Praecocia
The Bruery

PraecociaPraecocia
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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.34 | pDev: 19.16%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
161
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 22, 2018
Added:
Oct 09, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  17
The great philosopher Pliny the Elder referred to the early blooming peach tree as Praecocia; years later these fruit were recognized not as peaches, but apricots. We took those apricots and added them to a bold, bourbon barrel aged old-ale. The beer, rich in flavors of burnt sugar and toffee, blends seamlessly with the musky, summer-like experience that the apricots supply.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drabmuh:
Photo of drabmuh
Rated by drabmuh from Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%

Mar 13, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

3.59/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
Reviewed from notes. Poured from the 2013 vintage, 750 mL bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass on 7/29/17.

A: Rich dark brown and opaque to nearly turbid. Forms a thin tan head that fades quickly, and a good bit of active visible carbonation.

S: Tart apricots cooked in brown sugar. Toasted malts, vanilla, and caramel. Restrained bourbon with light oak. Nice and balanced here.

T: Apricots up front again, with a light tartness. Toasted malts, caramel, and brown sugar. Modest bourbon and oak tannins, with some vanilla as well. Continued malt sweetness with more stone fruit in the hang.

M: The body is a bit light for the style, but this is significantly overcarbonated. Alcohol presence is fairly restrained for anything barrel-aged.

O: Looking through some of the reviews, I guess I was lucky that this bottle wasn't overtly infected. As it is, it’s not bad but just a clash of flavors. Sweet old ale with tart stone fruit just maybe wasn’t the best plan. And then being wickedly over-carbonated just made things worse. Nothing I’d be looking for again.
Jul 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.37 by hopkrid from Florida

Jul 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Vivs85 from New York

Jan 07, 2017
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

2.44/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
While we've been cleaning out everything trying to drink the cellar down, this seemed like an easy one, "hey its prolly infected, so we can eliminate that one real quick." Appearance was murky brown.

Sure enough, seconds after popping just one side of the cap, the bottle began to gush foam ou the sides, off white in color. Aroma was sour, infected, but the peaches? or whatever that fruit is came across. Like a fucked up Cascade Vlad type of beer is how this one came off.

Some toffee, bourbon, oak, peaches and lots of weird sourness. I could see how this beer could be pretty good if not infected. Otherwise, for being unintentionally infected, I was able to swallow down a few ounces of it.
Nov 21, 2016
Photo of cvm4
Reviewed by cvm4 from Mississippi

3.59/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
L - Pours like an old ale should look with a light tan one finger head. Okay lacing and retention.

S - At first smell it's really funky with some candied sugar. Big apricot smell midway that is backed up by some vanilla as well as bourbon. By some, this may be infected, but the beer has developed into a pleasant funky smell.

T - Pretty tart and funky up front with a dark malty base. Candied sugars and some apricot midway. Bourbon, oak and vanilla at the end.

F - Medium bodied and medium to high carbonation. Has a somewhat dry finish to it.

O - Overall, it's okay. Not the best execution and i'm not wowed by it. But, it's still pretty tasty.
Jul 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Jun 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.18 by MisterKilderkin from California

May 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by nathanmiller from New York

Mar 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by akang from California

Feb 15, 2015
Photo of Matty123
Rated by Matty123 from Connecticut

2.58/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Infected batch. I didn't know until after I opened the bottle.
Feb 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.4 by wethorseblanket from California

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 1.75 by BAsbill from California

Dec 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kramerwtmf from California

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by mrn1ceguy from Illinois

Nov 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by LeeEvolved from Virginia

Nov 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by CaptainPancakes from California

Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by t2grogan from Arizona

Oct 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by matt2591 from Ohio

Sep 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bpk59 from Massachusetts

Sep 21, 2014
Praecocia from The Bruery
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 161 ratings