Orin (2020)
Half Acre Beer Company
- From:
- Half Acre Beer Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 12.3%
- Score:
- +1 rating needed
- Avg:
- 4.33 | pDev: 3%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 16, 2023
- Added:
- Oct 03, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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We approached 2020 Orin differently than any previous batch. With an eye towards complexity and nuance, this year's Orin is comprised of a blend of the 2019 and 2020 vintages aged in various spirit barrels. A quarter of the blend was aged 23 months in bourbon barrels, with another third aging 9 months in VSOP Brandy barrels, and the rest in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. The beer hits with vanilla and toffee richness with a slightly tannic finish. The 2019 components of this beer add a rich, smooth character that only time can provide.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.43/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Super dark brown pour with a short lived khaki cap. Aromas of huge brandy barrel, strong bourbon, big molasses big dark fruit, light toffee and with decent oak and light earth. Taste is amazingly deep and rich: huge barrels with everything from the nose plus tobacco, vanilla, hints of cola, and a dusting cocoa. Feel is warm with booze, almost resinous, decently thick yet very smooth for style. Really well done strong ale, but on the sweeter end for sure
May 06, 2021
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
4.16/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pouring acorn to copper red but filling into a dark mahogany brown that's almost black, a fluffy tan head builds to moderate height, settling to a persistent soft film and creamy ring. Awesome can art.
Smell is slightly resinous of woody orange peel, caramel, Werther's and a hint of lozenge.
Caramel and Riesen pair with oak vanillin and a hint of cherry cola before going down with a mild warmth, exhaling a light char before numbing the palate and warming the ears and gut. The brandy gives it a brighter, less decadent character that, while not medicinal, brings that hint of cherry I noted as lozenge in the nose. It's also less heavy overall because of it.
The medium-full body feels smoothly round with a mild carbonation, finishing tingly yet semi-wet.
Mar 15, 2021Smell is slightly resinous of woody orange peel, caramel, Werther's and a hint of lozenge.
Caramel and Riesen pair with oak vanillin and a hint of cherry cola before going down with a mild warmth, exhaling a light char before numbing the palate and warming the ears and gut. The brandy gives it a brighter, less decadent character that, while not medicinal, brings that hint of cherry I noted as lozenge in the nose. It's also less heavy overall because of it.
The medium-full body feels smoothly round with a mild carbonation, finishing tingly yet semi-wet.
Reviewed by mkh012 from Colorado
4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16 oz. can. Canned 9/3/20, opened 12/12/20.
Pours dark brown with a film of tan head.
The nose is fig, cherry, dark chocolate, caramel, and woody booze.
The taste follows. Caramel, fig, brandy, and lightly drying barrel character. Mild to medium booze and bitterness.
The mouthfeel opens medium+ before drying out.
Overall, a very good barrel-aged Strong Ale. Reminiscent of a Firestone Walker Anniversary Ale. Maybe not quite as balanced or expressive, but still highly recommended.
Dec 12, 2020Pours dark brown with a film of tan head.
The nose is fig, cherry, dark chocolate, caramel, and woody booze.
The taste follows. Caramel, fig, brandy, and lightly drying barrel character. Mild to medium booze and bitterness.
The mouthfeel opens medium+ before drying out.
Overall, a very good barrel-aged Strong Ale. Reminiscent of a Firestone Walker Anniversary Ale. Maybe not quite as balanced or expressive, but still highly recommended.
Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois
4.13/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
16oz can, dated 09.03.2020, poured into a Half Acre "occult" snifter glass.
The beer pours a dark burgundy color, cola brown hues, thick and opaque with a khaki head, rises nicely with moderate retention and solid lacing. The aroma is nice, lots of brandy spirit, raisin, toffee, burnt sugar, brown bread, light bourbon, toasted oak, stone fruits and lingering sweet and warm booze. The flavors are nice, hearty brown bread, burnt sugar, caramel, raisin and licorice, brandy spirit, bourbon barrel, char, toasted wood and candied hop with lingering stone fruits. The mouthfeel is fine, lively medium body, coats well and finishes with a warm and crisp bite.
Verdict: A nice double barrel treatment of Orin. The strong ale comes through nicely, a bit more hop than a barleywine might offer but the brandy spirit really helps to tame this and bring out a sweet experience.
Oct 20, 2020The beer pours a dark burgundy color, cola brown hues, thick and opaque with a khaki head, rises nicely with moderate retention and solid lacing. The aroma is nice, lots of brandy spirit, raisin, toffee, burnt sugar, brown bread, light bourbon, toasted oak, stone fruits and lingering sweet and warm booze. The flavors are nice, hearty brown bread, burnt sugar, caramel, raisin and licorice, brandy spirit, bourbon barrel, char, toasted wood and candied hop with lingering stone fruits. The mouthfeel is fine, lively medium body, coats well and finishes with a warm and crisp bite.
Verdict: A nice double barrel treatment of Orin. The strong ale comes through nicely, a bit more hop than a barleywine might offer but the brandy spirit really helps to tame this and bring out a sweet experience.
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.37/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
16 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 9/3/20, had 10/2/20.
Pours a medium brown, mostly opaque, with a one inch foamy head and some foamy lacing. Aromas of brandy, some bourbon, brown sugar, oak, some grapes and figs, some vanilla, light char and tobacco, cherries as it warms. Has a generally spicy aroma. Similar but more expressive flavors- brandy, bourbon, malt, vanilla, brown sugar, raisins, oak, some grapes, some cherries, light figs. Smooth, a very good medium body, well carbonated.
The brandy and bourbon barrels are strong and excellent, a solid base , terrific flavors and aromas. Thought this was a step up from previous years. Really enjoyable.
Oct 13, 2020Pours a medium brown, mostly opaque, with a one inch foamy head and some foamy lacing. Aromas of brandy, some bourbon, brown sugar, oak, some grapes and figs, some vanilla, light char and tobacco, cherries as it warms. Has a generally spicy aroma. Similar but more expressive flavors- brandy, bourbon, malt, vanilla, brown sugar, raisins, oak, some grapes, some cherries, light figs. Smooth, a very good medium body, well carbonated.
The brandy and bourbon barrels are strong and excellent, a solid base , terrific flavors and aromas. Thought this was a step up from previous years. Really enjoyable.
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