Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Vintage Ale Release No. 02

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Vintage Ale Release No. 02 - A Rare Blend Of Barrel-Aged Ales. I picked this up at Santa Clara Liquors (here). If you get a chance, head in there and tell ‘em that Mark from NorCal Beer Blog sent you.  You’ll be glad you did – they have an incredible selection!

From the Speakeasy Ales & Lagers website: “Syndicate No. 02 is a blend of five strong ales matured between 15-28 months in various bourbon barrels. The foundation of the blend is comprised of three distinct imperial stouts: Black Hand Volume 1 (38% of blend) imparts a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, Scarface Imperial Stout (25% of blend) provides hints of espresso and bitter roast, and Two Minutes to Midnight (14% of blend), a brew reserved exclusively for barrel-aging, is rich with baker’s cocoa. The muscle of the blend, Old Godfather Barley Wine (20% of blend), adds an earthy tobacco and nutty maltiness. The last 3% of the Syndicate is finished with a wildcard—a dark, oak-forward experimental ale pulled from our vault.

The final brew is full-bodied and complex with notes of bitter cocoa, candied fruits, vanilla-infused creme brûlée, earthy tobacco, and a muted bourbon finish.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours dark brown, nearly black with slight reddish highlights, a tan head and lots of lacing.

Aroma: Bourbon, caramel, toffee, vanilla, coconut, roasted malts, molasses, chocolate and a slight scent of espresso.

Taste: Chocolate, bourbon, toffee, vanilla, oak, coconut, caramel and roasted malts.

Overall: Full, rich and creamy, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Vintage Ale Release No. 02 is delicious.  This 10.5% ABV offering is excellent and worth trying. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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