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Arbre - Alligator Char
The Bruery
- From:
- The Bruery
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 11.3%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.11 | pDev: 5.11%
- Reviews:
- 13
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 22, 2021
- Added:
- Aug 03, 2015
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 23
This variation of Arbre spent time resting in barrels treated with the deepest, boldest char possible - called alligator char, imparting characteristics of burnt marshmallows, black currant, caramelized brown sugar, charred oak and dense dark chocolate fudge.
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Ratings by dvmin98:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts
3.83/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottled in 2015; the final version in the series of three. Definitely past its prime, a bit too syrupy and cloying, with an odd flavor to the charred malt at this point. Out of the three, 'Light Toast' held up the best over time.
Dec 22, 2021Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota
3.95/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2017 edition. 10.8% ABV. Poured from 750 mL bottle into snifter.
A: Pours a very dark brown hue with half inch light tan head with decent retention.
S: Definitely loads of wood char (hits from a foot away), molasses, burnt caramel malt, leather, vanilla, and a hint of marshmallow cream.
T: Wood char, smooth dark caramel, creme brûlée, vanilla, and hints of molasses and leather.
M: Moderately heavy body. Dark roasty layers. Malt sweetness. Smooth with a touch of stickiness. ABV is very well hidden. Lingers nicely on the palate.
D: An interesting brew to be sure. It definitely delivers on the alligator char notes. A nice autumn sipper.
Oct 10, 2021A: Pours a very dark brown hue with half inch light tan head with decent retention.
S: Definitely loads of wood char (hits from a foot away), molasses, burnt caramel malt, leather, vanilla, and a hint of marshmallow cream.
T: Wood char, smooth dark caramel, creme brûlée, vanilla, and hints of molasses and leather.
M: Moderately heavy body. Dark roasty layers. Malt sweetness. Smooth with a touch of stickiness. ABV is very well hidden. Lingers nicely on the palate.
D: An interesting brew to be sure. It definitely delivers on the alligator char notes. A nice autumn sipper.
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California
4.28/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Type: 750-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: $5.00
From: From a Facebook San Diego beer trading group
Purchased: Dec. 3, 2020
Consumed: Dec. 20, 2020
Misc.: Bottled on July 27, 2015
Picked this out on a Facebook San Diego beer trading group from a guy that was trying to get rid of a bunch of stuff. Ended up paying $40 for five 22-oz. barrel-aged beers, including this for just $5. This was the Alligator Char version after I gave the Light Toast one a 4.21 on Dec. 13, 2020 and Medium Toast a 4.13 on Dec. 18, 2020. Since this appears to be even more oak than Medium, I’d say this will be right around a 4.00. Back of the bottle read “The Arbre series is an exploration of barrel toast. We brewed a rich, malty imperial stout and divided it into three parts, laying each down in brand new American oak barrels from our friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. This variation of Arbre spent time resting in barrels treated with the deepest, boldest char possible - called alligator char, imparting characteristics of burnt marshmallows, black currant, caramelized brown sugar, charred oak and dense dark chocolate fudge. A remarkable beer on its own, but even more exciting when tasted side-by-side with its light toast and dark char counterparts for a truly educational experience.”
Poured a black color with 1-to-2 fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Mostly calm underneath the head with just a few bubbles coming up from the sides of the glass. Below average spotty lacing. Average retention. (Sight - 3.25)
Smelled milk chocolate, vanilla, burnt marshmallow, oaky barrel, smooth bourbon, chocolate syrup, caramel, toffee, toasted brown sugar, semi-char wood, dark fruit and plum. Not quite as good from the bottle. (Smell - 4.50)
Taste was not as good as the nose, but still pretty solid. In order got woody oak, char wood, milk chocolate, burnt marshmallow, chocolate syrup, toasted brown sugar, caramel, toffee, smooth bourbon, dark fruit, vanilla and hints of port wine. (Taste - 4.25)
Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.50)
Wow. Was pleasantly surprised. This was the best of the three Arbres I had. Excellent. (Overall - 4.25)
4.28 | 95 | A
Mar 31, 2021Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: $5.00
From: From a Facebook San Diego beer trading group
Purchased: Dec. 3, 2020
Consumed: Dec. 20, 2020
Misc.: Bottled on July 27, 2015
Picked this out on a Facebook San Diego beer trading group from a guy that was trying to get rid of a bunch of stuff. Ended up paying $40 for five 22-oz. barrel-aged beers, including this for just $5. This was the Alligator Char version after I gave the Light Toast one a 4.21 on Dec. 13, 2020 and Medium Toast a 4.13 on Dec. 18, 2020. Since this appears to be even more oak than Medium, I’d say this will be right around a 4.00. Back of the bottle read “The Arbre series is an exploration of barrel toast. We brewed a rich, malty imperial stout and divided it into three parts, laying each down in brand new American oak barrels from our friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. This variation of Arbre spent time resting in barrels treated with the deepest, boldest char possible - called alligator char, imparting characteristics of burnt marshmallows, black currant, caramelized brown sugar, charred oak and dense dark chocolate fudge. A remarkable beer on its own, but even more exciting when tasted side-by-side with its light toast and dark char counterparts for a truly educational experience.”
