Lost Abbey The Angels Share

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

REVISITED: Just sampled a bottle of the new batch. What a disappointment. None of the great things I said below apply to this anemic version. Maybe it needs aging but this was a major letdown. This wouldn’t get a 2.7, let alone a 4.7.

Thanks, illinismitty. What can I say other than this is one absofrigginlutely good drink. Pours an opaque black with a small beige head. Luscious aroma of caramel malts, bourbon, vanilla, oak, molasses, balsamic reduction, and ripe berries. Full-bodied with a sticky, syrupy feel. The flavor was just magnificent. All the aromatic essences working together for a sweet yet robust and satisfying taste producing an esophageal warmth as it is swallowed. As balanced as it is complex. This is something I’d love to keep drinking now and also stash a case or two away to see what happens. Excellent. One of my favorite barleywines was the no longer existing Dogwood Excellent Adventure. This surpasses that and is "available."

Bottle, a very damn expensive one, shared at Beer Bistro with my good friend Big Red, who bought it as a bday gift - many many thanks man!! Very dark brown/black, creamy off white brownish head - looks great (this is a barleywine?). Aroma was stunning - complex roast, hops, alcohol, oak, vanilla, charcoal, spice - I could go on, but this thing was a great treat for the old sniffer. Taste - man, that’s good stuff - lots of vanilla and oak mixed with alcohol and sweet malt. Dessert sweet. Some peat seeps in there as well, but just a bit. I still have a hard time imagining this as a Barleywine (blind, I would have said an imperial stout - I think). In any case, is it incredibly complex and contemplative - if I was ever going to drink a $56 beer, I’m glad it was this - stunning.

Name: Angel’s Share 2006 Brandy
Date: December 02, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Brewery, tasting
Appearance: black with ruby edges, fine tan head
Flavor: rich malt flavor with tons of bourbon character

Name: Angel’s Share 2006 Brandy
Date: December 17, 2006
Mode: bottle
Source: roadtrip
Appearance: black, wispy tan head, touch of lace, sweet fruity port, bourbon
Aroma: and vanilla aroma
Flavor: rich malt flavor, lots of licorish, sweet chewey chocolate, nice sweet vanilla, boils down to all chocolate and bourbon, like a liquor filled chocolate candy

Name: Angel’s Share 2006 Brandy
Date: March 24, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
still lots of rich dark chocolate, way too soon to see any change, check back in a few years

Name: Angel’s Share 2007 Brandy
Date: October 11, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Brewfest, GABF
same rich chocolate and bourbon,

Name: Angel’s Share 2007 Brandy
Date: December 16, 2007
Source: tasting
sweet caramel is being taken over by the oak,

Name: Angel’s Share 2007 Brandy
Date: December 24, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Appearance: black, fine beige head
Aroma: rich and fruity aroma with nice dark caramel sweetness and a touch of grape tartness, brandy soaked raisons
Body: body is a bit thin
Flavor: rich dark caramel and chocolate flavor, lots of brandy character, a bit hot, brandy and candy caramel sweetness, touch of bitter dark chocolate, oaky bitterness starts soft and grows towards a bitter finish
Overall: needs at least a year or two of age for the various flavors to meld

Name: Angel’s Share 2007 Brandy
Date: January 10, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
infected and cheesy

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Name: Angel’s Share 2008 Brandy
Date: September 03, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Cellar Stock
Appearance: slight pop upon opening, black, nearly still with just a bubble or two, thick and viscous with legs
Aroma: sweet brandy aroma with sweet caramel and chocolate
Body: still body
Flavor: sweet chocolate and caramel flavor, hot brandy character, dark chocolate bitterness
Overall: the lack of carbonation brings out the hot alcohol

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **+/4

Name: Angel’s Share 2006 Brandy
Date: November 01, 2007
Source: Ale Atlanta
Vintage: 2006
the 2006 does beat the 2007 for now

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Aroma is full on bourbon, peat, scotch and of course,some alcohol notes, deep auburn, tiny tan head, oily at the sides of the glass. Flavour is a majestic malt, (caramelized) which reminds me of the top layer of creme brulee, alcohol is also noted, but appreciated. Full bodied, very bold, bitter, a beautiful night cap beer. Sensational! Thanks for sharing Dave Steen!!

Sampled side by side with the Bourbon barrel version, a cinnamon roll, and rich vanilla ice cream. Yep, you heard that right. Barrel tasting at the brewery - - - unfortunately by this point, not much was working for me up stairs. My best recollection = it was still fanastic but overshadowed ever so slightly by the bourbon version. Still had the vanilla, oaky, rich, palate coating, dark fruit thing goin on. Quite the comtemplative beer I must say. Artwork.

Deep dark burgundy color, with a tan-colored head, leaving laces, yeasty, with a sweet dark chocolatey and black coffee accent, with some toasted, dark malt notes, with some liquorice and anise spiciness, some dark dried fruits coated in molasses, within a vanilla oaky and brandy, bourbon liquor aroma follows through on a full-bodied palate with a smooth syrupy, rich fruity winey and roasted malt character, with a black chocolatey and black coffee notes, with a warmth liquorish brandy, port-like alcoholic mouthfeel, with some candied dark fruity notes of dates, prunes, raisins, a nice vanilla oakiness accent, with some molasses, brown sugar, candi sugar, leading towards a warmth alcoholic sweet malty, liquorice, roasty dry finish.

Rating #200, and rating #30 of the Top 50 rated beers (as of right now anyway)! 750ML bottle, with a giant THANK YOU to drewbeerme for this gem! Pours a dark brown/black with a moderate foamy tan head that dissipates down to a thin but persistent covering, slight lacing. Absolutely amazing aroma of dark fruits, raisin, plum, black cherry, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and just a whiff of brandy or cognac maybe. Stunning! Flavor delivers and then some on the aromatic complexity, following through with more oak, vanilla, plenty of caramel maltiness, done just right, and slight warming. Palate is full and smooth, with a gentle touch of carbonation and a moderately lingering finish that drifts off gently, begging to prolong the time to enjoy as much as possible. This one delivers on all fronts!

Bottle courtesy of jimbowood. Tasted right after Firestone 10. It has better aroma and appearance than Firestone, but taste is better with Firestone. Taste of oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Less slap in your face than Firestone. Still unbelievable beer that I cannot even come close to getting in AL. Thanks jimbo, you the man!!!