Trip in the Woods Brandy Barrel Aged with Mandarin Oranges & Cocoa
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- From:
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Ale
- ABV:
- 11.4%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.22 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 21, 2025
- Added:
- Jun 19, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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Silky, smooth, and full of flavor, this beer is is a blend of our Barre-Aged Ovila Abbey Dubbel and Barrel-Aged Ovila Abbey Brown ale with Mandarins and Cocoa. With a deep mahogany color, the beer is rich with flavors of molasses and brown sugar with a hint of orange and a distinct dried fruit character from a year spent in brandy barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
4.22/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.22/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Trip in the Woods Brandy Barrel Aged with Mandarin Oranges & Cocoa from Sierra Nevada. Single 25.4 fl oz undated cork and cage bottle. Purchased 05/06/25 from Sierra Nevada on-line: $ 20.00/$ 0.787 per fl oz. Reviewed 21/06/25 (Review 3545). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stored at 37 degrees F at home. Served at 53.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 57.2 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), hazy.
Body – Chocolate brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, ruby.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.7 cm, aggressive center pour). Biscuit, lightening to sandy tan as it oxygenates, high density with a rocky top, average retention, dropping to a 0.3 cm crown and a complete, rocky cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4 – “Dark fruit” and a whiff of brown sugar and of wood. No yeast, no malt, no hops, no mandarins, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins slightly sweet with weak figs, cocoa, and just a hint of mild citrus. No yeast, no hops. No alcohol (11.4 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Moderate gastric warming.
Palate – 4 – Medium: approaching creamy: soft but lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated bottle) Uncredited label artist. I’ve had the BA Ovila Dubble a few times, when I’ve been lucky enough to find it, and really enjoyed it. This current iteration is better – you can rarely go wrong with mandarins (I add them to my salads). The cocoa counterbalances the little acid added by the mandarins. Overall, a pretty darn good drink I’ll track down again.
Jun 21, 2025Stored at 37 degrees F at home. Served at 53.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 57.2 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), hazy.
Body – Chocolate brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, ruby.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.7 cm, aggressive center pour). Biscuit, lightening to sandy tan as it oxygenates, high density with a rocky top, average retention, dropping to a 0.3 cm crown and a complete, rocky cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4 – “Dark fruit” and a whiff of brown sugar and of wood. No yeast, no malt, no hops, no mandarins, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins slightly sweet with weak figs, cocoa, and just a hint of mild citrus. No yeast, no hops. No alcohol (11.4 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Moderate gastric warming.
Palate – 4 – Medium: approaching creamy: soft but lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated bottle) Uncredited label artist. I’ve had the BA Ovila Dubble a few times, when I’ve been lucky enough to find it, and really enjoyed it. This current iteration is better – you can rarely go wrong with mandarins (I add them to my salads). The cocoa counterbalances the little acid added by the mandarins. Overall, a pretty darn good drink I’ll track down again.
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