Barrel Aged Patience (Cognac)
Fulton Beer

 

Bottle 255 of 1600. Pours a murky cola color with a tan head. Smell is caramel,baked bread and dark fruits . Taste has brandy ,cognac ,raised and fig mixed with wood from the barrel vanilla and fudge and bread. Stick with malt sweetness and barrel congac it has a dark rum finish, Barrel very strong on this one . Nicely done.

750ml bottle. Bottle #169 of 1600. Early 2017 release.
Amber brown colored body. Slight off white head, which reduces to thin ring and small islands. No real pattern of lacing.
Aroma of caramel malts and sweet apple. Barrel notes are there and indicative of cognac or rum. Just a touch of vanilla.
Taste of liquor soaked apples. Also has caramel and vanilla. Initially a little sweet but the after taste is more drier alcohol.
Thicker mouth feel. Very smooth, with some syrup. Okay carbonation.
A very full tasting barleywine, with excellent depth and variety. Thicker mouth feel helps to heighten the experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I drank this beer a couple weeks ago and it was unforgettable. I had to strap down a quick review for this one. It was so rich and decadent and smooth and silky. The cognac barrel brought flavors of vanilla and bourbon and tannin into a complex malt forward barleywine base. This beer was fantastic. Every little sip was a flavor punch. I only remember a few beers that have packed so much flavor in such a small sip. One in particular was Bell's Batch 6000. Only wish I had one in the cellar now.

 

 

 

 

cognac is a funny barrel for me, every since i had a couple of mikkeller beers in these barrels years ago, i always want to taste more of it. those were so pungent on the cognac, and ever since, every beer claiming cognac barrels has underwhelmed, and while this is a great barleywine, its not so forward on what was previously housed in the barrels, to its detriment a little bit i think. huge notes of caramel on toffee and fusel alcohol on this, really heavy grain profile, sweet with brown sugar and vanilla notes, but earthy too, almost breakfasty more than desserty. i get plenty of oak here too, its rich and smooth in that way, but these barrels could have been whiskey, i get very little cognac beyond a waft in the aroma. there is a rum raisin vibe to this, sticky and boozy and sweet, with even a butterscotch element. this is huge beer, not overly refined, and a little kitchen sinky to me. good barrel character on it, the toast and mellowness of the wood is all over it, but lacking in cognac character specifically. a little less amazing than some of the other huge beers i have had from these guys, but a fine take on the style.

 

 

 

Bottle 076 of 1600. Pours a murky brown with a thin head that quickly settles. Nice sheet of lacing forms on the glass after sipping. I think Patience is too hot for my tastes but barrel-aging it has mellowed it out nicely. The aroma is full of caramel and Tootsie Roll type of candy. Hints of brandy, vanilla, wood, anise, and earth. Smells slightly stale as well. As I bring the glass up to my mouth, I am overwhelmed by the smell of beer that has gone past peak. The flavor is very sweet with caramel accentuated by the cognac. I also pick up licorice, earth, and alcohol. Full body with mellow carbonation allows the beer to float on the palate and develop the flavors.