The Bruery Papier

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

This one definitely will do well with age, but is a decent sipper (if not a bit sweet and hot) right now. Caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and maple in aroma. Murky, rusty Mississippi mud color with a hint of Sedona red. Only a few massive bubbles on the pour but, surprisingly, an eggshell ring springs from the brew and stays throughout the event. Dark fruit, vanilla, oak, and smoke are discovered in the flavor. Also has some bourbon-like qualities and finishes with a little alcohol punch. Thick, syrupy, but with enough carbonation to ignite the palate. Massive malt bomb!!! Solid and you won’t have a hard time feeling the 14.5% ABV!!!

Many thanks to Alldeybrewin for sending this beauty! Pours dark dark brown with some faint tan bubbles and a microscopic ring of foam for a head (leaves plenty of lacing though). Aroma is everything I wanted it to be: brown sugar, maple, strong raisins, prunes, wood, raspberry, toast, and hints of chocolate. It’s like an earthier sweet sherry. Taste follows suite with flavors of maple, raisin, caramel, brown sugar, bourbon/wood, and prunes. Finishes with the bourbon and wood coming through first followed by a sort of hazelnut coffee flavor, toast, and a dry, bitter woody aftertaste that lasts. This may be the first time I’ve had a beer this sweet that dries out this effectively. Whatever hops are here work magic in the finish. Thick and viscous, the carbonation is only slightly lower than where it should be despite the appearance. Detectable heat, but it could be much worse. Like a big sweet sherry, but with more earth/maple balancing out the prune/raisin qualities. I LOVE this.

Pours a deep brown with a barely existant off white head. Aroma is bourbon barrel, oak, dark malts, candi sugars, figs, rasins, yeasts and alcohol. Flavor is all over the board, dark malts, carmelized candi sugar, rasins, figs, yeast, and some really nice barrel characteristics. A bit thick and syrupy but still awesome stuff.

Deep brown pour. The nose is quite lovely with loads of soft licorice, sweet plums and lots of chewy dark malts. A bit of molasses and a lightly cherryish fruitiness as well. Sweet cocoa on the palate initially, but it is quickly joined by blackstrap molasses, date honey, and intensely salty savoury character. In many ways, this reminds me of their imperial stout. Rich, sweet, sticky and intense.

(Draught) Pours a cloudy brown body with a medium creamy tan head. Aroma of apple, mustiness, brown sugar, dates, raisins, and caramel. Flavor of caramel malt, raisins, vanilla, and dates. Tasty!

Tpd975... what can I say but thanks. Pours brown-red with an off-white head. Nose is hair-burning booze, raisins, booze, brandy, booze, plum, dates, figs, brown sugar, and more booze. Flavor is delicious with booze, raisins, booze, dates, figs, plums, brandy, and rich, delicious caramel. Exquisite beer. Full-bodied and, as IBrew2or3 would say, full of yum all the way.

[2404-20090801] Bottle. Mild fruity malt and wood aroma with a sweet roast background. Hazy, dark brown body with a quick light brown foamy head. Dry barrel wood roast flavour has a long sweet finish. Medium-full body. Nice, full-bodied and rich.
(w/ others @ BCTC; Cooperstown, NY)

Another big thanks to tpd975 for bringing this tasty brew to the tasting. It pours murky copper – brown with thin tan head. The aroma is full of dates, prunes, minced sweet cherries and a bit of heat at the end of the draw. The taste is smooth rich yummy goodness with a sweet mix of caramel, dates, prunes, sweet rip plums and figs. Wow! Rich creamy and sweet. It finishes smooth and with a sense of the big ole ABV. It is on the sweet side but it is so darn good I didn’t really notice.