Mash & Vanilla
The Bruery

Mash & VanillaMash & Vanilla
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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #95
ABV:
13.3%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,332
Avg:
4.19 | pDev: 6.44%
Reviews:
72
Ratings:
308
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 02, 2024
Added:
Mar 21, 2016
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  56
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sweemzander:
Photo of sweemzander
Rated by sweemzander from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Dec 21, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

4.26/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Review: 2021
Beer Name: Mash and Vanilla
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Bourbon Barrel Aged English Barleywine
ABV: 13.7%
Date: 2019

I'm enjoying a glass of Mash and Vanilla from a tulip glass, served at 52 degrees. The pour resulted in an airy, two-fingered, light tan head with decent retention. The color of the beer is a dark brown, with hints of dark mahogany hues, measuring around 30 on the color chart, and is opaque in appearance. As the head dissipated, it left no lacing on the sides of the glass. Overall, the appearance of the beer is average for its style.

Upon the initial whiff, I can detect big, roasty, malty bread, bourbon, oak, and vanilla aromas. The barrel aging process on this beer is quite prominent, with the oak, char, and bourbon aromas being the most noticeable. Although the vanilla scent is nondescript, it smells like Mexican vanilla but cleaner. The malt aromas are beefy, with the bread reminding me of the pumpernickel found at fancy bakeries. However, I also detect a bit of oxidation, which is light but noticeable. Hopefully, the taste will not be affected by this. On the final whiff, I can detect undertones of caramel, toffee, molasses, floral esters, and a light earthiness.

Unfortunately, the oxidation translates into the taste but does not distract from the beer's flavors. The barrel aging is slightly tamer than the nose, with big oak, char, and bourbon being more of a co-lead with the barleywine. The malt is the show's star, with massive maltiness, toasted dark bread, and a lovely roasty note. The vanilla is a bit more exotic than Mexican vanilla, and I can also taste toffee, molasses, floral, caramel, and light chocolate notes.

Regarding mouthfeel, the beer is warming and chewy, finishing slightly astringent. The body is heavy with medium-low carbonation.
This beer is an elegant example of an English barley wine with vanilla as an adjunct. I was sad to taste a bit of oxidation, but it did not diminish from the beer's flavor. I have a lovely beer to sip on a snowy Idaho night.
Mar 02, 2024
Photo of DIM
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2019 can. This my review tasted blind.

I'm going to say this an American barleywine, bourbon barrel aged. 12% ABV? There are fruit components, apple primarily, that made me wonder briefly about a different barrel, but I'm going to say bourbon. Tons of sticky sweet caramel, various apple deserts, and brown sugar plus rich booze and a nice bite at the finish, oaky vanilla and some hop bitterness. This is really tasty and going down fast!
Sep 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by BarrelAgedG from California

Aug 22, 2022
Photo of MacMalt
Reviewed by MacMalt from New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2019 edition. Received in a trade with @2beerdogs. Poured into a snifter. It pours a hazy, ruby-orange color with a creamy, ecru-colored head that fizzled away quickly. It has a great nose with lots of caramel/toffee, vanilla, raisin, fig, brown sugar, oak, and subtle bourbon. The taste follows suit but with greater influence of vanilla and oak. The bourbon compliments the brown sugar, caramel, and raisin notes to provide significant sweetness. There are also hints of tart cherry and tobacco. The overall flavor is sweet and complex. There is a touch of sour mash at the finish but almost no bitterness. The mouth feel is a tad thin but the carbonation level is spot on. The 13.7% ABV is warming but not overpowering. Overall, Mash & Vanilla is a flavorful and very enjoyable English Barleywine from an excellent brewer. I'm thankful to have the chance to enjoy it.
Feb 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.04 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.02 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Mar 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by GaryM6 from New York

Jan 28, 2021
Photo of GuitarIPA
Reviewed by GuitarIPA from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pretty terrific beer, doesn't have the overly boozy taste and smell of some barley wines - vanilla is just right and not overpowering. Very Sweet but delicious. Happy New Year.
Dec 31, 2020
 
Rated: 4.23 by kmoen from California

Nov 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4.49 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Oct 31, 2020
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.44/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is going to be difficult, a share bottle for rudzud and I that we were really exited to try, and was next in our queue. 2016

Pours an off-white smaller fizzy head with lower retention, bit of lacing, nice long legs, dark mahogany brown color with very little light, and some yeast chunks at the bottom

Nose is basically what I was hoping it would be, plenty of vanilla but a nice sweet vanilla and some vanilla barrel as well, with sweet candy notes, caramel, toffee, a light bourbon whiskey like character, some dark fruits like fig and date, brown sugar, soft aged malt

Taste brings more of the same, vanilla out front again, sweet vanilla extract and barrel vanilla notes, a little buttery oak, with light whiskey and sweet bourbon, into dark fruits with more fig and candied date, maybe even a hint of cherry, sweet candy as well, molasses and caramel at first, into brown sugar and toffee, smooth caramel vanilla candy chews, as well as a little soft after malt with hint of sherry wine, light smooth alcohol turning to a little peppery alcohol late, light bitterness at first, but kicks into med gear late, with a med dry semi sweet finish, a bit more perfumey alcohol as well, and lots of the sweet flavors

