Monks' Reserve Ale - Oak Barrel Aged

The barrel aged version of Spencer’s standard quadrupel, huge thanks to tderoeck for sharing this rarity, as the barrel aged editions of these American trappists are apparently very limited and hardly ever leave their home region. Bottle had been opened two weeks prior but upon pouring, I still got a nice, albeit immediately open, layer of pale greyish, irregular, large-ish bubbles; hazy chestnut-bronze robe with deeply burgundy glow. Quite intense and alluring aroma of dried prunes soaked in rum, very prominent vanilla-scented wet oak wood, tawny port, hazelnut paste, candied fig, nougat, dried banana, cashew nuts, blue grapes. Sweet onset, plum, raisin and candied banana, soft carb, full and rounded mouthfeel, a tad resinous; fully developed hazelnutty and caramelly maltiness, toffeeish with a softly bitterish toasty edge like the regular version, a bit powdery with lingering nuttiness; before long, however, this classic quadrupel profile is deeply penetrated by an outspoken oakiness, vanilla-ish and gently but clearly tannic. A herbal, late hop bitter touch leads this combo onwards to a very strong, glueish and brandy-like alcohol glow, which burns the throat a bit – more so than it should. Rich, complex sipper, but a tad too harshly alcoholic for me – could soften with more age on it, perhaps, but in this form, it does not quite reach the astonishing quality level achieved by its La Trappe or Chimay equivalents.

Thanks you tderoeck! 750 ml. bottle tasted @ RBBSG 2018. Dark brown amber. Nose is sweet dark fruit, figs, grape, dark fruit,..; Taste is candy, bit sour oddly with sour (low) red grape, candy, sugar, zero barrel, sugar, too grape & no barrel but passable. Looks like I dig it a bit more than the base.

Sampled from bottle @ late RBBSG 2018. Brown color, red glare coming through when held into the light, average sized off-white to beige head. Smell and taste malts, dark malts, lightly wood notes, raisins, dark fruit. Quite heavy.

Pours a very nice near black from a bottle, khaki colored head dissipates leaving only a ring. Lots of oak aroma, figs and prunes, a little leather and some smoky tobacco. Similar flavor, sweet, but finishes with some dryness. Very good beer.

Pours deep mahogany into a Trappist glass. Tan head with excellent retention recedes to mottle surface. Dark pit fruit aromas. Soft and sweet with dark caramel and vanilla upfront turning to dried pit fruit, oak and licorice in the warm medium length finish.

Hazy amb bod med foam off wht head. Spicy floral fruity arma. Floral spicy raisin toffee flav. Full bod mod carb. 7/4/7/4/15 3.7