Xyauyù Etichetta Oro (Gold)
Birra Baladin

 

(2013 bottle, purchased by my brother I think at State Line at least 2-3 years ago; it's been opened and corked since then, maybe sampled a half dozen times... he just passed it off to me yesterday and I mildly chilled it and poured some into a teku... I have previously tasted from this bottle at least twice)

L: clear, chestnut-colored liquid with some limited speckled sediment; no foam, no collar, looking still... looks like unfiltered wine

S: brown ripe fig all day, Oloroso (or PX) sherry, fruit leather, touch of tobacco, faint accent of floral ethanol... gripping intensity, vibrant expressions, anticipatory depth and dimension... I want to smell like this

T: malty as all hell, layer upon layer of rich madness, highlighted by the fig and sherry notes, finishing with hints of cellar dank, earthen mold, and greased leather... mildly spicy alcohol fuego a few beats into the aftertaste... a thread of herbal bitterness gradually builds, accented by the spirits

F: sultry nectar, spiked with a pointed flame of booze, likely rounding out its body, certainly eliciting a numbing sting upon the sea of taste buds... oily coating soiling my palate and it's divine... the sharpness of the alcohol definitely gives near proper contrast to the syrupy malt concentrate

O: aside from this bottle, I have had this on two other occasions... first, when I worked at a speakeasy beer bar in Center City circa 2012, then later at the beer bar Bir & Fud in the Trastevere in Sep 2015... I absolutely relish this shit and shame on me for not already having had at least on bottle on hand... I do know a couple spots where I can still pick this up, but I'll enjoy the remainder of this one first (2006)

2016 vintage; drank 8/30/21 @ the Yarchives.

Murky orange/red rust appearance.

An even pour yielded no head; no lace, either.

Caramel, fig, merlot & cognac notes in the nose.

Flat, thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Caramel, dark chocolate & fig flavors up front; cognac notes on the finish.

Had this at room temperature as recommended; it's certainly a damn fine after dinner sipper. I'd have another!

 

Brewed in 2014. Pours dead flat, no bubbles.

Oh my, this is heaven. Aromas of honey, graham crackers, marshmallow, Belgian chocolate, vanilla, brown liquor, and faint, vinous fruit blanketed by enticingly gentle warmth. On the tongue this is quite sweet, but the layers of complexity keep this from even approaching cloying levels of sweetness. Everything from the aroma is here, in rapturous, sublime harmony. This is perfect, just perfect.

 

Shared 500 ml corked bottle, as Baladin Xyauyu Birra Da Divano Riserva Teo Musso 2008, imported to Germany by BraufactuM. Bought at Citti-Markt Flensburg. Orginal bottle No. 263926. German bottle No. 316. ABV is 14.5%. Clear reddish brown colour. No head nor carbonation. Strong vinous aroma, notes of old sherry / madeira, oak and dark dried fruits. Strong sweet flavour, in a blind test I might mistake it for an old sweet sherry or madeira. Notes of dark dried fruits again. A real treat if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.

2011 edition. No carbonation left but lovely depth.

2014 version poured into a snifter. The beer was copper in the glass with a faint tan head the left quickly. Aroma featured cherries, red wine, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch. Taste followed. Quite sweet and almost syrupy. Butterscotch and cherry. Not overly boozy. More like a Tawny Port than anything else.

 

2014 version, Baladin bar, Bologna - Pours red wine in colour with no discernible head, sticky residue to Teku when swirled. Aroma - Woody notes, dark stoned fruits, vinous notes, dark berries. Taste - Sweet not cloying, dark berries, sherry/port feel, light really smooth alcoholic warmth at the end. Whether this is a beer cannot say, still a fantastic easy sipping, very complex brew. Absolute belter for a dessert after a lovely long lasting dinner.

2014 vintage

From a bottle in Baladin bar in a nice market over in Bologna.

Is this beer or a nice brandy which was put in my glass ?

It's amazing how this beer is complex but so much balanced it seems simple.

Chocolate, toffee, baked apples, flat, very complex, not too sweet.

Very nice

 

 

 

My second tasting at Bir & Fud. This time I went for a small 10cl sampling, from the bottle, of Xyauyu 2013.
It poured an opaque and very dark amber, perhaps copper color with hints of ruby red. Oddly enough there was no head.
Putting it up to my nose I could tell it was going to be both strong and sweet. Creamy, toffee, caramel and butterscotch impart their sweetness. Prunes, grape and raisin add fruitiness. There was lots of alcohol in the nose, yet, not in a boozy way, more in a vinous, port wine or sherry like way. Amidst the alcohol I even detected the subtle roastiness of coffee beans.
When I ordered this, the bartender warned me that "it's very strong, more like a grappa or dessert digestif". I assured him I had experience with high ABV...I know barley wines...blah blah blah". Yet, despite his warning I was still surprised at the first tasting that I thought to myself "Is this beer?" It felt more like a sweet liqueur, sherry or port wine. For one, it had absolutely zero/zilch/nulla carbonation! "Is this beer?" I though again. I did taste raisins, prunes, cherries and lots of alcohol but with no warming. Certainly I've tasted these qualities before in beer, but I'm really looking for a tell tale sign. Lo and behold I think I detect a tinge of bitterness in the finish. Is that hops? I hold up the glass to my nose and even smell biscuit malt in the aroma. For sure there must be a malt presence especially because I think I detect a caramel malt sweetness. However, for the most part the alcohol and fruity esters mask the malt profile.
Overall, this is a full bodied brew, lush and decadent. Sweet but somehow not cloying. Highly alcoholic but somewhat not boozy. It is certainly a sipper and just about right for the small doze I was given. Is it beer? I suppose I should say "who cares?" and rate it well because it is after all, under the right circumstances, pretty tasty and full of complexity.

 

2009 vintage enjoyed in February 2017. Unbelievably beautiful dessert beer. Similar to Sam Adams Triple Bock.

Flat, sweet, raisiny, nutty... notes of chocolate, port wine, Madeira, sherry.

Super complex and delicious and incredible!

2006 vintage.

02/03/2017