The Lost Abbey Deliverance
What the brewers say
“A lively beer on the palate wrestling for your affection. At first there is booze. Then there are figgy notes with a semisweet edge that almost develops were it not for the baker’s chocolate and bitterness that balances out in the finish.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Incredibly intense and complex barrel notes. The bourbon-barrel characters of vanilla and roasted coconut, but a more intriguing brandy note, with rich raisin and musty character. Nice fruity notes. Some dark chocolate. Suggestions of alcohol, but they’re not overt.”
Flavor: “The bourbon dominates up front, but the brandy finishes, and there is just the slightest roast, even smoky character. Intense malty sweetness of roast, chocolate, and some vanilla carries through it all, but the barrels are the stars. Slight coconut and some dark fruit. Alcohol is apparent on the tongue and in the throat, but it isn’t even vaguely hot.”
Overall: “What a wonderful barrel-aged strong ale. The two barrels are slugging it out in quite a heavyweight bout, but we’re all the winners in this fight. A rich melange of dark chocolate, licorice, dark fruit, and subtle tartness.”
