Lost Abbey The Angels Share (Bourbon Barrel)

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

12.7% bottling from Joey at SouthBay! My rating has gone down .3 since Ive had more time to think about this. Pours a very heavy and intimidating dark brown - liquid woodchips. Heady aroma of wood, chocolate and a very slight coconut balance. The palatte and flavor are very heavy, but I think my tasting partner bullseyed it when he said that it smells slightly better than it tastes: the heaviness of the flavor gives the beer such concentrated direction as to almost be... lacking in depth. Scotch, wood granules, massive roast and charcoal are what you feel and taste, but as much as this liquid oak is impressive, theres simply no room left for the beer, and this is why it couldnt hit higher scores for me. I told nbutler11 that I dont think I will ever be in the mood to drink this beer as I dont see myself spiralling into depression in the near future though the thought of having to finish even a 375 of this myself brings me close.

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.

I was kindof skeptical going into this because it seems like everything that is uber-hyped, I tend to hate. Not this one. This is one of the smoothest, most complex barley wines...no wait, this is THE smoothest and most complex barley wine I’ve ever tasted. Palate is amazing for something this strong. Big thanks to wj94 for this one!

Wood, dark chocolate, brown sugar and general sweetness. Very bubbly mouthfeel, a bit too much for the style. Excessively drinkable for the ABV. The bourbon is not overpowering and adds a great deal of complexity to the aroma and taste.

2008 Bottle. Pours a dark cola brown with thin tan head. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of caramel, toffee, bourbon, vanilla, wood, molasses. light smoke. Flavor is also sweet and malty with notes of bourbon, wood, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, light wood. Medium body with a pleasing malt and booze finish.

375 ml Bottle. Dark brown with a huge head. Aroma of toasted coconut, carmel and dried fruit. As it warmed the aroma became more like shellac. Taste is quite boozy with caramel, vanilla, dark dried fruit and some oak. Wonderful.

375ml bottle. Dark brow/reddish pour with a tan head. Very malty, some woddy notes as well, lots of dark fruits, super rich. More dark fruits in the flavor as well, raisins are really prominent to me. Some bourbon notes in the back of the throat, very warming and very tasty.

Bottle thanks to bman1113vr on his birthday night. Pours with a dark brown almost black hue with no head whatsoever. Nose has overwhelming amounts of bourbon, and alcohol in it, coupled with some dark fruits, molasses, brown sugar, and caramel. Flavor is sugary, chocolatey, and a nice alcohol warming sensation on the finish. Medium-syrupy texture - light carbonation.