Poured a black color with 1-to-2 fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Mostly calm underneath the head with just a few bubbles coming up from the sides of the glass. Below average spotty lacing. Average retention. (Sight - 3.25)
Smelled milk chocolate, vanilla, burnt marshmallow, oaky barrel, smooth bourbon, chocolate syrup, caramel, toffee, toasted brown sugar, semi-char wood, dark fruit and plum. Not quite as good from the bottle. (Smell - 4.50)
Taste was not as good as the nose, but still pretty solid. In order got woody oak, char wood, milk chocolate, burnt marshmallow, chocolate syrup, toasted brown sugar, caramel, toffee, smooth bourbon, dark fruit, vanilla and hints of port wine. (Taste - 4.25)
Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.50)
Wow. Was pleasantly surprised. This was the best of the three Arbres I had. Excellent. (Overall - 4.25)
4.28 | 95 | A
Reviewed by BeanBump from California
4.23/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Thick and heavy like a woman sitting at bus stop in leggings. Between the weight and the char this is a sipper. The flavors are bold and you get a good amount of char. The downside is that the char flavor outweighs the barrel here. You still get SOME barrel, dont get me wrong, but when you buy a beer with "Alligator Char" on the label, what do you expect? This is a perfect cold weather, by the fire, beer.
Sep 22, 2017Rated by vfgccp from New York
4.25/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.25/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Q's favorite of the three. Pete, Jon and Jay's second favorite.
Jul 09, 2017Reviewed by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
4.3/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Thanks @2beerdogs
L - snifter pour. Murky deep brown. Frothy light mocha lacing.
S - I smelled bourbon as soon as I cracked the cap. In the snifter it's vanilla, oaky, sugary, toffee, brown sugar, oily butter, and cheesecake?
T - unique. Beyond your standard double stout. Not at all charred or roasty like the name presumes. Very, very sweet. Lots of raisen and fruit. Certainly bourbon, very vanilla forward bourbon.
M - strangely watery. Very dry and attenuated. Heavy alcohol presence. This beer would be world class to me if it were thicker.
Overall. Taste on point. Mouthfeel failed to round it out. Still, an above average stout. The more I drink this the more I can't agree with it being a stout. There is SO little roast, chocolate or smoke that this imo is better categorized as an American strong ale.
Jun 18, 2017L - snifter pour. Murky deep brown. Frothy light mocha lacing.
S - I smelled bourbon as soon as I cracked the cap. In the snifter it's vanilla, oaky, sugary, toffee, brown sugar, oily butter, and cheesecake?
T - unique. Beyond your standard double stout. Not at all charred or roasty like the name presumes. Very, very sweet. Lots of raisen and fruit. Certainly bourbon, very vanilla forward bourbon.
M - strangely watery. Very dry and attenuated. Heavy alcohol presence. This beer would be world class to me if it were thicker.
Overall. Taste on point. Mouthfeel failed to round it out. Still, an above average stout. The more I drink this the more I can't agree with it being a stout. There is SO little roast, chocolate or smoke that this imo is better categorized as an American strong ale.
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
4.16/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer topped by a half finger of dense tan head that fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of fudge, coffee, vanilla, toasted marshmallows, and some barrel char
T: Taste is toasted marshmallows and vanilla with some chocolate, charred wood, roasted malts, and light caramel. The beer has a slight fruity note as well. Swallow is burnt wood with some more marshmallows, coffee and roasted malt
M: This beer is full in body with soft but adequate carbonation and a dry finish
O: Overall this beer is pretty good. This was a fun concept and it's tough to declate a favorite. This beer has a nice complexity and it's interesting to see the effect the barrel can have on the beer. The barrel influence was really nice as well.
Oct 06, 2016S: Smells of fudge, coffee, vanilla, toasted marshmallows, and some barrel char
T: Taste is toasted marshmallows and vanilla with some chocolate, charred wood, roasted malts, and light caramel. The beer has a slight fruity note as well. Swallow is burnt wood with some more marshmallows, coffee and roasted malt
M: This beer is full in body with soft but adequate carbonation and a dry finish
O: Overall this beer is pretty good. This was a fun concept and it's tough to declate a favorite. This beer has a nice complexity and it's interesting to see the effect the barrel can have on the beer. The barrel influence was really nice as well.
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania
4.27/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I did a side-by-side tasting of all three Bruery Arbre and this one was my favorite; none of them was particularly outstanding, but all of them were tasty and fun to compare.
The char is unabashed in all of them- few nuances. It is all about oakiness and burnt barrel. As such, it can get tiring after a while, and for me it did.
It was three of us and none of us finished every glass, but we all had fun tasting.
I just wish the Arbre series had a bit more depth and a bit of a bourbon taste.
Sep 29, 2016The char is unabashed in all of them- few nuances. It is all about oakiness and burnt barrel. As such, it can get tiring after a while, and for me it did.
It was three of us and none of us finished every glass, but we all had fun tasting.
I just wish the Arbre series had a bit more depth and a bit of a bourbon taste.
Arbre - Alligator Char from The Bruery
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
57 ratings
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