Syndicate No. 2
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got this in my Christmas box from my NoCal trading buddy. Poured into a Pipeworks Tales from the Oak snifter. Standard barrel aged stout appearance-dark brown, light edges, but a very healthy constant foam for a beer bottled almost two years ago. Strong barrel nose (still the most overpowering scent even 4 hours after opening), but the first scents on open were so chocolatey I thought someone put a chocolate bar in the bottle. Chocolate, caramel, and alcohol-that's the taste, and that's enough for me. Slightly oily, but very satisfying with deep layers of flavor.

 

Pours thick and inky black, with a thin layer of cocoa-brown foam. Rich and complex on the nose, this immediately hits me with apple brandy, leather, blackstrap molasses, tobacco, and a hint of briny soy. There are a lot of nuanced aromas, presumably the stouts battling it out with the barleywine for my attention. On sipping, the flavors do not meet my initial expectations, presenting dates, peppery spice, leather, and an imbalanced boozy harshness. I still quite enjoy it, as I generally like BA beers that are on the boozy, hot side, but the overall experience didn't live up to the exquisite blend of smells on the nose.

 

 

 

The base beers on their own didn't seem great but this beer is a sum if it's parts.
Great nose and appearance. Deep dark color, great tan head that sticks around like the awkward guy at a party. You know , THAT GUY.
You get the bourbon flavor on the tongue and nose but it's not that big kick you in the junk bourbon that you may get from others.
Really can't say anything bad about this beer.
It's no FSW anniversary blend but as a small batch, NorCal release release, I'll gladly grab one from every other release they do.