Small Batch Hoarders: Raspberry Valley
The Bruery

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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
17.3%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.38 | pDev: 3.65%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
13
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 15, 2021
Added:
Aug 02, 2018
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ThickNStout:
Photo of ThickNStout
Reviewed by ThickNStout from Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
375mL bottle acquired through The Bruery’s Society. Released June 2018. Served in a Bruery teku. Enjoyed 10/22/18.

Pours a dark chocolate brown with a short manilla head. The froth is gone quickly, with the retention amounting to only a few bubbles around the edges and a couple dots of lace.

Aromas of berries and cream, chocolate, vanilla and some softly earthy wet wood. The raspberry element in particular is really nice and a little addictive, drawing me back the more I smell it.

The Black Tuesday base is quite obvious in the flavor with its dark fruit, Bruery yeast and cocoa but there is a blanket of freeze dried raspberries that provides a constant jammy note. The vanilla is there but a bit faint, lending that berries and cream aspect that was noted in the nose. Around mid palate is where I get some vinous wine quality, followed by fruit skins, wet wood, a little earth, some cooked caramel and a generous dollop of booze. This is quite delicious.

Full feel with moderate carbonation. The aftertaste is like semi-burnt raspberry chocolate cake with an alcohol-infused glaze.

With each new variant I try, The Bruery is showing what a great beer Black Tuesday really is. The biggest change here, outside of all that delightfully present raspberry, is the use of wine barrels instead of bourbon barrels. It seems to underscore the dark fruity aspects, which works well with this brew.
Oct 23, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.32 by kmoen from California

Mar 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.32 by BAsbill from California

Mar 15, 2021
Photo of StraightNoChaser
Reviewed by StraightNoChaser from Georgia

4.37/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: hazy dark brown. Sparse mocha head on the pour that dissipates quickly.
Smell: raspberry forward, some vanilla.
Taste: all the flavors of the nose. Add red wine, mostly dry.
Jan 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.46 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Aug 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.43 by Beer21 from Florida

Apr 26, 2020
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer topped by a modestly dense light tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of chocolate and raspberries with some vanilla, nice red fruit from the wine barrels with some tannic oak. Hints of espresso and roasted malts.
T: Taste is juicy raspberries and vanilla with some chocolate, espresso, and roasted malts, nice wine barrel notes with some more red berries, currants, and slight tannic oak. On the swallow there's more vanilla, raspberries, chocolate, wine barrel, red fruits, roasted malts, and espresso.
M: This beer is surprisingly light in body for the abv. Carbonation is a little heavier than necessary as well which may be contributing to the light feel on the palate. The finish on this beer is drying which is expected for the style and ABV.
O: Overall this is a fantastic beer. It has some really neat flavors and some great complexity along with some really nice execution. All the flavors are there and well balanced which makes this an excellent beer to sip and savor. Well worth trying if this one comes back.
Sep 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by imperialking from Illinois

Jul 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Feb 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.34 by Kurmaraja from California

Jan 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.48 by taospowder from New Mexico

Nov 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.75 by BrueryDC from California

Oct 10, 2018
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.31/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
375ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours dark black with just a bit of light creeping through, thin khaki head with short retention

S- very berry-forward aroma, lots of fresh squeezed raspberry, followed by plenty of vinous red wine & oak. Undertones of vanilla & chocolate, smells like a raspberry truffle

T- raspberry comes through just as strong on taste, starting sweet initially then turning slightly tart. Mid-palate brings out the wine barrel with bold red wine notes, along with chocolate, vanilla and a hint of licorice. The finish gives notes of raspberry truffle, caramel and lingers of red wine, chocolate & booze

M- medium body with moderate-low carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel and a warming boozy finish

O- plenty of raspberry works well with the wine barrel treatment, it's a bit hot but not as boozy as expected for +17% ABV, very good
Aug 18, 2018
Small Batch Hoarders: Raspberry Valley from The Bruery
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 13 ratings