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Mélange No. 3
The Bruery
- From:
- The Bruery
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #8 - ABV:
- 16.3%
- Score:
- 98
Ranked #396 - Avg:
- 4.42 | pDev: 8.82%
- Reviews:
- 307
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 31, 2023
- Added:
- Feb 14, 2009
- Wants:
- 841
- Gots:
- 759
A blend of Black Tuesday, anniversary ale, and White Oak Sap.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by dbc5:
Reviewed by dbc5 from Arizona
4.09/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle poured into 10 ounce Kentucky Bourbon Stout snifter.
A: Pours a murky brown. Almost has a muddy quality on the pour. Surprisingly, getting a 1 finger cream colored head on this (didn't expect that on a beer over 15%). Head sticks around and getting some nice lacing on the glass. Really impressed by this given the alcohol content.
S: Getting smacked in the face (nose I suppose) with bourbon on the pour. Opens up a bit and picking up oak, caramel, vanilla, caramelized sugar, apples, plums, and raisins. I swear I'm picking up a light citrusy character. Not picking up roasted malts to the degree I would expect given that Black Tuesday is listed first on this blend.
T: Surprisingly, bourbon flavors are not as present in the taste as the nose suggested. Don't get me wrong, it is present, but more balanced than I thought. This isn't to say the beer lacks alcohol heat. It is certainly perceptible and contributes a nice warming sensation in the throat. Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, RICH chocolate, oak, and bourbon. Very sweet and very complex.
M: Thick and syrupy with minimal carbonation. This almost drinks more like a liquor than a beer. Alcohol contributes an oily character.
O: The complexity and flavor here is insane. So much going on. While one should never expect a 15% plus beer to be "drinkable" this one is somewhat less drinkable than some other beers I have had in this ABV range (e.g., Bourbon County Variants, BB4D, BB Monster 29, even Black Tuesday). A really nice beer to enjoy over the course of a few hours. Extremely glad to have the opportunity to enjoy this. Would be interested in getting another to lay down for multiple years.
Jan 29, 2013A: Pours a murky brown. Almost has a muddy quality on the pour. Surprisingly, getting a 1 finger cream colored head on this (didn't expect that on a beer over 15%). Head sticks around and getting some nice lacing on the glass. Really impressed by this given the alcohol content.
S: Getting smacked in the face (nose I suppose) with bourbon on the pour. Opens up a bit and picking up oak, caramel, vanilla, caramelized sugar, apples, plums, and raisins. I swear I'm picking up a light citrusy character. Not picking up roasted malts to the degree I would expect given that Black Tuesday is listed first on this blend.
T: Surprisingly, bourbon flavors are not as present in the taste as the nose suggested. Don't get me wrong, it is present, but more balanced than I thought. This isn't to say the beer lacks alcohol heat. It is certainly perceptible and contributes a nice warming sensation in the throat. Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, RICH chocolate, oak, and bourbon. Very sweet and very complex.
M: Thick and syrupy with minimal carbonation. This almost drinks more like a liquor than a beer. Alcohol contributes an oily character.
O: The complexity and flavor here is insane. So much going on. While one should never expect a 15% plus beer to be "drinkable" this one is somewhat less drinkable than some other beers I have had in this ABV range (e.g., Bourbon County Variants, BB4D, BB Monster 29, even Black Tuesday). A really nice beer to enjoy over the course of a few hours. Extremely glad to have the opportunity to enjoy this. Would be interested in getting another to lay down for multiple years.
More User Ratings:
Rated by Sandis from Minnesota
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2017 version poured from a 750ml bottle into a snifter. Subtly sweet. There is a slight tartness from the wheat wine I presume.
Mar 31, 2023Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong
4.28/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A 750ml bottle, 2017 edition, bottled on 1st February 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A cloudy brown colour with an orange tint and a one finger beige/khaki head that dissipates fairly quickly, while leaving some sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, caramel, toffee, molasses, bourbon, dark fruit, raisins, prunes, chocolate, oak, vanilla, with light coconut notes.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, sweet, bourbon, caramel, toffee, molasses, chocolate, dark fruit, raisins, prunes, oak, vanilla, and a splash of coconut and orange.
Mouthfeel: Full to medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper, with great aromas, but perhaps a touch too sweet for my palate.
