Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak

Brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
St. Louis, Missouri USA

Bottle sampled with beerded_one. Pours deep orange\copper with a decent off-white head. Aroma of vanilla extract, alcohol, molasses, bourbon. Flavor is sweet, alcohol very present not masked well at all, vanilla extract, good body, drinkable.

Lightly hazed copper hue, decent head formation. Intensely sugarry, vanilla nose. Overpowering vanilla flavor (why not let the beer pick it up itself instead of adding it), burnt caramel underneath, fairly sweet and cloying. Still much more character than I was expecting, so not a disappointment in that regard but just a little off balance. A screw cap and no cork, however. They seemed to put a lot of effort into the packaging that it’s a shame.

Not horrible, but not that far removed. Very cloying sweetness with a candycorn flavor of vanilla extract and caramel/toffee. High ABV helped me too forget my troubles, but not what I was drinking.

7 oz. single, from Whole Foods LaJolla. Wow, now this is unexpected from the AB Michelob brand. This oak-aged, high alcohol specialty brew pours a hazy medium chestnut color with a small beigey head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is dominated by the oak, vanilla and alcohol (no surprise) with brown sugar, faint nutmeg and barely discernable grassiness mingled with wet wood. Flavor is sweet with more brown sugar, vanilla and wood, an interesting mix of light spice and vegetal herb flavors, with an alcohol tingle in the finish and down the throat. Drinks like a barleywine - though one that’s a bit unbalanced. Full body and very little carbonation on the tongue. Not too bad actually, but I must include that I’m rating it right out of the fridge before it warms and becomes more toxic (see DarkElf’s comments below). I’m trying to be careful not to include an anti-AB bias in this rating. At the same time I’m imagining the surprise of a typical Michelob drinker cracking one open expecting just a sweetened version of their usual beer and getting knocked on their butts by this beefed up brew (tee hee).

Bottle. Gotta chime in on this-a nice box, a nice bottle, stylish and then-you put a screw top on it like a 40? Alrighty. Not too bad looking-very dark caramel with a quickly fading head. Color good, head bad. Nose-alcohol, cherry, caramel, kinda oaky. Taste-apple, alcohol, vanilla, rich brown sugar, butter, very light bourbon (coming off as more of a rich cherry), honey, and very rich fig. Very well done, and I think the vanilla comes across just right. I did not find the vanilla overpowering or unbalanced at all. My only complaint is that the alcohol is way too upfront, but not by much. An excellent attempt by Augie to make a real beer. Props. Very thin smooth mouthfeel. Has a very distinctive vanallia rum flavor, like Cruzan Vanilla Rum.

Couldn’t find in the Boise area, a friend brought me back a bottle from Wisconsin. Pours medium amber, head didn’t last long. Strong vanilla aroma. Taste is all vanilla and some caramel. Alcohol is masked well, doesn’t seem to be 10%. Very sweet, wouldn’t want to drink more than 1 glass. Would be great with a dessert. Disappointed in the packaging, shiny display box then a cheap shrink-wrapped bottle with a 40oz screw cap.

An interesting attempt by AB but it fails where it should succeed. The taste has an initial taste of vanilla and maple syrup. Although the vanilla seems a bit artificial. The bourbon oak goes nicely. its pleasant start is interrupted by a lousy after taste. There is not much to praise about,

22/24z bottle? Garnet hue, clear with minimal head. End of the bottle. Good vanilla, slight alcohol nose. Definite oak smokiness in the nose. Light mouthfeel, but still good. As far as flavor goes, the alcohol was prevalent, also obviously vanilla and oak, plus a little caramel sweetness. Flavorful but light with minimal carbonation.