Acer Quercus
The Bruery

Acer QuercusAcer Quercus
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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 13.95%
Reviews:
91
Ratings:
208
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 15, 2020
Added:
May 10, 2011
Wants:
  33
Gots:
  83
If you aren’t familiar with Lawson’s Finest Liquids yet, you should be! Run entirely by Sean Lawson, it is a nano-brewery in rural Vermont. He’s become well known in the beer world for unique beers brewed on his single barrel system, and particularly for his use of locally sourced maple syrup. We got together with Sean and developed a recipe for an oaked, smoked, mapled monster of a beer. We even smoked our own malt using the wood of the very maple trees that provided the syrup for this beer. This was a really fun beer to create and the result is a mildly sweet, smoky brown ale with balancing wood tannins.

http://www.thebruery.com/beer/acer-quercus/
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.67/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
End of August 2015. This was a little bit of a let down bc the Lawson's stuff I had before this was just mind blowingly awesome. This was good, but not on that level.

Pours brown, but not a viscous brown you can't see through. 1/3" off white head. Aroma might have been the best part. Oak, maple, earthy brown malt, smoked wood. Yum.

Taste brought some things you didn't pick up in the nose. There is a little bit of an alcohol bite and a bitter wood like component. They aren't too harsh, but not as nice as the smell. I thought the sweetness would really temper all that but I dunno, the maple wasn't as perceptible on the taste buds as the were in the nose. Wasn't a heavy feeling beer, but there was also a raisin like dark fruit bitterness contributing, and maybe the smoked malt/wood was another contribution as well.

A bourbon barrel. That is what was missing here.
May 15, 2020
Photo of ghostwalker
Reviewed by ghostwalker from Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This has been in my fridge since I bought it in VT, 2011-2012. Far too long to wait, so here it is!

Color is a dark, translucent brown. Thin off-white head.

Nose is smoky but smooth malt. Campfire, beef jerky, light caramel. Much less nose than I thought.

Flavor is smooth with a light smoke bite on the finish. Does not seem strong, given the substantial ABV. Not as much maple as I had hoped, but tasty!

Mouthfeel is thinner than expected, but not abrasive or astringent.

Drinkability is high. Light on the palate and the smoke is not too obtrusive.



Flavor
Feb 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Hayley_86 from Netherlands

May 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by waddellc2 from Pennsylvania

Feb 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by Rifugium from North Dakota

Jan 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Oct 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by shoegueuze from California

Sep 10, 2016
Photo of cvm4
Reviewed by cvm4 from Mississippi

4.09/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L - Pours a deep dark brown body with a tan one finger head that dissipates quickly. Not much lacing or retention to speak of.

S - Dark fruits, smokey oak essence and sweet maple syrup. Not very complex, but yet still rewarding.

T - I'm usually not big on smoked beers, but this is delicious! Sweet maple syrup collides with smoked oak and a dark fruit (plums/raisins) base. A smokey sweet candy.

F - Mouthfeel was a bit lacking, but it has held up well for its age. Medium bodied and low carbonation.

O - Not sure why the low-ish score. Must have been a love it or hate it beer when young, but I think it's come together quite well and is very tasty.
Oct 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.78 by mbmiche from Illinois

Apr 05, 2015
Photo of N17shelfside
Reviewed by N17shelfside from California

4.12/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This is my last bottle of this beer and m first review of it. Delicious still but some of the body has fallen off from earlier tastes. Little less smokey, but the maple is much more pronounced. Mouthfeel is thin but not bad.
Jan 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by FUwolfpacker from South Carolina

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Jeffh84 from Illinois

Dec 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jeg518 from Florida

Aug 25, 2014
Photo of TWStandley
Reviewed by TWStandley from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Cellared for a few years, poured into my Delirium tulip.

Appeared a dark brown color with a purple grape colored tinge to the relatively small head that was produced.

Smelled of dark fruits, a bit of tobacco, and slight maple syrup.

Taste is quite delicious - decently roasty with a nice sweet maple finish - reminds me of maple candy a bit on the finish. Alcohol taste is definitely present.

Mouthfeel could have had a bit more body but otherwise it was decent.

Overall pretty solid and paired well with my meal of bbq ribs. I enjoyed this one more than I expected I would. A nice treat.
Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by zestar from California

Aug 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Auror from Massachusetts

Jul 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by ncaudle from Virginia

Jul 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by northstar23 from Maryland

Jun 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by pisano from Massachusetts

Jun 02, 2014
Acer Quercus from The Bruery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 208 ratings