Sep 14, 2021Appearance: A cloudy brown colour with an orange tint and a one finger beige/khaki head that dissipates fairly quickly, while leaving some sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, caramel, toffee, molasses, bourbon, dark fruit, raisins, prunes, chocolate, oak, vanilla, with light coconut notes.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, sweet, bourbon, caramel, toffee, molasses, chocolate, dark fruit, raisins, prunes, oak, vanilla, and a splash of coconut and orange.
Mouthfeel: Full to medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper, with great aromas, but perhaps a touch too sweet for my palate.
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California
4.34/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Type: 750-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: American Strong Ale
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. brandy snifter glass
Price: $15.00
From: From a Facebook San Diego beer trading group
Purchased: Dec. 29, 2020
Consumed: Jan. 8, 2021
Misc.: Bottled on Sept. 16, 2015
Picked this up from someone from a San Diego beer trading group when he was trying to get rid of some stuff. Bought this one for $15 and another for $10. The main reason I bought this one was that I had it twice before, giving each taster a 4.25 on Untappd (Nov. 8, 2015 and Feb. 12, 2016) at The Bruery in Placentia, Calif. Online description I found read “Mélange #3 is a blend of three bourbon barrel aged strong ales. White Oak Sap, a wheat wine, our Anniversary Series old ale and our imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, join forces in this luxurious strong ale that links some of the best characteristics of each of the contributing beers. Chocolate, dark fruits, oaky vanilla and rich toffee-like character reach through the bourbon veneer for an intensely satisfying quaff.”
Poured a very dark color with two fingers of frothy khaki-tan frothy head. Calm setting underneath with no noticeable head. Below average watery lacing. Bad retention. (Sight - 3.25)
Smelled leathery oak, boozy bourbon, crayon, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup, sticky molasses, dark fruit, date, cocoa and hints of coconut. Was getting most of that 17.3 pct. ABV. Much smoother out of the bottle. Got so much better as it went down. Crazy because probably started at a 4 and moved to a 4.5. (Smell - 4.25)
Unlike the nose, the taste was nowhere near 17.3 pct. ABV. Got chewy caramel, toffee, leathery oak, milk chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, sticky molasses, smooth bourbon, chocolate syrup, cocoa and some coconut. (Taste - 4.50)
Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, smooth, warming finish. (Feel - 4.75)
Just another solid offering from The Bruery. Excellent. (Overall - 4.25)
4.34 | 96 | A
Jul 25, 2021Reviewed as: American Strong Ale
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. brandy snifter glass
Price: $15.00
From: From a Facebook San Diego beer trading group
Purchased: Dec. 29, 2020
Consumed: Jan. 8, 2021
Misc.: Bottled on Sept. 16, 2015
Picked this up from someone from a San Diego beer trading group when he was trying to get rid of some stuff. Bought this one for $15 and another for $10. The main reason I bought this one was that I had it twice before, giving each taster a 4.25 on Untappd (Nov. 8, 2015 and Feb. 12, 2016) at The Bruery in Placentia, Calif. Online description I found read “Mélange #3 is a blend of three bourbon barrel aged strong ales. White Oak Sap, a wheat wine, our Anniversary Series old ale and our imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, join forces in this luxurious strong ale that links some of the best characteristics of each of the contributing beers. Chocolate, dark fruits, oaky vanilla and rich toffee-like character reach through the bourbon veneer for an intensely satisfying quaff.”
Poured a very dark color with two fingers of frothy khaki-tan frothy head. Calm setting underneath with no noticeable head. Below average watery lacing. Bad retention. (Sight - 3.25)
Smelled leathery oak, boozy bourbon, crayon, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup, sticky molasses, dark fruit, date, cocoa and hints of coconut. Was getting most of that 17.3 pct. ABV. Much smoother out of the bottle. Got so much better as it went down. Crazy because probably started at a 4 and moved to a 4.5. (Smell - 4.25)
Unlike the nose, the taste was nowhere near 17.3 pct. ABV. Got chewy caramel, toffee, leathery oak, milk chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, sticky molasses, smooth bourbon, chocolate syrup, cocoa and some coconut. (Taste - 4.50)
Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, smooth, warming finish. (Feel - 4.75)
Just another solid offering from The Bruery. Excellent. (Overall - 4.25)
4.34 | 96 | A
Reviewed by StraightNoChaser from Georgia
4.62/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.62/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Generous BD gift from beer geek pals! No date on the label or etched in the bottle. Its15% which I believe puts it circa 2011 or so.
