A barleywine style ale with a rich full bodied flavor balancing a single variety hop bitterness with a heady sweetness.
Beer Ratings and Reviews:
[1] Review by beerguy101 from Newark, CA, USA who has tried this beer once. (5/1/2008 9:45:51 PM)
"1999 vintage. Tasted at the April Northern California Beer Tasting. This barleywine pours a deep amber color from the bottle. Small sized white foamy head. The aroma was caramel malts and sweet. A medium bodied barleywine. The malts are caramel and sweet. The hops are earthy. There is a trace of Christmas spices left, but not much. More than a touch of oxidation here as well, which is kind of expected. Not a lot of carbonation left. Mouthfeel is round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet. "
Aroma:
6/10
Appearance:
6/10
Mouthfeel:
6/10
Flavor:
6/10
Overall:
6/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3)
Sampled: Bottle
Value of this beer for its style: Not Sure
[2] Review by Sap from Tucson, AZ, USA who has tried this beer once. (12/6/2007 10:49:40 PM)
"2006 Release, Sampled December 2007
When poured vigorously the head forms a fat-two-finger thick, tan colored head that sits atop a brilliantly clear, dark, cranberry red colored brew. Chewy, sweet malt aromatics mix with appetizing hop aromatics. Aromas of toffee, sweet caramel, berries, kiwi fruit and a green, slightly vegetal notes something like fresh cut milk-weed and a touch of warming alcohol towards the end are all noticed. Really the herbal & odd fruit notes are what dominate the aroma; this ends up being not nearly as malty as one would expect from a Barleywine.
Sweet & fruity tasting up front, again berry notes and something a bit sharper like kiwi and maybe strawberry flavors are definitely quite noticeable. That milk-weed note is here in the flavor as well, though it is a bit reduced. This green note definitely lingers on the palate through to a lingering finish. A noticeable, though not overwhelming (more of a secondary note), bitterness is found throughout each sip. Caramelized malt sugars (which accentuate the fruit notes) as well as a touch of toffee, some lightly toasted notes and some chewy bread flavors play a supporting role here. This does not have as much heft as I was expecting it too, but it definitely has a fullness to it that makes this a sipping brew. A bit of warming alcohol mixes with the weird herbal note in the finish.
The flavors in this beer are just a bit odd, not nearly malty enough & the hops have taken a weird, not quite herbal, not quite hop fruity character. Definitely interesting though & worth trying, I wonder how much more this will change with a couple more years of age on it."
Aroma:
6/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
6/10
Flavor:
6/10
Overall:
6/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.2)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 22oz @ $5.5 Unit Cost: $4 per Pint
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(3)
