The Bruery Papier

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Old Ale
Placentia, California USA

Bottle thanks to Dmac for sharing this one. Pours out a cloudy ruby hued brown color with light carbonation and a small lacing off white head. Aroma is of earthy nut notes, caramel, vanilla, oak, a slightly vinous note and a slight indication of booze. Taste is complex with notes of oak, vanilla, molasses some lingering earthy notes, and a slightly boozy finish creeps through, but not nearly as boozy as one would expect from a 14.5% brew.

750ml bottle. Pours a dark mahogany brown color with little carbonation and just a thin bubbly film stis on top. The body is thick and leaves a nice coating down the glass. The aroma is really nice and very complex showing notes of rich caramel, brown sugar, figs and raisins. Further inhalation reveals burnt toffee, old wood, and bourbon. The flavor follows and it is just as intense with tons of the caramel and burnt toffee malts to go with the dark fruits and chocolate. The barrels impart the usual oaky vanilla and notes of old wood and leather. Full bodied on the mouthfeel with subtle carbonation and a slick mouthfeel and nice warming finish from the alcohol. I’d love to see how this does in a year or so, but right now it’s a really nice old ale.

2009-08-01. Very hazy dark brown body with a modest beige head. (3+) Alcoholic aroma, malts, something I can’t put my finger on, caramel, bourbon like vanilla. Alcohol shows up in the flavour as well, though not as much as you might expect for 14.5%. Malt is a bit odd, dry touches, alcohol really dominates which quashes some of the finer points. Touch woody in the background. Bit rough overall. Average plus palate. Bottle at BCTC 2009

Bottle thanks to DuffManSW. Opaque mahogany pour with almost no head. Rich over-ripe dark fruit aroma with heavily charred oak. The flavor has lots of charred oak, vanilla, very ripe dark fruit, smoke and is quite boozy. The body is very oily with low carbonation. The heaviness and lack of carbonation just made this beer seem very unbalanced.

This beer marks a special occasion for me - this is officially my last rating as a New York ratebeerian - I guess it’s good to go out with something big - what can I say, New York? - you’ve been good to me - I’ve met some great people, and had some great beers - kind of like this one - well...I wouldn’t really call this great, but it is interesting, and quite approachable for it’s size - kind of like you, New York - you’re big, perhaps a little too big for your own good, and a little too crowded, but I guess that’s what makes you fun - kind of like this beer - it’s so much that you need to take it in small doses, or risk overexerting yourself - it’s also got that prematurely old vibe - kind of like you, New York - yes, I suppose I will miss you, but not enough to want to revisit you that often - kind of like this beer...etc. etc. (I suppose I should actually say something about the beer before I sign off here - I will echo Eugene in saying that this reminds me of a British barleywine that is at least 6 years old - how they pulled that off in a beer that is no more than 1 year old is in itself astonishing - however, that doesn’t make it great - a lot of raisin and fig, molasses, chocolate - some vinous, oaky notes - some oxidation - ends with drier, sherry-like notes - quite good, but as I said, not great).

There is like a double layer of wax on this bottle, man that is a huge pain in the ass. Barely a pop on the bottle and then a flat pour. Where is Tomme Arthur when you need him? The color is watered down day old coffee, which means dark oily brown. The beer is exactly what one should expect; its light cardboard (aged), with burnt raisin, and definite oxidation, which must be the quarter barrel (more so on the nose than the palate). Its strong, old [ale], with present alcohol. The alcohol isn’t bad, feel it in the back of the throat as it goes down. The mouthfeel is obviously still and not heavy. This already reminds me of some British barleywines that are 5+ years old. Its doable stuff as long as you know what you are getting into.
750mL, black wax bottle in a Melbourne Bros. glass.

Pours Dark brownish mahogany and muddy, thoroughly opaque, with minimal head that goes away quickly, never to return. Nose is complex, sour mashy fruit, oaky bourbon, raisins, figs. Tastes somewhat on the sweet side, with figgy fruit, cherry, tobacco, raisin, oak, vanilla, and spirity flavors. Well hidden alcohol, but does get hot late. Gets a bit too sweet after the repour, but is very complex and a wonderfully unique and enjoyable beer.

Thanks to The Cheeseman. Clear amber, low carbonation. Amazing complexity in the aroma and flavor. Wood, bourbon, vanilla, black licorice, figs, dark cherries, raisins, alcohol, more vanilla and oak and bourbon. This beer is fantastic.