Look: well, Black and Tan. Very little head as expected.
Smell: butterscotch, toffee, dark fruit.
Taste: like the nose. Gonna steal my buddies take….caramel whiskey!
Jul 16, 2021Look: well, Black and Tan. Very little head as expected.
Smell: butterscotch, toffee, dark fruit.
Taste: like the nose. Gonna steal my buddies take….caramel whiskey!
Reviewed by DvdP from Netherlands
4.46/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours cloudy dark brown, some carbonation. Smells heavy bourbon, oak. Thick, heavy, some boozyness but normal Bruery-level, warming. Taste is tobacco-herbal barrel, umami, rich.
Oct 25, 2020Reviewed by DokiDokiLitFam from New Jersey
4.65/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.65/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on 2/02/17 This one has done some hard time. Nearly 4 years.
Pours a thick looking dark brown. This looks like chocolate pudding not only in color but in density. No light penetration whatsoever. A finger of smooth looking khaki head appears on an aggressive pour. Then fades on the quicker side.
Nose is bourbon for days. I'm just a sucker for this sort of thing. Bourbon, toffee, caramel, butterscotch, and other words you associate with sweet confectionery decadence. Taking a whiff of this, some might be able to guess it sits at the high side of the ABV spectrum. But for 16% this covers it well.
Taste follows to a tee. Smooth caramel and butterscotch introduced by a brief impact of bourbon and followed up by the effervescent quality of booze evaporating on your tongue. I'm not sure if I get any stout presence at all. No roasty malt appears, but for a brew pushing four years, it makes sense.
Mouthfeel is full-bodied and creamy. Smooth and rich. Carbonation still present which is nice to see. Very calm bubbles. Of course the sheer volume of alcohol creates a drying quality that does a solid job of contesting any sort of cloying from the sweetness.
Overall this brew is heavy handed, but absolutely delicious. Time may have made this one a touch linear or removed the nuance, but personally there is no way for me to know. This is a dessert, a treat, pure unabashed and unashamed decadence. Share this with friends. Or if you don't have any, share it with enemies and they will ally with you in no time.
Sep 26, 2020Pours a thick looking dark brown. This looks like chocolate pudding not only in color but in density. No light penetration whatsoever. A finger of smooth looking khaki head appears on an aggressive pour. Then fades on the quicker side.
Nose is bourbon for days. I'm just a sucker for this sort of thing. Bourbon, toffee, caramel, butterscotch, and other words you associate with sweet confectionery decadence. Taking a whiff of this, some might be able to guess it sits at the high side of the ABV spectrum. But for 16% this covers it well.
Taste follows to a tee. Smooth caramel and butterscotch introduced by a brief impact of bourbon and followed up by the effervescent quality of booze evaporating on your tongue. I'm not sure if I get any stout presence at all. No roasty malt appears, but for a brew pushing four years, it makes sense.
Mouthfeel is full-bodied and creamy. Smooth and rich. Carbonation still present which is nice to see. Very calm bubbles. Of course the sheer volume of alcohol creates a drying quality that does a solid job of contesting any sort of cloying from the sweetness.
Overall this brew is heavy handed, but absolutely delicious. Time may have made this one a touch linear or removed the nuance, but personally there is no way for me to know. This is a dessert, a treat, pure unabashed and unashamed decadence. Share this with friends. Or if you don't have any, share it with enemies and they will ally with you in no time.
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a milk chocolate brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a half inch of foamy, tan-colored. somewhat long-lasting head. Not much lacing to speak of.
S: A very nice aroma of booze, malt, caramel, dark fruit, and some citrus notes
T: Tasted of a decent amount of dark fruit (raisins, plums, in particular), a little bit of citrus fruit (orange, in particular). a good shot of bourbon (not overdone ), a tinge of caramel (quite sweet, but not cloyingly so), and a woody quality. This is a fairly aggressive, complex, and enjoyable flavor. Quite tasty.
F: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A well done and easy to like beer. Drinkable.
