Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Capped 750 from Beverages 4 Less in Santee, CA. Pours dark brown with a slight, transient beige head. Aroma seems to have rum and vanilla. Med body. Flavor is dark fruit, rum, wood. Maybe some vanilla. The heat is firmly present. But that sort of accentuates the rum. I was a little uncertain at first, but it gets better with time. Oak chips aren’t exactly barrels, but even Stone has used them. If you like barrel aged, you should give this a try. Finishes just on the sweet side.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
750ml bottle. Who knows what to expect from a macro-y brandy oak aged cream and brown ale? Unfiltered orange-hued brown body, lacy off-white head. Sharp, sweet sugar raisin aroma, not really so clean, more dry and aspirin. Tastes better than it smells, a rather unique offering for sure. Tastes like a Bruery beer without the effervescence. Sweet oak and brown malt, some underlying corniness. Spirals I’d guess impart more of a dry, woody feel, not the boozed out richness of the barrel. At 5.99 in late 2012 it’s hard to really fault it, but it is certainly a little underwhelming, even with all it’s treatments and strength. I like Cream Ales, but those flavors are sort of in conflict and clashing with the oak notes, overtaking them, leaving you with a sort of perplexing hollow strong Cream Ale.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
12 oz. bottle from Julio’s Liquors. After sitting for about 10 months, I decided to open. The snifter looks like I poured Cola into it. Fizzy off white head died quickly. The first thing I smell on the nose is vanilla oak, followed by chocolate malt. Taste of caramel, molasses, dark fruit and light bourbon on the finish that lingers slightly. The 9.1%ABV is completely hidden throughout the brew. Is it from nice blending or from a bit of age? No bottle date however, I don’t think it sat to long before I bought it. The downfall for me is the body and texture is thin and watery. I’m a bit disappointed because after the nose and initial sip I really expected more. The good news is, it STILL is a barrel aged ale. Just a bit above average overall.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
A deep dark ale with a thin brown head. In aroma, bourbon soaked wood, with dark chocolate, coffee, tobacco, nice. In mouth, a nice smooth chocolate with light licorice, faint acidity, very nice. Shared with GRM, Oct. 2012.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle at Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas
Black color, with medium sized creamy head. Nice aroma of malt, caramel, vanilla and oak. Medium body strength, less than expected; quite good caramel flavor, moderate sweetness, light oak touch; correct bitterness, with a light final nutty touch.
Easy but pleasant.
Ibrew2or3 (10819) reviewed Olde Johnnie Ale from Cold Spring Brewery 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
32oz, 94.6cl can pours clear copperish amber with weak tan head. The aroma offers up various fruity esters like apples and cherries as well as a bit of toffee and a touch of roasted malts. The taste has plenty of caramel covered apple followed by a modest level of roasted malts and nuttiness. This seems somewhat estery.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty caramel aroma with hoppy hints. Roasted malty caramel and chocolate flavor. Has a roasted malty caramel and chocolate finish with bitter hints.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours almost pitch black color with a nice 1 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some good spotty lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big caramel, raisin, prune, molasses, toffee, vanilla, toast, bourbon, oak, earth, and light herbal spiciness. Nice and enjoyable aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of big caramel, molasses, raisin, prune, toast, toffee, biscuit, oak, earth, herbal, and light bourbon. Lingering notes of caramel, molasses, dark fruit, earth, oak, and light bourbon on the finish for a bit. Very nice flavor balance and complexity; the bourbon and oak flavors compliment this very nicely without being overpowering. Light-medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very nice creamy, thick, and slightly slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with pretty much no warming noticed at all after the finish. Extremely smooth and easy to sip on. Overall this is a damn nice bourbon oak aged ale. Very nice flavor balance and complexity; and very smooth to sip on for being over 9%. Very enjoyable stuff.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed IPA from Cold Spring Brewery 13 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Big can from Total Wine in Sacramento, CA. Pours light amber gold with a 4 finger creamy/frothy off-white head. Aroma is mild caramel. Hop? Maybe. Near med body. Flavor is mild roast caramel with some hints of diacetyl and a little floral hop. Beats bud light. Truthfully it’s drinkable. It’d do a hell of job with hot dogs. It finishes fairly dry, but hardly bitter. Obviously scrimped on the ingredients. Bottom line - oh so many better - but oh so much better than the macro crap.
Metalchopz (7978) reviewed Labatt Shok from Cold Spring Brewery 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Originally rated May 2005 (pretty sure these are not made anymore). This is Labatt’s competition to Molson’s Kicks, and a better one it is. It pours a golden colour with a very nice head that has great retention and lacing. The carbonation is under average and slow. The nose is great with a huge floral scent with berries and tart. The start is tarty and hits the guarana berries to then go into this smooth creamy finish and aftertaste. Much more complex then the Molson, and a great starter for an evening. Note: I like beers with fruit notes (which refers to the high score).