Samael's Ale | Avery Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Avery Brewing Company
Colorado, United States
averybrewing.com
Style: English Barleywine
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 16.90%
Availability: Summer
Notes / Commercial Description:
A super-caramelly, oak-aged strong English-style ale, brewed with Columbus, Fuggels hops and two-row barley, caramel 150L malt.
2006: 14.50% (Batch #2)
2007: 14.50% (Batch #3)
2008: 15.53% (Batch #4)
2009: 16.45% (Batch #5)
2010: 15.82% (Batch #6)
2011: 15.31% (Batch #7)
2012: 15.47% (Batch #8)
2013: 16.90% (Batch #9)
2014: 14.20% (Batch #10)
2015: 14.60% (Batch #11)
Added by ommegangpbr on 06-24-2005
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,467 | Reviews: 647
3.53/5 rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass bottled in 2010.
A: head is non existent body is a caramel light brown with just a touch of haze. A few floaties but as a 7 year old bottle I think that is acceptable.
S: it smells of prunes, figs, raisins, lots of alcohol,
T: lots of prune figs and soft toffee a good bit of oxidation.
M: Soft mouthfeel carbonation is still there but it is light. Syrupy.
O: it drinks like an oxided old ale would. Light carbonation syrupy lots of prunes and dates. Alcohol is surprisingly well hidden in the taste.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass bottled in 2010.
A: head is non existent body is a caramel light brown with just a touch of haze. A few floaties but as a 7 year old bottle I think that is acceptable.
S: it smells of prunes, figs, raisins, lots of alcohol,
T: lots of prune figs and soft toffee a good bit of oxidation.
M: Soft mouthfeel carbonation is still there but it is light. Syrupy.
O: it drinks like an oxided old ale would. Light carbonation syrupy lots of prunes and dates. Alcohol is surprisingly well hidden in the taste.
547 characters
4.46/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
All time favorite. Have vertical of 2007-2016
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look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
All time favorite. Have vertical of 2007-2016
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3.81/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2015 vintage, cellared for 2 years. Pours a clear copper with almost no carbonation or lacing.
I'll second the Alstrom Bros' review that the combination of strong alcohol, sugary, fruity sweetness, and earthy oak does give a almost cooking wine/masala-like aroma. Not in a bad way, but know what you're getting into. You know that wet, malty smell you get on brewery tours? That's kind of what I'm smelling here.
Flavor is like an amped-up English barleywine, where subtlety and complexity is exchanged for power and thickness. It's very sweet in a sugary syrup and dried fruit way. Again, wet and musty malts, apricots, red grapes, and toffee lead the way. If there's any oak influence at all, it may have either faded away, or it was only ever there as a hint of earthy dryness in the finish. It's the candy sweetness that stays in your gums though. After-belch comes up like Dr. Pepper, a bit.
Mouthfeel is thick, with only a little prickle of carbonation, and the finish lasts quite a while. Overall, sweeter than any beer if like to go back to considering how little else is going on. That said, there was nothing offensive about this beer and it was quite enjoyable, again, provided you knew what you were getting into.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2015 vintage, cellared for 2 years. Pours a clear copper with almost no carbonation or lacing.
I'll second the Alstrom Bros' review that the combination of strong alcohol, sugary, fruity sweetness, and earthy oak does give a almost cooking wine/masala-like aroma. Not in a bad way, but know what you're getting into. You know that wet, malty smell you get on brewery tours? That's kind of what I'm smelling here.
Flavor is like an amped-up English barleywine, where subtlety and complexity is exchanged for power and thickness. It's very sweet in a sugary syrup and dried fruit way. Again, wet and musty malts, apricots, red grapes, and toffee lead the way. If there's any oak influence at all, it may have either faded away, or it was only ever there as a hint of earthy dryness in the finish. It's the candy sweetness that stays in your gums though. After-belch comes up like Dr. Pepper, a bit.
Mouthfeel is thick, with only a little prickle of carbonation, and the finish lasts quite a while. Overall, sweeter than any beer if like to go back to considering how little else is going on. That said, there was nothing offensive about this beer and it was quite enjoyable, again, provided you knew what you were getting into.