Aug 29, 2020S: A very nice aroma of booze, malt, caramel, dark fruit, and some citrus notes
T: Tasted of a decent amount of dark fruit (raisins, plums, in particular), a little bit of citrus fruit (orange, in particular). a good shot of bourbon (not overdone ), a tinge of caramel (quite sweet, but not cloyingly so), and a woody quality. This is a fairly aggressive, complex, and enjoyable flavor. Quite tasty.
F: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A well done and easy to like beer. Drinkable.
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri
4.14/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This looks like murky brown river water. There’s a fingernail of beige around three quarters of the rim. The aroma is of barley, bourbon, and a massive wallop of wheat. I’m tasting a massive wallop of barley, wheat, and bourbon. The mouth is sticky, chewy, and very boozy!
Jul 27, 2020Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York
4.75/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.
Look is a cloudy very dark brown. The head is tan and dissipates quickly.
Aroma is bourbon vanilla and sweet dark malt.
Taste is super sweet bourbon vanilla.
Jul 25, 2020Look is a cloudy very dark brown. The head is tan and dissipates quickly.
Aroma is bourbon vanilla and sweet dark malt.
Taste is super sweet bourbon vanilla.
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho
4.75/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Review # 1400
I cannot believe that I have made it to 1400, on my way to 1500. The beer is from 2017. The temperature of the beer is 55 degrees. The pour of the beer produced a one-fingered creamy and billowy head. The beer's head retention is average. The color of the beer is a light tan head. The color of the beer is SRM 16, a medium-dark brown with reddish hues. This beer is beautiful.
The initial aromas in the beer are bourbon, alcohol, toasted malts, caramel, molasses, toffee, raisins, oranges, leather, tobacco, oak, resin, floral esters, burnt sugar, a touch of herbal, and bready.
The flavors in the beer are bourbon, alcohol, toasted, malts, raisins, figs, leather, wheat, caramel, molasses, toffee, raisins, oranges, tobacco, oak, resin, floral esters, burnt sugar, earthy, bready, and a touch of solvent.
The mouthfeel of the beer is warming and chewy.
The body of the beer is full, medium carbonation, and a full finish.
This beer is incredible. The blend they achieved in this beer is nearly perfect. The beer has depth and flavors are harmonious. This beer is deserving of this review. I wanted an impressive beer to celebrate 1400, and that is what I got. Phenomenal beer.
May 03, 2020I cannot believe that I have made it to 1400, on my way to 1500. The beer is from 2017. The temperature of the beer is 55 degrees. The pour of the beer produced a one-fingered creamy and billowy head. The beer's head retention is average. The color of the beer is a light tan head. The color of the beer is SRM 16, a medium-dark brown with reddish hues. This beer is beautiful.
The initial aromas in the beer are bourbon, alcohol, toasted malts, caramel, molasses, toffee, raisins, oranges, leather, tobacco, oak, resin, floral esters, burnt sugar, a touch of herbal, and bready.
The flavors in the beer are bourbon, alcohol, toasted, malts, raisins, figs, leather, wheat, caramel, molasses, toffee, raisins, oranges, tobacco, oak, resin, floral esters, burnt sugar, earthy, bready, and a touch of solvent.
The mouthfeel of the beer is warming and chewy.
The body of the beer is full, medium carbonation, and a full finish.
This beer is incredible. The blend they achieved in this beer is nearly perfect. The beer has depth and flavors are harmonious. This beer is deserving of this review. I wanted an impressive beer to celebrate 1400, and that is what I got. Phenomenal beer.
Reviewed by BeardedWalrus from North Carolina
4.86/5 rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.86/5 rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
2013 vintage, poured into a 10 oz snifter, color is a deep, murky amber with little light penetration. Smell is richly sweet, caramel, brown sugar and molasses, little bits of raisin and other dark fruits. Taste is just as appealing, big and decadent, rum cake, chocolate notes, more molasses, with a wonderful malty backbone. Feel is out of this world, despite being nearly 17% abv there's no hint of booziness, absolutely zero oxidation, and the low carbonation provides a chewy and sticky mouthfeel. Yet another hit from the Bruery, and at 7 years old it's a real treat.
Mar 13, 2020
Mélange No. 3 from The Bruery
Beer rating:
98 out of
100 with
2041 ratings
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