Apple Brandy Barrel Noir
Prairie Artisan Ales

 

 

 

 

2016 Vintage(I Think)

A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer which is topped by a small light tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of brandy barrels with some chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts
T: Taste is chocolate and coffee up front with some brandy barrel influence. Hints of roasted malts and toasted marshmallows. On the swallow there's more brandy barrel, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts
M: This beer has a body which is lighter than anticipated and slightly silky. Carbonation is quite low, but it is there while the beer has a sightly drying finish due to the ABV
O: Overall this beer is quite good. It has also held up well over time. Complexity also grows as the beer warms. It's definitely worth a try if you like barrel aged beers.

#105 Love it, Apple really come thru!

 

Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is good after an aggressive pour. Aroma is big. Apple brandy, toffee, barrel, char, and caramel dance and play over roasty and toasty malts. Flavor profile is medium-thin. Roasty and toasty malts lead the charge. Toffee, caramel, molasses, and apple brandy tag on for a flavorful brew. Mouth feel is velvety, and soft, but never hits creamy. It has a medium-thick consistency. Overall, solid stout with hints of apple brandy coming through.

Reviewed from notes. Reviewed 1/12/19. 2018 version.

 

Really enjoying this. Much less sweet than anticipated and has a nice chally bakers chocolage predominace. The apple brandy tastes genuine and natural whereas I feel I lot of prairies beers are try hard and artificial. Namely vanilla noir which is awfully fake.

Its not terribly complex. Taste like a very simple, basic, strong old school RIS with roasty notes layered with oak and yesz apple bransy. Quite thick and very hot.

 

This rating is based on the original from a few years ago. Pours dark brown/black with exceptional thickness. The Apple Brandy melds perfectly to make this an exceptional barrel aged stout. For a number of years this was my favorite beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have never really been a fan of the apple brandy BA stouts. The apple character has always been an odd mix for me. I got this bottle for retail on the shelf mostly because I love Prairie and I knew people flip for this beer. Upon opening it, the smell is very distinct and I just don't like it! It smells the way it's supposed to smell, it's just that the apple brandy barrel of off putting to me. Now on the tongue, it's a completely different story for me. The apple is there but distinct and really appealing. A tiny bit tart? The stout's sweetness works well with this barrel. It also helps for it to be a bit warmer too. A great beer that changed my mind. I've never had a beer with a smell that I didn't like end up being enjoyable before, so a really fun beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve had a majority of the highest rated/reviewed Prairie Stouts. Probably all of them in the top 250. This is easily the best one of the bunch. Everything is superb!

 

 

Maybe ny all time favorite stout ever. Apple pie and coffee in a glass.