Apple Brandy Barrel Noir – Prairie Artisan Ales
Beer Presentation
4.46 / 5 on UNTAPPD
Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is an imperial stout (12% ABV) aged in apple brandy (Calvados) barrels by American brewery Prairie Artisan Ales. Ever since its release in 2014–2015, this beer has generated major excitement among enthusiasts, nearly reaching legendary status. The brewery itself admits to receiving “a lot of angry emails” from fans demanding its return, calling this nectar “liquid magic.” On rating sites, it regularly ranks among the best in the world (BeerAdvocate 99/100; RateBeer Top 100) and holds an average score of ~4.5/5 on Untappd with over 24,000 check-ins, an exceptional rating that speaks volumes about its reputation among beer geeks.
Tasting Notes
Aromas (Nose): The bouquet is intense and complex. Dominant notes of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla are enriched by the fruity touch of apple brandy. One taster describes the nose as “Calvados, apples, chocolate, cacao,” clearly reflecting the apple barrel’s influence. A hint of alcohol is present, reminiscent of a fine liqueur.
Flavors (Palate): On the palate, rich malts express themselves through dark chocolate, caramel, and fudge notes, backed by the warmth of apple brandy. Flavors of dried fruits (raisin) and vanilla oak emerge from the barrel. The first impression is sweet (caramel, vanilla, baked apple), followed mid-palate by subtle alcohol warmth and dark fruits. The finish circles back to apple/brandy, closing with this distinctive fruity touch. Some tasters also note an umami hint (soy sauce) and a roasted bitterness on the aftertaste, preventing the beer from becoming overly sweet.
Texture (Body): The body is thick, creamy, and rounded. This stout has an almost syrupy texture, with low carbonation enhancing its softness. The mouthfeel is dense, encouraging slow, contemplative sipping. Despite its strength and residual sweetness, the alcohol is well-integrated, providing just the right amount of warmth.
Finish: Long and persistent. Retro-olfaction leaves lasting aromas of chocolate and Calvados, as one taster notes: “Magnificent length on chocolate/Calvados.” The finish is indulgent, slightly woody, with lingering warmth reminiscent of apple brandy. A faint roasted (coffee-like) aftertaste may appear, adding dryness and inviting another sip.
Bottle of Prairie Artisan Ales’ Apple Brandy Barrel Noir lying in the grass and partially poured into a glass on the left. A sunset can be seen in the background.
What Experts and Fans Say
The reactions from tasters—whether professional critics or beer geeks—border on ecstatic. The blog Drink All The Beer reports that the general consensus upon opening tends to be “HOLY SHIT!”, a sign of awed surprise from the very first sip. The author shares: “I was hooked from the very first sip, and it only got better as the beer warmed up,” adding that it felt like “one of their excellent barrel-aged stouts with just an added touch of apple and caramel.”
On forums and social media, enthusiasts confirm the uniqueness of this cuvée: “I had never encountered the flavors from Calvados barrels in any other beer,” marvels one, underlining the singularity of the fruity notes imparted by this aging process. Another calls it “incredibly good… one of the best Prairie beers I’ve ever had,” proof of the almost mythical aura surrounding Apple Brandy Barrel Noir.
Nevertheless, some voices point out its sweetness. An experienced taster notes that “the apple brandy made it almost too sweet for me,” though it remained “under control as long as you sip it slowly.” The warning is clear: served too cold or drunk too fast, the beer can come across as liqueur-like and unbalanced, whereas at the right temperature and in small sips, it unveils its full complexity without overwhelming the palate.
Aging and Cellaring Potential
Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is a quintessential aging beer, and many fans have cellared bottles to observe its evolution. At release (~2014, 2016, 2018 vintages), reviews were ecstatic, praising the fresh apple aromas and the stout’s depth. With time, the profile shifts: alcohol and sweetness meld, the beer gains roundness, while fresh apple notes fade.
In 2020, a collector tasting a 2016 bottle claimed it was “maybe even better than back in 2016,” with flavors harmonizing beautifully with age. Others acknowledge that after many years, the beer remains sumptuous but less radiant than at first: “Almost nine years on this bottle (2016) and it’s still very good, with great milk chocolate notes, a touch of brandy mid-palate, and apple on the finish—though not as good as fresh.” Similarly, a 2014 vintage tasted in 2025 still showed “apple brandy syrup,” but the drinker admitted they had kept it “a bit too long.”
In short, aging brings lovely roundness, softens the alcohol edge, and preserves much of the chocolaty and fruity character—provided one doesn’t let it go past its prime, when the profile may dull.
The Role of Apple Brandy (Calvados) Barrels
This cuvée owes its extraordinary character to its maturation in apple brandy (Calvados) barrels. Rare and expensive, these barrels impart flavors bourbon or whiskey casks cannot. Prairie notes that Calvados casks “offer the perfect complement of flavors to the Noir base,” infusing the stout with baked apple and vanilla oak. The result is a harmonious marriage described as “magical” by the brewery.
For tasters, this barrel-aging translates into a unique fruity imprint: a soft, almost pastry-like baked apple sweetness wrapping around roasted malts. This unusual sweetness may surprise, giving the beer a dessert-like, liqueur quality while retaining the structure of a robust imperial stout. Apple Brandy Barrel Noir thus proves that well-executed Calvados barrel aging can create an entirely new tasting experience—where the chocolaty power of a stout meets the fruity warmth of apple brandy. A daring balance that explains why this beer fascinates beer geeks and why they clamor for its return at every rare re-release.
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