Unwound
The North Brewery

From a 12 ounce bottle into a snifter. Bottle says this is from September 2015.

Right off the bat, the look is on point. Dark viscous, ebony liquid with an initially sudsy head that becomes frothy and milky with times and goes nowhere, even after a good ten minutes.

Smell is all apple brandy. Tartness and malt meld in a way that reminds me of an oud bruin. I like what I'm smelling but it's not the most diverse and layered aroma I have ever encountered.

Still get plenty of apple brandy on the palate, but the beer isn't awash in it. There's a good chocolatey roast to play off the sharper and tarter liquor. Midpalate is particularly notable, with a caramel and apple blend that finishes enveloped in a roasted malt finish. It has a nice pop of vanilla too. Loving the lingering chocolate syrup flavor in my mouth with just a tinge of apple brandy. This beer's pretty damn nice.

Here's something fascinating about this beer: the tartness from the apple brandy lends it an oud bruin quality without it completely feeling like that style, but based on the oud bruin-esque flavors, I'd still be pleased with this beer. Feel is rich, a bit brown sugary, roasty, sweet, and, of course, a bit tart. No booze at all shows despite the 9%+ ABV and overall it's just pleasurable to drink and you'll want to keep sipping.

Damn good shit. Dammmmn, North Brewery, back at it with the good beer.

 

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a MtL tulip; 11/15/15 release

Look: The beer pours a brown-bergundy with a very minimal tan head.

Smell: It's just all apple brandy. Some sweet notes, along with a hint of chocolate.

Taste: The barrel is really the star of the show here. Big sweet apple flavor, a tinge of sourness (maybe from the barrel, or maybe the brandy), a bit of oak, and very subtle milk chocolate. No heat what so ever.

Feel: This has a great mouthfeel to it. It drinks almost like a stout, but I can see how the barrel would kick that abv up a bit.

Overall: if not for the great mouthfeel, I'd swear this was a barrel aged brown ale masquerading as a porter. I get just a hint of the porter chocolate characteristics, but none of the typical bitterness or roastyness. The apple brandy barrel takes center stage with this beer, which is really enjoyable. I just had to knock the smell/taste a bit as I'm getting a little more tartness than I'd like. Definitely looking forward to drinking more from these guys.

Pours pitch black with a white head. The nose has a nice poached apple nose with chocolate and brandy booze. The body is incredible with a robust chocolate taste and dark fruit followed by a balanced warming heat from the brandy. This is a sipper by the fireplace type of beer. The feel is on the verge of being silly and rolling across the tongue. Best Beer i have had from the north

Purchased recently at the brewery in 12 oz bottles as part of a special release.

This is a phenomenal beer! A well conceived brew with an imperial porter aged apple brandy barrels. A good combination.

L: An opaque black liquid with an almost non-existent head.

S: Amazing, rich aroma that immediately greets you with notes of the apple brandy barrel aging, including an oak scent, and followed up with a smell of molasses and complex sweetness.

T: A deep caramel-like sweetness and malt flavors, with a hint of oak and a slight presence of sourness on the back end.

F: A thick syrupy consistency for a heavy mouthfeel that matches well with big characteristics of this beer.

Overall: This is an excellent beer and one of the best examples of a barrel aged beer where the flavors from that aging really come through.