Samael's Oak-Aged Ale
Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
7.33
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Samael is the prince of demons, the angel of death, accuser and destroyer. Filled with enmity towards man, he planted the vine, the forbidden tree of paradise. Behold his venom and vengeance, both sweet and tempting, enticing you, his spellbound victim, within his wings.
Samael’s Ale is a super-caramelly, oak aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate.
This potent ale is the second installment, along with The Beast, of our “Demons of Ale Series”.
Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, turbinado sugar, hops, yeast, and American oak chips.
2011 - 15.53%
2014 - 14.2%
2015 - 14.6%
Samael’s Ale is a super-caramelly, oak aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate.
This potent ale is the second installment, along with The Beast, of our “Demons of Ale Series”.
Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, turbinado sugar, hops, yeast, and American oak chips.
2011 - 15.53%
2014 - 14.2%
2015 - 14.6%
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8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
on tap-Thin lt tan dk amber. A-sweet caramel med malt, spice. T -sweet caramel med malt, spice.
Tried
from Draft
on 14 Dec 2014
at 16:26
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Keg at Churchill’s, San Marcos, 14/11/14 - listed as 16.9%! Clear amber to chestnut brown with a decent beige covering. Nose is boozey, sweet tunes, dark stoned fruit, bourbon notes, candied fruit peel, perfume. Taste comprises coconut, very sweet licks, candied fruit peel, bourbon wood notes, toasted brown sugar. Full body, fine carbonation, sweet close. Hides the booze well but way to sweet to truly kick back and enjoy this one! @sugarush.
Tried
from Can
on 01 Dec 2014
at 13:53
8/10
Tried
on 14 Nov 2014
at 16:38
7.6/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
12 oz bottle. 2014 vintage. Pours a dark copper color with moderate head but lots of chunky white sediment. Aromas of maple syrup,caramel, sweet malts, oranges and spruce. Big sweet caramel malty flavors with a little subtle hoppiness. Chewy and sticky. Warm (not a surprise at 14+%). Really nice for this style though not to look at.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Nov 2014
at 18:12
9/10
Tried
on 01 Oct 2014
at 13:15
9.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 10
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 10
355 ml. bottle split by 3 @ “Memorabel Tastingkje”. Thanks to tderoeck! 2009 Vintage. 16.45 % ABV. Basically no head, lightly cloudy dark red, brownish amber. This beer showcases exactly how oxidation should taste like in the most optimal of situations. Very thick pear syrup, sweet sherry, oak, molasses, insane amounts of sugar, nuts, toffee, sweet spices, cookies, very thick & sweet malts, wood, dark fruits, incredibly thick & sweet sugar sherry oxidation, apple & pear syrup, prune, vanilla, thick syrup, warming but not a booze bomb as it could have been, the booze & sugar really held it up. Soft carbonation, thick sugar, easy to drink. Amazing stuff. Damn fine stuff.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Aug 2014
at 06:33
9.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 10
Flavor 10
Texture 8
Overall 10
Imported from my RateBeer account as Avery Samael's Oak-Aged Ale (by Avery Brewing Company (Mahou San Miguel)):
Aroma: 10/10, Appearance: 3/5, Taste: 10/10, Palate: 4/5, Overall: 20/20, MyTotalScore: 4.7/5
9/VIII/14 - 12Fl. Oz. bottle from Charles Street Liquor (Boston, US) @ home - BB: n/a, bottled: IV/2009, batch 5 (2014-901) Thanks to Annelies and Thomas for the bottle!
Little hazy red brown to brownish purple beer, small aery off-white head, unstable, dissipates immediately. Aroma: lots of chocolate, malty, honey, chocolate bread, bit yeasty, cocoa powder, sweet. MF: ok carbon, full body. Taste: sweet, caramel, sugary, lots of bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, some banana, sweet malts. Aftertaste: sugary, sweet, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, more vanilla, more chocolate, raisins, some alcohol. Man, this is good stuff!!!
Aroma: 10/10, Appearance: 3/5, Taste: 10/10, Palate: 4/5, Overall: 20/20, MyTotalScore: 4.7/5
9/VIII/14 - 12Fl. Oz. bottle from Charles Street Liquor (Boston, US) @ home - BB: n/a, bottled: IV/2009, batch 5 (2014-901) Thanks to Annelies and Thomas for the bottle!
Little hazy red brown to brownish purple beer, small aery off-white head, unstable, dissipates immediately. Aroma: lots of chocolate, malty, honey, chocolate bread, bit yeasty, cocoa powder, sweet. MF: ok carbon, full body. Taste: sweet, caramel, sugary, lots of bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, some banana, sweet malts. Aftertaste: sugary, sweet, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, more vanilla, more chocolate, raisins, some alcohol. Man, this is good stuff!!!
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Aug 2014
at 12:15
8.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass; batch 1, bottled in 2005. Pours moderately hazy/cloudy dark ruby red color with a minimal wisp of a head that reduces to nothing. Aromas of big raisin, prune, fig, plum, apple, pear, molasses, toffee, caramel, toast, brown bread, oak, light chocolate, vanilla, light clove, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with big complexity and great balance of malt, oak, and yeast ester notes; with big strength. Taste of huge raisin, fig, plum, prune, apple, pear, molasses, brown sugar, brown bread, caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, light clove, toast, chocolate, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of raisin, prune, plum, fig, pear, apple, molasses, brown sugar, brown bread, caramel, toffee, chocolate, toast, oak, vanilla, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity and balance of big dense malt, fruity yeast, and oak flavors; with zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and moderately syrupy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming present after the finish. Overall this is an awesome English barleywine. Big complexity and great balance of malt, yeast ester, and oak flavors; and quite smooth sip on slowly with no booziness. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jan 2014
at 19:44
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle. Oaky brandy, vanilla, dark fruit, and black bread aroma. Hazy chestnut with a minimal head. Sticky sweet cherry, black bread, oak, and boozy flavor. Full sticky body, soft- almost flat carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Dec 2013
at 20:05
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
$9.99 for the 12 oz bottle bought at Star Liquor in Sheridan WY. May 2013 batch 9, 632 cases? Cool addition t the info on the label.
A deep golden brew with almost a one finger head of foam, nice lacing, I do see some floaties.
Caramel malt heavily soaked in booze is what I get from the smell. I’m almost getting tipsy from just taking some whiffs.
Beautiful flavour of caramel malt, one of the best I’ve had, and when the big woody notes move in, surprisingly to me, I think it enhances the flavour. Yes indeed..it is hot as heck, hotter than even the abv implies, but slow sips pay off, like what I experience with Sam Adams Utopias.
On the high end of medium bodied, low level of carbonation, this is going to take me some time to finish but when I do, I’ll be satisfied, I’m sure. Nice.
A deep golden brew with almost a one finger head of foam, nice lacing, I do see some floaties.
Caramel malt heavily soaked in booze is what I get from the smell. I’m almost getting tipsy from just taking some whiffs.
Beautiful flavour of caramel malt, one of the best I’ve had, and when the big woody notes move in, surprisingly to me, I think it enhances the flavour. Yes indeed..it is hot as heck, hotter than even the abv implies, but slow sips pay off, like what I experience with Sam Adams Utopias.
On the high end of medium bodied, low level of carbonation, this is going to take me some time to finish but when I do, I’ll be satisfied, I’m sure. Nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Dec 2013
at 07:12