Barrel Aged Night Falls
White Birch Brewing

Barrel Aged Night FallsBarrel Aged Night Falls
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From:
White Birch Brewing
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.51 | pDev: 17.95%
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
44
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 05, 2017
Added:
Jan 28, 2011
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  5
Night falls and all is black. Dark malts, hints of oak and a wild undercurrent. A soft wild side and smooth finish. Invite the night.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by thesarahfuller:
Photo of thesarahfuller
Rated by thesarahfuller from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +14%

Jan 02, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.94/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours like motor oil (look and sound = "glub, glub glub") no head no matter how fast or slow I pour with a dark black colored body and no lacing whatsoever. The smell has the sour up front first and then light roasty chocolate enters in with some oak and tart cherry. The taste is sour roasted oaky cherry chocolate all combined and coming through powerfully. There is a roasty sticky tart cherry aftertaste and a super dry roasty and somewhat tart cherry with a touch of vanilla finish. On the palate, it sits about a medium on the body, not really sessionable but not really a sipper. Carbonation is pretty smooth. Overall, this is an American Wild Ale that is barrel aged that is somewhat decent to me. I could do this one again.
Jun 05, 2017
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.11/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
My bottle, given by john. Off aromas on imperial stout. Sour stout. "I don’t think wb sanitizes...based on historical visit"-quoted from masterski, BA Admin.
May 24, 2016
Photo of rudzud
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts

2.72/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2
Bought this a long, long time ago at Julius. 2010 bottling, bottle #144/240. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - The cork ripped in half almost immediately, so, that's a good start. A corkscrew later it was poured into my Duvel tulip a rich dark black with a fat two finger mocha head that faded to leave a thin blanket. Stellar appearance for a wild stout.

S - Aromas though...yep. Metallic. Really off putting wild yeast notes, if it was just lactic that would be fine, but, theres some other stuff going on here. Almost cheesy funky cherries. No malt presence or barrel notes at all...just all awful funk and as one said years back wiffs of infection.

T - Taste is creamy oak and vanilla, light chocolate, decent sournress. Cherries, acidic vinegar, lacto sweetness and creaminess. Really not a bad example of a sour stout at all, but, there are flashes of that horrific nose. Like, the taste wants to delve in to that but is stopped just on the cusp. So, as decent as the taste is each sip is like playing russian roulette with my taste buds.

M - Mouthfeel is lower carbonated, little thin. It's there, but, so little it almost feels syrupy.

O - Overall I suppose I should have drank this beer years ago, but, it somewhat got lost in my cellar in all the boxes. It almost sums up White Birch in that the potential is always there, however, the potential for off flavours are even stronger. Just roll the dice.

Serving Type: Bottle
Sep 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.24 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Aug 22, 2015
Photo of theandyday
Rated by theandyday from New Hampshire

4.85/5  rDev +38.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Dark fruit and deliciously sour. This beer is completely underrated for what it is.
Jun 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by BGsWo22 from Texas

Oct 08, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by earljones199 from New Hampshire

Jan 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Mikeypnh from New Hampshire

Jan 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by REVZEB from Illinois

Jan 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by spycow from Illinois

May 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Kelp from New Hampshire

Apr 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by DrLaFollette from Utah

Jan 12, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by nh2032 from New York

Dec 29, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by Patrickbrusil from Massachusetts

Dec 25, 2012
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.14/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks to readbaron for sharing this one. Another rare White Birch tick! Served in a taster pint glass. Didn't look at the bottle closely, but this appears to have been the November 23, 2010 version?

A - Tan foam settles to a thick cap and glass-coating lace. Dark brown body with some transparent ruby glints. Pretty attractive beer as far as dark sours go.

S - Smells like an infected stout. Roast, chocolate, some dark bread, hint of oaky vanilla, and some tart cherry and lactic notes.

T - The taste is again an odd mix of sour cherry and stout. There's a slightly savory acetic vinegary note, and the alcohol is well-hidden.

M - Medium-light body that is unusually thin for the ABV. Low carbonation, and a surprisingly smooth texture. Actually finishes somewhat dry and clean.

D - It's a wild stout with a low amount of oak and a moderate dose of tart cherry. Actually among the better White Birch offerings I've had, which puts it about average on the normal scale. Disappointingly inoffensive - we were hoping for something "epic" bad for Todd's 30th.
Nov 10, 2012
Photo of morebeergood
Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts

3.82/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From the September 2011 batch. Poured into Lindemans Lambic flutes. Extremely dark leather brown color. Not a lot of head, but some lacing. Smell had nice notes of Jamaican rum and prunes. I liked the flavor, just because it was very interesting. There was that expected sour note, but the barrel aging gave it a more boozy aspect. There were hints of brown sugar, molasses, and just a splash of worcestershire sauce. Mouthfeel was a bit on the sticky side. I thought the beer was unusual but unique. I have never had a wild ale aged in a barrel, so I applaud the novelty.
Sep 11, 2012
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

2.49/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Pours a murky amber color with an off-white head. Nose is just awful. Super metallic, smells like pennies. A light balsamic note, leather, maybe some wood, and salt. The flavor is watery, but still manages to pack a decent punch of off-flavors. Pennies, vinegar, dirt, cardboard, and salt. Why?
Aug 07, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by imperialking from Illinois

May 11, 2012
Photo of Phelps
Reviewed by Phelps from Arizona

3.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled November 23, 2010. Bottle 122 of 240. Shared by whiterascal, poured into a Russian River glass.

Surprisingly dark. Nearly black and opaque. The sandy tan head quickly fizzles to a thin ring.

Interesting aroma. A funky blend of brett and roast. Dark cherries, dark chocolate, a touch of brett and vinegar. A little hay funk. A little vanilla and bourbon too.

Woo! Very tart. Lots of pear and green apple in the front, with chocolate rising slowly in the background. The swallow delivers a little more of the roast, but it’s overpowered by the sour stuff. A touch of bourbon rises at the swallow, but it’s still overshadowed by the sour. The bourbon adds something interesting, but I could use more dark stuff. Sourness gets a little too intense and acetic. Crisp, apple-heavy finish.

Moderate, massaging carbonation. Medium-light body. No hint of alcohol, but the acetic sourness is a little abusive to the tongue and teeth.

I feel as if half of White Birch’s beers are attempts to save a beer gone bad. This turned out alright, but isn’t anything I’d seek out again.
Apr 16, 2012
Barrel Aged Night Falls from White Birch Brewing
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 44 ratings