The Bruery Royal St. Sweets

After trying some really tasty brews throughout the day today, dipping into this reliable malty boy felt like the perfect nightcap. There's not a whole lot going on in the nose, even as the faint notes lean toward a beer that's full of barrel-forward goodness. Meanwhile, the brandy notes pop immediately on the sip, quickly giving way to a richly malty brew that doesn't quite hit the fruity character one expects from a quad, but still manages to approach all …

Shared with some friends at a casual weekend gathering that was in need of a solid malty boy. The barrel-aged scotch ale doesn't seem like the most obvious kind of brew to consider life, but this one sips sweet and smooth and with just enough edge, like the finest barleywines. What really jumped after 6 more months of sitting is just how much the brandy barrel character pops, adding heat but also an extra dimension of sweetness, playing perfectly with …

The second Chronology series proved that The Bruery sure knows their way around a Scotch ale, and this beauty is no exception. Pours a lovely brownish-ruby color with a malty, lightly woody aroma. The first sip is reminiscent of a lighter bodied English barleywine, with tons of caramel lingering through. Meanwhile, the brandy barrel accents the darker, fruitier notes very subtly, but it never adds any aggressive booziness, resulting in a smooth-as-silk finish. Line steppers be damned: this is absolutely …

How could I resist cracking this beer on a Tuesday, and also to celebrate this crazy year being half over? Much like my first can, this did not disappoint, even though it has temperamental adjuncts that have been sitting for nearly half a year. The cinnamon and vanilla are still properly balanced, and the banana that rolls in during the swallow and lingers through the finish is a bit faded, but still presenting well. Surprisingly, I think it's possible this …

Banana can be such a temperamental adjunct in beer (as evidenced by my banana bread tasting not too long ago), but The Bruery has again managed to nail it! A bright cinnamon-sugar nose gives way to rich, sweet sips with waves of banana floating over the cinnamon and vanilla and lingering on the roof of your mouth long after the finish. I wouldn't expect this to age gracefully given the adjuncting, but I couldn't think of a better Mardi Gras …