Cave-Aged Barrel-Aged Dark Lager, Fall 2021 #8
August Schell Brewing Company

 

Dark reddish-brown color, clear, but so dark you need a backlight to see the fine carbonation bubbles. Tall tan head, thick and creamy, with excellent retention leaving a wall of lacing as it does recede.

I get a dark fruit nuttiness in the aroma, roasted, hints of chocolate.

Taste is as the aroma, only more so. Dark fruits, chocolate, nuttiness, and roasted malts. Some brightening from the hops, but very little bittering (but not "none"). The initial taste emphasizes the dark fruits, the middle brings on the roasted flavors and chocolate, and the finish is semi-sweet. The aftertaste remains with a well-done intermingling of the flavors. The hops keep things bright enough to not slip into overly sweet.

The body is on the substantial side of moderate, with a smooth feel.

Overall, a really nice dark lager, whatever its style may be. More than "really nice" - this is excellent!

12oz bottle. Poured out a dark, nearly opaque, brown color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass. It smelled of roasted malt, toffee, vanilla, oak and caramel. Nice roasted malt taste with strong vanilla, toffee and chocolate sweetness.

 

12oz bottle. Bottle neck is stamped '031422', best by date.
Black colored body, just the stem junction allows some garnet to flash. Thin but dense small bubble head. Leaves a thin lacing sheet on the non-drinking side of the glass.
Aroma is definitely expressing the wood of the aging barrel. Vanilla and coffee notes. Dark roast malts.
Taste really pops with the perceived higher ABV%. Roasted malts, hint of cocoa, big vanilla, coffee is subdued. Vanilla and barrel in the aftertaste.
Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, with higher than medium heft. Quiet carbonation.
This is a beer that asks to be savored and swirled, which allows all the barrel aging and cave aging to display its wares. Sublime but expressive at the same time. Really wonderful mouth feel.

Appearance: Very dark brown, huge head.

Smell: Roasted malt, bit of coffee, some wood.

Taste: Sweet, then a roasted note, then a pretty big and lasting vanilla note. Mouthfeel is very coating.

Overall: I try to pick up Schell's cave-aged beers yearly, but they can be pretty scarce on the shelves. I went in somewhat blind as I had not read anything about this year's version. I thought it might be in the Czech dark lager vein, but instead was a big, coating, sweet porter. Sweet, but not cloying, an enjoyable beer.

12oz bottle EB dated 03/14/22 into a 12oz tulip glass.
L: Pours deep dark brown with a black center. Has a dark tan 1 finger firm creamy head with good retention. Tiny carbonation bubbles visible. Moderate sticky, fractal lacing and banding,
S: Smoke, woody, vanilla, leather, musty earth, light alcohol as the beer warms.
T: Earthy & complex wood smoke with a medium deep wood cask flavor, darkly toasted malts, sea salt, semi-sweet caramel, light toffee, a subtle tawnyness, nutty and rich with freshly split wet oak- red or white, dark soda bread.
F: An initial soft hop bite then smooth, creamy and overall clean. It has a med-bodied mouthfeel with a comfortable med-length gently drying finish.
O: A well balanced Baltic Porter that is brilliantly executed. It has an out-of-doors open to the elements sensation to it's overall round taste and feel. A world-class beer that is outstanding in it's style.

10.89% ABV? is not a hard fact.
12oz Bottle, best by 031422
Look: Transparent dark brown body. With a aggressive pour you get a nice tall lite tan head that lasts forever leaving plenty of lacing.
Taste: roast, caramel, vanilla, oak, brandy, hint of red wine and rye.
Rather smooth, plenty of alcohol but not overbearing.
Feel: It's not thin but it's not really all that thick considering the ABV. Nice slightly soft and slightly creamy finish.

Nice beer, get it while you can.