Barrel-Aged Project 2014 (Belgian Dark Ale) - Port Charlotte
Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal

Was hoping my years of aging this one would cut the extreme scotch barrel I had read about. Did it? Let's find out. Murky shades of brown with a large beige head. Scotch barrel very present still in nose, but in a way that actually accesses the barrel aromas of peat, booze, oak, char, and earth, with light dark fruits, so very promising. Then the taste... yeah it is straight scotch booze bomb the whole way, no nuance save peaty earth and oak behind the booze, unbalanced. Feel is hot even after all these years, amazing in some ways, body is thin as a result. Age couldn't bring balance to this galaxy

 

 

 

Sampled in a blind taste in november 2017. It is sour and smoky at the same time. With both flavors and characteristics totally separable. Complexity of this beer is awesome and worth every single penny.

liquid smoke.....dominates every other characteristic

I was excited to try a scotch-barrel-aged ale, as there aren't too many of them out there. The peat influence advertised on the bottle was the deal-maker for me. As this is the first time I'm creating a beer here, I ought to do it careful justice in my review. I'll say this for starters - this is a SIPPER! Be patient with this beer and you will enjoy it much more.

Looks as expected for a long-aged dark ale. Very, very dark, but crystal clear oxblood red color, and quickly dissipating head with no lacing.

Smell is potent! Right off the bat, we're not getting much smoke, but almost more ash, like a campfire the next day, plus a slight roasted meaty smell. Old port or a very jammy zinfandel wine are the most immediate comparisons. Dark fruits like prunes and figs are abundant, with a peculiar chemical-like or medicinal syrup odor underneath it all that I must say, isn't entirely unpleasant...

Taste fits the smell quite well, with a sweet plum and cherry juice flavor up front, and a slightly smokey, ashy, bitter flavor in the finish. Lots of contrasting flavors here that don't work in perfect harmony, but make a compelling mix all the same. Sort of the like the opening of the song Black Sabbath with unharmonious notes that aren't in any proper key, but still sound cool all the same. Even a minute or two after my last swallow, I still get hints of smoked meats and fruits coming up in the back of my throat.

The feel is also as expected for a barrel-aged dark ale - not quite syrupy, but fairly thick, and very little carbonation. This one will sit on your tongue for a while Woody tannins feel a bit chalky on the tongue, but again, that's what you'd expect.

In general, I like my beers with full-flavor, and this fits the bill. It's a very strange meld of flavors and sensations unlike any I've had, but if you can get past the weirdness of it, I can't say it isn't interesting and pretty drinkable. Probably best shared with a few people, as I am halfway through the bottle and already kind of getting over it, but it's a big bottle and that's no reason not to give this one a whirl.