a little bittersweet. More like a chocolate than a hop finish.

On cask at the brewery. Tried several samples at the first anniversary party. I’m so glad I thought to bring a real tasting glass in order to gain a full appreciation of this one; it was certainly worth the extra attention. Pours a dark, semi-opaque red cedar bark brown color with a frothy layer of creamy tan head. Aroma is dripping with dark fruits - prunes, raisins, and figs, and is softened and sweetened by a silky wave of sweet caramels and lots of vanilla bean. The bourbon character is really the perfect compliment for the beer, as the slightly drier oak character of the bourbon barrel seems to work perfectly with the beer. While there is an increased oak presence compared to the brandy barrel version, the barrel character still holds itself very much in check with the overall balance of the nose, allowing the terrific, sweet malt complexities shine through on the center stage. A little bit of caramelly bourbon reveals itself to the nose, but is sufficiently subdued to leave but a gentle warming glow in the nostrils. Medium bodied, creamy mouthfeel - this beer lends itself to the cask amazingly well. Loads of freshly picked, black cherries instantly flood the tongue, backed by an aggressively flavorful blend of raisins and lightly spiced fig. Tons of heavenly malt sweetness that’s complex and far from cloying; the light creaminess of the body simply makes this one dance across the tongue. Some fresh, woody maple syrup, clover honey, and lots and lots of vanilla bean enhance the dark fruity base. A little bit of dry oakiness lingers in the finish along with some warming bourbon, although while not hot, is pretty much the only less-than-perfect trait this brew has. Honestly, was it possible for this one to be a disappointment? No. Is it possible that this one even surpasses the brandy barrel’s greatness? Hopefully someday there will be bottles to do a just side-by-side comparison. Fantastic.

Big bourbon, oak and fruit nose with touchs of tannin and toasted caramel. Creamy and soft on the palate with good depth of mouthfeel. SIlky deep fruit and cocoa notes bounce over an intricate minefield of complexity. Very nice. I also had a better glass than the others at the fest which helped quite a bit.

Sampled at HotShotz Indy tasting May 24, 2008 - Aroma is bourbon, caramel, earthy hops, oak and vanilla. Pours a very dark brown with no head or lacing. Flavor matches aroma with a little raisin and other dark fruits sneaking in. Palate is very smooth and what separates this from other BB brews. A lot of the time, the bourbon overpowers the base beer. Tomme is able to find just the right balance. I am starting to tire of bourbon in my beer and would have probably given this a higher rating a year ago. Very tasty nonetheless.

Bottle thanks to Ryan. Pours thick muddy brown with purple tint... and absolutely no head. What a bummer. Palate is thick but flat; like drinking cream. Luckily it smells and tastes pretty damn fine. Figs, raisins, bourbon, vanilla, and some chocolate. I think I’m tasting some cherries, too. Hint of licorice. Damn, if this was carbonated even a little bit it would be near perfect.