Buckwheat
Barreled Souls Brewing Company

Sampling a cellar temp 500 ml bottle poured into my snifter. the beer was bottled 11/09/2022 and has been in my cellar for the a little over 1.5 years.
The beer pours a fairly dark mahogany color with light passing through on the edges of the glass. A frothy beige head of just under 2 cm foams up and has faded to almost nothing, but the wispiest of edging and one small spinning island in the center of my glass.
the aroma is bold straight off from the bottle cap popping off. I am definitely getting brown sugar, cinnamon and some bourbon and brandy notes on the nose. No hop character and there is a bit of fusol note of high ABV. Has a bit of a caramel apple note upon further whiffs. Nice appealing nose, but warns of the beer being a sipper.
First sip reveals a medium to thick body with slightly sticky texture and fine very tingly carbonation. Leaves a bit of coating on my palate after each sip. Feels the part of a bigger beer too!
Flavors are similar to the nose, some bourbon and brandy notes mix with a little brown sugar and definitely dark fruity raisin hits here too. Cinnamon is on the finish along with some warming booze, plus some general dark sweetness that lingers a bit. Maybe a molassess-esque flavor? Definitely leaves off sweeter side, but not candy like. Never any hop character on this beer.
I quite enjoy the mixture of flavors on this beer and am glad to have had this bottle. I was a little leary of all the pieces coming together, but it all works very well IMO. A win from the folks at Saco, Maine!

From a 500ml wax-top bottle, dated 11/09/22. Purchased at the brewery 06/25/23. Served in a cervoise.

Pour is a translucent butterscotch-maple color with a finger-plus of sloppy, spit-like beige foam. The head holds up just long enough to get a quick look at before settling to a narrow fizzy collar and pretty much no lacing to speak of.

Nose is sweet, smooth and boozy. Fruitcake-like aroma of brandy and raisins, and then a bit of cinnamon spice as it warms - like cinnamon toast.

Taste is only mildly sweet and not half as boozy as expected. Smoooth. Tasting fruitcake, raisins, mace, cloves and cinnamon. Barrel character is prominent and, power of suggestion or not, I seem to be able to tease out the rum, apple brandy and bourbon barrels, each in turn.

Feel is smooth and chewy, medium bodied with ample fine, prickly carbonation. I feel the warmth, sure, but I wouldn’t have ever pegged it at 15%.

Overall, tasty af! Truthfully, I rolled my eyes briefly at the notion of a 15.2% brown ale… but I bought a couple bottles anyway, didn’t I? And aren’t I glad I did. Planned or happenstance, the base beer and the blended barrel character merge fantastically, and the raisins and cinnamon are a nicely understated complimentary note. I don’t know any way of rating this relative to the style, though, so whatever.

A - Dark amber with no lacing and carbonation.

S - Big cinnamon, raisins, and alcohol slam the nose.

T - Follows the nose with alcohol being moderate with some effervescence permeating the sinuses. Cinnamon is present but doesn't overwhelm the beer, followed with nice alcohol drenched raisins, and light apple.

M - Light syrupy texture with light warming on the way down.

O - This is reaally a fantastic Brown Ale. recommended.

 

 

 

Nice amber brown with a decent tan head that leaves a fat crown and some modest lacing. Great cinnamon raisin toast aroma. The taste follows closely. Maybe a little caramel sweetness added to the mix. Medium to full bodied with nice soft carbonation. Delivers as advertised.