Barrel-Aged Project Brew No. 9 - Grappa
Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal

Couldn't find any specific bottled on date, but this is a 2015 vintage limited run of 1024 bottles.

When opened (standard bottle cap, no cork & cage), I received a fair amount of post ferm carbonation spewing from the bottle. It settled quickly, and upon pouring I was greeted with a beautiful deep amber hue. Frothy white carbonation came in spurts, varying from one to three inches in head, but always quick to settle. Ultimately, the beer sat still in the glass after just a few moments.

All grappa on the nose; sweet, jammy grape jelly and caramelized honey burst out of the gate immediately. If you really look for it, there are some underlying notes of green apple and oak.

This thing is DRY. Not at all in a bad way, it's really aged gracefully. The palate boasts primary notes of white grape must and sour plums, followed by a dry earthiness and vinous funk. A finishing sweetness brings out red berries and caramelized apples. Great complexity.

As mentioned, a dry, dry mouthfeel with low yet sharp, seltzery carbonation. That grappa barrel imparts a good bit of heat on the finish, warming the face and throat as you get further along. Lingering in the finish to mellow that booze is a touch of herbal spice.

twelve percent? no alcohol whatsoever.... 2014 bottle. says one of 998? and made it all the way here?? hard to believe... but super easy to drink!!!!

 

 

 

On-tap at Mugs Alehouse, Brooklyn, NY

A: The beer is hazy cherry wood in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation near the edge of the glass. It poured with some patches of bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of grappa are present in the nose.
T: The taste has much stronger flavors of grappa, which have some notes of grape skins and sourness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is nice if you like grappa. It does a remarkable job at hiding its alcohol so it is quite drinkable considering the strength.

Serving type: on-tap

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Vintage (Date 8/15/15) Poured on draft in a tulip it has a thin white head with a dark amber body. Smell of wine, cherry, raspberry, berry, oak, vanilla, and some floral notes with slight sweet lemon. Taste is oak and vanilla with berry, dark fruit, and a bit of lemon. Not overly sweet with a good amount of earth and a lot of oak charcteristics. Very nice balanced belgian dark ale though I'm not getting a lot of dried fruit or sugars out of it. Crisp full mouth feel and a moderate body.

On tap at the Cellar at Duckworths in uptown Charlotte, NC. Smells like Welch's grape jelly. Tastes like a delicious grape nehi. When I saw grappa barreled, I was a bit worried because grappa can take the chrome off your bumper. This was very well balanced and delicious.

 

 

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; 2014 vintage bottling, labeled as a Dark ale. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big raisin, plum, cherry, red grape, apple, white wine, oak, pepper, caramel, toast, brown bread, light toffee, light vanilla, herbal, grass, and yeast/oak earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, spirit barrel, and dark/bready malt notes; with good strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, cherry, red grape, apple, white wine, oak, pepper, caramel, toast, toffee, brown bread, light vanilla, herbal, grass, and yeast/oak earthiness. Good amount of earthy yeast spiciness and slight tannic tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of raisin, plum, cherry, red grape, apple, white wine, oak, pepper, caramel, toast, toffee, brown bread, light vanilla, herbal, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity and robustness of fruity/spicy yeast, spirit barrel, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/yeast/barrel balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth, fairly crisp, and lightly creamy/prickly mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is well hidden with a small-moderate warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong dark ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, spirit barrel, and dark/bready malt flavors; and very smooth and crisp to sip on for the huge ABV. A very enjoyable offering.