Parallel Blog Tasting #3 - Lost Abbey Bourbon Barrel Angel's Share

Presenting the 3rd installment of the semi-regular Parallel Blog Tasting between Summer of Beer and my good buddy Brian, The Baltimore Beer Guy. Last night we knocked down the (now) world renowned Lost Abbey The Angel's Share, which has recently won Best U.S. Cask Beer at the Great British Beer Festival. This would be about my 4th time having this, so I already knew it was one of the best beers ever, but the bottle I was able to send Brian would be his first taste of the 12.5% ABV bourbon barrel aged strong ale.

BBG: safely opened

BBG: poured a little too rough, gotta wait the head out a bit

SOB: yeh they are all super carbonated

BBG: OK so this is very dark

SOB: pretty dark brown in the glass yeah

SOB: mine didn't foam over

SOB: thankfully

SOB: got a nice big head tho

On the smell...

SOB: smell is filled with chocolate and raisins

SOB: molasses i guess

SOB: i was pouring it at arms lengths and could smell it

BBG: Hard to gauge the smell for me

BBG: Raisin perhaps

BBG: sweet

BBG: very sweet

BBG: this reminds me most of that car grease, what was it called?

SOB: haha car grease? is that good or bad

BBG: I thought it was just ok, whats its name that car grease thing

BBG: old engine

BBG: something odd

On the taste...

SOB: what do you get in the flavor, each time I've had it the chocolate stands out so much for me

SOB: it's amazing how totally different the taste is than the smell

BBG: Chocolate yes

BBG: This thing is carbonated something crazy, its not affecting the mouthfeel but I can see it in the glass its acting up

BBG: Yeah definitely chocolate

BBG: I can taste the alcohol a bit

BBG: Vanilla's a good word here

BBG: I can see that

BBG: I think the oak/bourbon may have been more in the nose and the initial sip or two which was more woody

BBG: this is coming out real creamy now

BBG: Enjoyable, definitely unlike anything I usually have other than other offerings from Lost Abbey

SOB: more of that fruity raisin sorta taste coming through now

SOB: i get a lot of wood in the finish now

BBG: btw "dark caramel malt"... whatever that means

SOB: the raisin probably comes from the darker caramel malts... they start giving off raisiny flavors at that point and less of that sweet caramel

BBG: This is a beer for when you're sitting at home, I can't imagine having this at a bar

BBG: This taste just takes my mind to being there

SOB: gives you that whole warehouse and barrel feel huh

BBG: exactly

BBG: This is weird tho

BBG: because its not a style I think I'd enjoy

BBG: but its really enjoyable

After more thought...

BBG: OK this is a delicious beer, I'm very appreciative you sent me such a limited item

BBG: Looks like I'm going 4.25 on BA, the smell only got a 3.5 but everything else was high marks

SOB: nice

BBG: altho I could revise the smell, its intoxicating right now as I work my way down

BBG: the initial was boring in aroma tho

BBG: maybe that bumps to a 4, well see

BBG: this is nice

BBG: cant say thank you enough

SOB: the smell now to me is WAY less on the raisin and much more on the chocolate and wood

SOB: that's how I remember it all the other times i've had it

BBG: there is a bit more alcohol late, which hits just a slightly wrong note but some of what I'm getting now is just delicious

Final words...

BBG: fuck this beer is good

BBG: Tomme's ridiculous

Ratings...

SOB: 4.7/5

BBG: 4.25/5