Lost Abbey The Angels Share (Bourbon Barrel)

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

Big thanks to Ken for this one. Dark brown to black body, tall gushing tan head. Aroma of warm brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, strong bourbon character, noticeable alcohol. Flavor has an overwhelming bourbon note, cola, coffee bitterness in finish. Effervescent body. Bourbon is boring.

The test of a ball-buster of a good beer that stands on it’s own?.?.?.the aroma and flavor standing up to the whiskey barrel process - CHECK! This monster retains the cherry and date and plum elements - but carries them in sequence with the vanilla/coconut lead. Solid.

Cork popped with much force. Plenty of carbonation and the beer started storming up the neck of the bottle. Pours a very dark brown in color. Some nice bourbon, oak and toffee notes in the nose. Taste is more of the bourbon, but you get the other flavors from the barrel as well. Some nice oak and vanilla help out. Very carbonated and bubbly on the mouthfeel. Would have liked it to be a bit smoother. I preferred this one to the brandy version. This seems to be much more balanced and the flavors seem to compliment each other and work well.

375 bottle. Very carbonated on opening. Black with a fluffy brown head. Nose is whiskey/bourbon/boozy which overwhelms any "beer" nose. Taste is overly bourbon/whiskey and alcoholic. Also hints of raisins, chocolate, sugar. Very sweet and tasty but the bourbon overwhelms everything in this beer. A sipper for sure with a full rich body.

Cinco de Mayo - Port Brewing - cask. One of the best beers ive ever had. Aroma is wonderful - vanilla, bourbon, oak, wood, rich malts, raisin. Unbelievable mouthfeel - very lush, creamy, silky smooth - sheer liquid heaven. . tasted very similar to its aroma, no complaints there whatsoever. Very few beers ive ever had have even been in the same league. Tomme, when will I get to drink this again??? My palate is forever ruined.....

Bottle version is not quite as good as cask sample (somewhere in mid to low 4’s) - but I have to leave this as is...just too extraordinary!

Dark walnut pour with a slight fizzy head. Aromas of bourbon, wood, vanilla, booze, some vinous notes, maple, dark caramelized sugars. The first mouthful is fantastic vanilla oak chocolate tones nice mellowed booziness, some vinous characteristics. excellent, incredible, the best barley wine Ive ever had

First RB rating after 300 on BA (as Stoneman78)! The cork and cage flew off this one, gushing brewing gold all over the floor, yikes. Dense brown hue with huge billowing head that eventually dies down to a thin layer. Smell dominated by oak, vanilla, caramel, sweet malts, and light bourbon. Delicious and rich initial taste profile of molasses, oak, caramel malts, and maple syrup opens up quickly to a whiskey alcohol burn and vanilla. Finishes syrupy sweet and drying. Thick chewy texture and prickly carbonation. Absolutely a top-tier beer with improved balance and drinkability compared to the original AS; however, it lacks some of the punch and range of the brandy AS which I would rate slightly higher on flavor and aroma.

Thanks to TheCheeseMan! 2007 Bottle, Gold Lettering. The bottle was a gusher but I poured quickly and let it set for a while. The head was huge - large foamy off-white color that settles to a thin creamy off-white head with streams of lacing. Aroma is sweet, oak, brandy, brown sugar, vanilla, and dark fruit. Taste is amazingly smooth for being such high alcohol - caramel, vanilla, dark fruit. WOW!