Mouth is fuller bod, rich almost chewy, med foamy carb, light warming almost tingly alcohol

Overall very nice beer, I think rudzud would have loved it but wished there was more vanilla, given the age I think it stood out well, and had a nice aged character
Aug 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4.31 by RMW66 from Australia

Jul 04, 2020
Photo of just1cho
Reviewed by just1cho from California

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
*Poured into a Teku glass from a 16oz can*

This beer poured a dark brown to amber color; typical barleywine look. This also had a white-tan colored head which was about a finger thick, but it didn't last very long at all. I'm not sure when this was canned but I'm sure the age and the style had to do with the head, or lack thereof.

The aroma was noticeably barrel-forward as I got a burning aroma of bourbon, oak, and a tiny bit of vanilla in the front. These aromas then mellowed out to notes of caramel and toffee which were in balance with the vanilla. Despite this, I didn't find that there was a good balance overall on the aroma between the barrel character and the malty/vanilla aromas. Since I don't know when this was canned, the age could have caused these aromas to fade.

Despite the lack of balance in the aroma, I thought that there was a nice balance between the barrel, caramel, and vanilla on the front of the palate. The caramel and vanilla notes eventually faded in the middle, where I primarily just got notes of just straight up bourbon. It was only in the end where the notes of buttery toffee and a bit of raisins appeared which were complimented with a bourbon aftertaste.

I found that this beer had a medium body and a low carbonation to it. This is definitely a big and boozy beer and it doesn't try to hide that from you. The bourbon aftertaste is definitely there but it isn't very lingering or over-bearing, and you definitely feel a comforting warmth from the bourbon in your throat and chest which is always a plus for me. That's why I would say that this is definitely meant to be sipped on and enjoyed over time. I thought that the flavors shined through more as the barleywine warmed up in my glass.

I definitely enjoyed sipping on this an appreciating all of its barrel, malt, and vanilla characters. Though balance was a bit lacking on the nose, the taste really made up for it. I would definitely drink this again if offered or given to me, but I'm not sure I would spend money to buy this again as it was on more of the pricier side of beers. Regardless, this was still very good and complex.
May 29, 2020
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
$ 24.09 (Including shipping)/16 oz can ($ 1.51/oz). Received 5/5/20 from Craft Shack, San Diego, CA. Reviewed 5/17/20.
Stamped on bottom of can “PKG 10/29/19”. Stored at home at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees (as suggested on the label) in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 62 degrees.
Appearance – 3.5.
First pour – Deep amber (SRM 15), murky.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), murky. Effervescent. When held to direct light, a ruby shade appears where the light penetrates, but only after the temperature reaches 59 degrees.
Head – Average (Maximum 3.5 cm, aggressive center pour), khaki, fizzy/high density with many medium rocks, short retention, diminishing to a 1.5 mm regular crown constantly renewed by the aggressive effervescence and no cap.
Lacing – None, much as expected.
Aroma – 4.25 – Predominately sweet roasted malt with a hint of brown sugar and some bourbon on the back end, no hops, no yeastiness.
Flavor – 4.25 – Begins with a roasted malty sweetness short of cloying mixed with distinct caramel followed by vanilla, no hops, no yeast. No alcohol (13.7 % ABV, as marked on the label) taste or aroma, but an instant gentle gastric warming occurs, which initially was harsh but on subsequent swallows mellowed. There is a hint of diacetyl but no dimethylsulfide. It ends with less-than-overpowering bourbon.
Palate – 3.75 – Medium, silky, lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.5. A bit thin but the excellent aroma and taste make this mellow example of the English barley wine superior to most others. I could sip this until “QWERTY” appeared on my forehead. Price point is a bit high but for an occasional splurge, well worth it. The label is simple but gives little information.
May 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4.22 by ghostfacekilla69 from Virginia

May 03, 2020
Photo of JohnnyHopps
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance - The beer poured a deep copper color with an off-white head. Carbonation was visible amid the darkness of the pour.

Smell - The nose smelled of vanilla. It was not overly potent of even perfume-like. It had just the right balance.

Taste - My first impression was how smooth the beer was. Vanilla was the ability to smooth out a "lumpy" beer. Though the base beer is sweet, vanilla adds a new dimension that creates balances. With the vanilla comes the barely notes, with the bourbon largely hidden. The vanilla lingers in the aftertaste, but does not overpower.

Mouthfeel - The beer was smooth with vanilla but had a good concentration of viscosity and light carbonation.

Overall - I was not expected much from a vanilla barleywine, but I enjoyed this one.
Apr 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.24 by Budlum from Maryland

Apr 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4.29 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Apr 04, 2020
Mash & Vanilla from The Bruery
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 308 ratings