1,239 characters
4.37/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.06/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Boozy n sweet.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Boozy n sweet.
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3.75/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
355ml 2013 bottle poured into tulip 1/4/17 thanks Beersnake1 for the want
a amber liquid the looks like a slow moving snow globe from all the sediment, two fingers of tan foam makes a little noise as it fizzles leaving no lace, long legs remind you shes big
S soft caramel galore, burnt brown sugar, virgin oak, sugar coated raisins, boozy but nowhere near what I expected, some canned plums perhaps?
T fruity booze and caramel is all over this one, intense compared too the nose, apple sauce spiked with brandy
M syrupy and hot, has enough bubbles to soften it up, hits your head but definitely makes some noise going down lots of oak on the finish
O lots of good things happening here but shes over the top boozy and might never calm down
This one has enough sugar and booze that I might regret cracking it as a nightcap tomorrow when I wake up.....
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
355ml 2013 bottle poured into tulip 1/4/17 thanks Beersnake1 for the want
a amber liquid the looks like a slow moving snow globe from all the sediment, two fingers of tan foam makes a little noise as it fizzles leaving no lace, long legs remind you shes big
S soft caramel galore, burnt brown sugar, virgin oak, sugar coated raisins, boozy but nowhere near what I expected, some canned plums perhaps?
T fruity booze and caramel is all over this one, intense compared too the nose, apple sauce spiked with brandy
M syrupy and hot, has enough bubbles to soften it up, hits your head but definitely makes some noise going down lots of oak on the finish
O lots of good things happening here but shes over the top boozy and might never calm down
This one has enough sugar and booze that I might regret cracking it as a nightcap tomorrow when I wake up.....
868 characters
3.93/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2016 Bottle.
Oaky, intense malts, alcohol astringency, pretty sweet. The booz was initially intense but it mellowed to a silent roar. I'd highly recommend this beer. Avery certainly knows how to execute a massive beer with grace.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2016 Bottle.
Oaky, intense malts, alcohol astringency, pretty sweet. The booz was initially intense but it mellowed to a silent roar. I'd highly recommend this beer. Avery certainly knows how to execute a massive beer with grace.
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4.15/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2006 bottle. Tons of caramel and oak. First time having this and I wonder how much of the great flavors are from the extended aging. Too bad it's not in Avery's production lineup anymore
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2006 bottle. Tons of caramel and oak. First time having this and I wonder how much of the great flavors are from the extended aging. Too bad it's not in Avery's production lineup anymore
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4.16/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2006
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2006
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3.86/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a striking copper with just about a half finger of head. The nose has soft bourbon notes. The overwhelming flavor note is sweetness but there is an accompanying mediciney quality that is off-putting.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a striking copper with just about a half finger of head. The nose has soft bourbon notes. The overwhelming flavor note is sweetness but there is an accompanying mediciney quality that is off-putting.
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4.68/5 rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.28/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.96/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A different barley wine with an odd color, probably unfiltered, but with a nice light aroma, tasty and very strong on the alcohol. Another retired Avery. Respect Beer!
Batch #12.
178 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A different barley wine with an odd color, probably unfiltered, but with a nice light aroma, tasty and very strong on the alcohol. Another retired Avery. Respect Beer!
Batch #12.
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4.21/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.84/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Copper to amber in color and very hazy from the bourbon barrel aging. There's a fingernail of beige around half of the rim. The aroma is comprised of a hefty dose of malt, sweet bourbon, and woodsy oak. The taste is very sweet light malt, bourbon, and earthy oak. The mouth is warm with alcohol and rather chewy.
316 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Copper to amber in color and very hazy from the bourbon barrel aging. There's a fingernail of beige around half of the rim. The aroma is comprised of a hefty dose of malt, sweet bourbon, and woodsy oak. The taste is very sweet light malt, bourbon, and earthy oak. The mouth is warm with alcohol and rather chewy.
316 characters
Samael's Ale from Avery Brewing Company
3.88
out of 5
based on 1,467 ratings.
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75