Aug 17, 2011

Avery Brewing Samael’s Oake Aged Ale

Avery Samael's Ale photoA demon of a beer

There are times in our lives when we have to ignore the little angelic figure on the “good” shoulder and bow to the mischievous whims of the little red dude on the other. That demonic imp taunts us, goads us into, perhaps, doing things we probably shouldn’t be doing — at least not in a public setting. Avery Brewing’s Samael’s Ale is just such a fiend.

I opened this beer (dated April 2011) much too early. I knew that as I held it in my hand, bottle opener in the other. But I couldn’t stop myself. It mocked me. Made me want to open it before its time. I know this because this 15.31% ABV oak aged strong ale was hot — like fresh from the fiery pits of Hades itself hot. It needs some time to boil in the darkness for a while to truly come into its own.

Appearance

Samael’s Ale pours a clear copper in color with a thin, quickly disappearing off-white head. You know a beer is high in alcohol when it clings to the side of the snifter when swirled.

Aroma

Certainly smells of fire and brimstone with loads of oak, vanilla and booze. There’s a strong and sweet malt backbone to this beer that gives off impressions of dark fruit and brown sugar.

Taste

This is an other-worldly brew. The caramel malts start things off, but quickly succumb to the high ABV in a hot finish that is beyond warming. It’s got a very liquor like presence as the dark fruits mingle with the alcohol, oaky wood and vanilla. Despite the big ABV heat, the beer is fairly smooth drinking/sipping with only a light bitterness toward the finish. There’s a sticky sweetness that lingers on the lips after each sip.

Overall

This is a big beer. There’s no denying that. There’s no denying that I also opened this one much too young. It will need to sit for a while — a long while if it’s anything like the brewery’s Mephistopheles stout which is still hot on the palate even after a couple of years aging. At any rate, I still enjoyed the brew, as did that meddlesome fool on my shoulder.

Rating: 4/5

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