Brandy Barrel Aged Alpha Kong
3 Floyds Brewing Co.

 

 

 

A- Brownish orange with thin white head
S- Almost like aged orange peal and faint spices... maybe some naturally fermenting fruit
T - Builds to an intense sweetness of fermenting/rotting mixed fruit (in an ok way), then fades to caramel and brown sugar. A bit of alcohol bite in there too. The taste is interesting, not offensive, but not something I am killing myself to get another bottle
F- Medium thick with all the sugar
O- Three Floyds always keeps it interesting and this beer is no exception. Regular Alpha Kong from 2015 or 2016 was not the best, but the Brandy barrel has come to soften it and make it more drinkable. The fermented fruit from the brandy seems to do most of the heavy lifting. The beer isn't "bad", just not great.

 

Feeling hot, hot, hot, hot... the absurd brewing minds at Three Floyds layer their already spicy Alpha Kong Belgian darker, stronger ale with the threads of spicy brandy that not only offsets the beer's residual sugars but to ensure that the beer continues its abrasive spirit even with extended aging.

Rusty golden and layering like a bruised peach, the beer's sparsely froth collapses before pushing an aromatic display of orchard fruit, tropical fruit, booze spice and syrups onto the nose. Its taste is rife with honey and peaches, caramel and cashew, maple and malt.

As the fruit and spice mingle on the middle palate, the sweetness proves stubborn and resists any notion to fade or to allow the complex yeast characteristics to shine. Peaches, apricot, papaya, pineapple, cherry and raisin provide a high sense of fruitcake on the the tastebuds while strong peppercorn, cumin, clove, allspice and booze begins to battle with the sweetness and fruitiness instead of balancing them.

As the spices of brandy and its oaken tannins push the spice flavor and feel further, the full bodied ale begins to leave final impressions of strong fruit flavored spirits, a lightly acidic winey spice and a piquant solvent heat. A long spicy aftertaste suggests that the ale is a slow and sipping beer meant to be shared a few ounces at a time. But with the beer's rough edges, its cellar potential has got a long way to go.

 

 

 

Purchased bottle 319 of 548 from the brewery. I'm huge fan of Alpha Kong but couldnt taste it at all in this brew. Still an interesting beer and definitely worth the experience.