-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Arbre Dark Wheatwine - Alligator Char
The Bruery
- From:
- The Bruery
- California, United States
- Style:
- Wheatwine
- ABV:
- 10.8%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 5.53%
- Reviews:
- 5
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Oct 24, 2021
- Added:
- Apr 11, 2017
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 2
We brewed a dark, decadent wheatwine-style ale with chocolate wheat malt to accentuate the richness imparted through barrel-aging. We then divided the beer into three components, laying each down in new American oak barrels with varying degrees of barrel toast and char. This release showcases the robust, charred and dark chocolate notes contributed from aging in alligator charred oak barrels. Taste it side-by-side with its light toast and medium toast counterparts to bring the barrel-aging journey full circle.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Lucnifter:
Rated by Lucnifter from California
4.05/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Apr 24, 2017
4.05/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Apr 24, 2017
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Brew_42 from Massachusetts
4.08/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had it out of a bottle from Danish Yellow in Daegu. 2017 edition enjoyed in April of 2020.
Appearance dark cola brown with light penetrating the heat edges. Not much of a head or lacing.
Smell is oak and char with caramel notes.
Taste is charred oak and caramel. The smoke and sweetness reminds me of toasted marshmallow.
Mouthfeel is smooth and medium
Overall: normally I can do without the heavy wood flavor, but this beer is quite pleasant. Couldn’t drink a ton of it, but it’s good.
Apr 06, 2020Appearance dark cola brown with light penetrating the heat edges. Not much of a head or lacing.
Smell is oak and char with caramel notes.
Taste is charred oak and caramel. The smoke and sweetness reminds me of toasted marshmallow.
Mouthfeel is smooth and medium
Overall: normally I can do without the heavy wood flavor, but this beer is quite pleasant. Couldn’t drink a ton of it, but it’s good.
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle into a snifter. Bottled 3/31/17, had 7/5/19.
Pours a dark amber- garnet in the light, somewhat opaque, with a half inch foamy head and some spotty cling. Aromas of caramel, malt, char, oak, smoke, some raisins, light figs, a little smoked meat. I just don’t get to type that last one enough. Flavors of caramel, malt, oak, char, smoke, chocolate, dates, figs, some raisins, light plums. Smooth, a very good medium body, well carbonated.
Have now had all three versions (light and medium are the others), and all have been really enjoyable with one as good as the others. This one definitely had more char and smoke, more caramel. Other flavors and aromas are a little less intense from the increased char.
Mar 26, 2020Pours a dark amber- garnet in the light, somewhat opaque, with a half inch foamy head and some spotty cling. Aromas of caramel, malt, char, oak, smoke, some raisins, light figs, a little smoked meat. I just don’t get to type that last one enough. Flavors of caramel, malt, oak, char, smoke, chocolate, dates, figs, some raisins, light plums. Smooth, a very good medium body, well carbonated.
Have now had all three versions (light and medium are the others), and all have been really enjoyable with one as good as the others. This one definitely had more char and smoke, more caramel. Other flavors and aromas are a little less intense from the increased char.
Reviewed by Dope from Massachusetts
4.31/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dated 2017
A: Pours nearly black, with hints of mahogany. Medium sized light brown head, a bit soapy in appearance. Head retention is decent, very little in the way of lacing.
S: A bit charry, with tons of toasted marshmallows. Currants and brown sugar for sure, lots of that in there too.
T: Hints of char up front with toasted marshmallow, turning into more currants with a backing of dark chocolate now. Lots of dark chocolate in the middle. Aftertaste is lightly charry, kinda reminds me of bandaids at points.
M: Heavy bodied and thick.
O: Very unique and intriguing beer. I expected it to be super charry but it is not. Really, there are just hints in fact. It adds some complexity and rounds out the beer nicely. It feels sort of like a cross between a stout and a wheatwine. Excellent beer.
Nov 10, 2019A: Pours nearly black, with hints of mahogany. Medium sized light brown head, a bit soapy in appearance. Head retention is decent, very little in the way of lacing.
S: A bit charry, with tons of toasted marshmallows. Currants and brown sugar for sure, lots of that in there too.
T: Hints of char up front with toasted marshmallow, turning into more currants with a backing of dark chocolate now. Lots of dark chocolate in the middle. Aftertaste is lightly charry, kinda reminds me of bandaids at points.
M: Heavy bodied and thick.
O: Very unique and intriguing beer. I expected it to be super charry but it is not. Really, there are just hints in fact. It adds some complexity and rounds out the beer nicely. It feels sort of like a cross between a stout and a wheatwine. Excellent beer.
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia
4.17/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a nice light brown head that dissipates quickly. The beer itself a dark, charred black. It certainly does not look like chocolate but more of a heavily burnt and charred wood to the point where it's black but has dark brown notes.
The smell is good. It has a deep and constant charred woody smell. There is some caramel and chocolate but they are pretty light compared to the stronger charred note.
The taste resembles the smell. It has a strong charred note but the caramel is a bit more present and contrasts well with the charred note. there is also a slight chocolate note in the finish. The taste is definitely better and more interesting than the smell due to the slightly stronger chocolate note. There is a tiny alcohol in the finish.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body but a thin texture with biting carbonation. There is definitely a slight alcohol burn through it. Dry, bitter, and roasted finish.
Overall, this is definitely an indulgent and interesting beer worth getting if possible.
Mar 24, 2018The smell is good. It has a deep and constant charred woody smell. There is some caramel and chocolate but they are pretty light compared to the stronger charred note.
The taste resembles the smell. It has a strong charred note but the caramel is a bit more present and contrasts well with the charred note. there is also a slight chocolate note in the finish. The taste is definitely better and more interesting than the smell due to the slightly stronger chocolate note. There is a tiny alcohol in the finish.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body but a thin texture with biting carbonation. There is definitely a slight alcohol burn through it. Dry, bitter, and roasted finish.
Overall, this is definitely an indulgent and interesting beer worth getting if possible.
Reviewed by ThickNStout from Georgia
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Black and silver striped foil capped 750mL bottle acquired through The Bruery’s Society. Bottled 3/31/17. Served in a Bruery snifter. Enjoyed 1/16/18.
Pours a dark, soda brown, so as to rest in the glass completely dark and opaque. The two fingers of cream hued head fade slowly to a thin haze and broad halo, which in turn gradually vanish with neither retention nor lace.
Smells of cooked caramel, wet oak, char and cereal.
Tastes of grainy wheat, caramel, wet wood, oaky char, fruit skins and a bit of alcohol.
Medium full feel with moderately soft carbonation. The aftertaste is full of sweet, grainy wheat with a healthy dollop of wet, oaky char.
My first dip into The Bruery’s most recent Arbre series is pretty satisfying. The base wheatwine is mighty tasty and the barrel char easily apparent.
Feb 17, 2018Pours a dark, soda brown, so as to rest in the glass completely dark and opaque. The two fingers of cream hued head fade slowly to a thin haze and broad halo, which in turn gradually vanish with neither retention nor lace.
Smells of cooked caramel, wet oak, char and cereal.
Tastes of grainy wheat, caramel, wet wood, oaky char, fruit skins and a bit of alcohol.
Medium full feel with moderately soft carbonation. The aftertaste is full of sweet, grainy wheat with a healthy dollop of wet, oaky char.
My first dip into The Bruery’s most recent Arbre series is pretty satisfying. The base wheatwine is mighty tasty and the barrel char easily apparent.
Arbre Dark Wheatwine - Alligator Char from The Bruery
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
21 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!