Avery Brewing Company Samael's Oak Aged Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Avery Brewing Company Samael's Oak Aged Ale – bottled March 2014 - batch no. 10.

From the Avery Brewing Company website: “Samaels is a super-caramelly, oak-aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate. With the addition of a more roasted malt in 2007, Samaels now delivers subtle bitterness to add balance to the natural sweetness. Cellarable for 10+ years.

Samaels is the second installment of “The Demons of Ale” series.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours reddish brown with a thin cap of off-white bubbles and a little lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, brown sugar, toffee, molasses, vanilla, oak, dark fruits and very boozy.

Taste: Caramel, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, dark fruits, oak and a boozy finish.

Overall: Sweet and delicious Avery Brewing Company Samael's Oak Aged Ale is outstanding.  This 14.2% ABV offering is right in my wheelhouse.  I’m a big fan of boozy barrel aged beers and if you are too get some of this.  Stellar!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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