Devil Bird Holiday Ale
Lavery Brewing Company

Devil Bird Holiday AleDevil Bird Holiday Ale
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From:
Lavery Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 13.3%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
87
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 09, 2019
Added:
Dec 25, 2010
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  17
A festive name for a holiday beer, right? Based on the Irish tradition of carrying a dead wren through the streets on the day after Christmas. Will be available usually the week after Thanksgiving and will be very (very) limited release. Packaged in 1 liter flip top amber bottles & our recipe and style changes from year to year.

2011 - Imperial Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels
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Rated: 3.75 by rickklein9 from Pennsylvania

Dec 09, 2019
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Reviewed by Thomas_Wikman from Texas

3.84/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: black with a very thick mocca colored head

Aroma: roasted malts, chocolate, hint of coffee and bourbon.

Taste: There's roasted malts, sweet chocolate, maybe some coffee and bourbon.

Body/Overall: medium body.
Nov 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by fthegiants from California

Feb 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by JamesStreet from Louisiana

Dec 04, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by Muss42 from Michigan

Nov 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.94 by BeerBeast from Florida

Sep 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by nstygles from Pennsylvania

Jan 07, 2016
Photo of Telcocoffeedad
Reviewed by Telcocoffeedad from Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bourbon on the nose. Pours dark with a head that dissipates quickly. Bourbon up front. Milk chocolate in the middle. Coffee on the finish. The flavor lingers on the palette. There is a lot of carbonation. This beer has a very syrupy mouthfeel.
Dec 31, 2015
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

2.2/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Pretty sure my parents got this one for me while in Erie a couple years back. Cheers guys!

From a 750ml bottle into a snifter
Imperial porter aged in bourbon barrels

APPEARANCE: Slow foamer upon opening. A clear brown pour yields a 2+ finger, medium looking, foamy, light tan head with great retention. Really foamy head here. Clear bistre brown body with piles of carbonation evident. Lots and lots of it. Carbonation keeps propping up the head making it last forever. At some point the next day it finally recedes to a huge foamy froth and sticks to the sides of the glass. A foamy, splotchy wisp remains until the end and leaves some decent lacing down the glass. Really overcarbonated and the head is a mess.

SMELL: Oak, vanilla, notes of bourbon and alcohol. Somewhat perfume-like and piercing. Oak tannin gets in the way as well. Not all that great.

TASTE: Oak, light vanilla and piercing alcohol up front. More spirit at the swallow with a big and lingering finish of perfume-like bourbon, oak, sweet cream, some dark fruits and booze. This all comes off a little bit "cheap," for lack of a better word. Too much perfume and oak tannin.

PALATE: Thinner body and lots of carbonation. Foamy and airy on the palate, goes down airy and finishes a touch mouth-coating. Foamy and light.

OVERALL: Not that great. It's obviously too carbonated and foamy, while the barrel aging comes across as cheap and poorly executed. It gets a little bit better as it sits in the glass, but it never quite makes it to enjoyable. Not something I'd want to revisit. Thanks again for picking me up some fun Christmas presents guys!
Dec 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by ArkyVaughan from New Jersey

Nov 30, 2015
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Reviewed by FlandersNed from Indiana

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
25.4 oz bottle. Opaque dark brown tone with way too much foam. Sugary bourbon & porter nose. Taste was not as sweet: Baker's chocolate, oak ashes, leafy/grassy/fried floral notes and a mix of char/roast/dark malts. Full body and medium carbonation.
Nov 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.3 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Oct 31, 2015
 
Rated: 3.03 by Dave_Treat from Virginia

May 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by yergermeister from Pennsylvania

Mar 04, 2015
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Rated by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Just an average porter. Little to no barrel characteristic.
Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.52 by JOrtt from North Carolina

Feb 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.19 by DCHritz from Pennsylvania

Feb 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.21 by AMCimpi from New York

Feb 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.16 by st9647v3 from New Jersey

Jan 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by JGlitz87 from Texas

Jan 09, 2015
Devil Bird Holiday Ale from Lavery Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 87 ratings