Treat Yourself: Avery Edition

Before I started the next ‘big’ themed series, I thought I’d have a little fun. Treat Yourself is going to be a short run where I pick up a beer that, ordinarily, I would never purchase due to price. I will then send it to terrorist organizations in order to strike fear into-

Just checking to see if you’re paying attention.

Why do this? Because it pushes me out of my ordinary selection of beers and answer a question that’s on every consumer’s mind: Is this worth it?

Why only do about four weeks of this? Because it’s expensive! Treat Yourself is just that. If I do it all the time then it isn’t a treat. Also, I need that money for beer.

First up: Avery’s Uncle Joshua’s Stout, barrel aged series. This beer was $14.05 for 12 ounces. It’s also 17.1% ABV.

Whiskey and coffee in the nose. A resemblance to Deschute’s Abyss comes immediately to mind. I’ve stepped outside to sit on the back porch while the beer warms up; something this expensive should be drank when it’s ready, and that means leaving it alone for a few minutes. It’s a strange Spring day where the sun is out but it’s not so hot that that I feel driven indoors.

Let’s take a sip.

Whiskey and anise on the finish and holy crap is that finish abrasive as hell. I don’t want more of this. I want less of this. The alcohol can be felt starting to burn the roof of my mouth, and it is creating a fire in my belly, too. It’s like someone took the worst parts of whiskey and the least pleasant part of coffee and decided to see what happened.

I take a step back from the beer; maybe it needs some more time to smooth those rough edges out. I can’t say I’m confident that this will happen but I can’t imagine this beer getting worse.

Later, some chocolate and a little maple start to come into the nose. The finish doesn’t improve though: still harsh, alcohol burn, sour coffee bitter. When I exhale, I can feel the alcohol coming out my nostrils.

I just don’t know what to say. I feel unhappy with my choice for multiple reasons: not just because I paid $14, although that certainly stings. But is anyone pleased when they get something that sucks?