Free State Old Backus Barleywine

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Consumed a pint of this stuff during a very tasty tasting (2007) hosted by Degarth (thanks Joe) and in the company of Quake1028. A big thanks to eboats for this tasty brew. According to eboats rating this appears to be a 1999 Vintage. Pours murky brackish brown with thin off white head that fades to nothing in about a minute. This beer has a huge aroma of dark fruitiness with sweet caramel around the back of the smell. Very nice. The beer has a nice thick syrupy mouth feel that’s seems just right. The dark fruity taste is composed of smooth silky cherry compote to apricot to dates. There’s also sweet malt and caramel that go very well with the fruitiness. Very enjoyable barleywine.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

12 oz bottle, dated 2014. Pours hazy reddish amber with a medium creamy off white head that retains well and leaves some lacing.

The aroma is sweet caramel and toffee malt with lots of figgy fruit and some cardboard notes.

The flavor is sweet caramel and toffee malts with lots of dark fruit and a little roast and a bit of sherry like alcohol and some harsh bitter alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, there's a lot going on, a bit too much. I bet this would improve with a bit of age to blend it all out better.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Had gone through the list of FS brews and was of course saving this for last, and about a minute before i order, it runs out and the brewmaster finishes it off, so the bartender goes to work and some how squeezes about 3 ounces out of the engine and i get my barleywine!! .. Pours a deep brazed brown, low head, great sticky lacing .. . would you keep it down! .. . sweet molasses, caramel, resin, burnt sugar and light caramel brandy .. sticky mouthfeel, very smooth and complex .. . I really liked this, the standout of the day and really happy i got the last few drops!! .. . Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

man is this beer s aroma amazing! malts, toffee and the slight alcohol smell meld into barelywine bliss! the taste doesn't dissappoint either, the flavors don't seem to stop, it's sweetness iis followed up by a slight alcohol evaoration. the beer is just a great BW, and if ur lucky enough to be at free state and its on the list, give it a try.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

09.29.05 GABF I thought I was re-rating this, but I guess not. Paler amber brown. Aroma is kick ass and fruity with concorde grape, burnt peach, dried fig, cooked apple. Lots of sweetness. The hops seem more earthy than bitter and kind of subdued, at points manifesting as a smokiness.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Smelled like vanilla, caramel/butterscotch, alcohol, earthy hops, malty sweetness, figs and suggestions of chocolate cake. Warming alchol on the swallow and viscous mouthfeel countered by a fair amount of carbonation. Deep caramel brown color with a minimal cap of head. A big beer to be sure.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This beer was sampled at the 12 Hour Belgian Beer Festival 2005 in Pizza Port Carlsbad and comes courtesy of Cquiroga. This beer pours a cloudy reddish brown color with a soapy thin white head which looked messy and disillusioned. No lacing was left on my glass. The aroma was roasted malt, caramel, potpourri and alcohol..fairly consistent with the barleywine category. The flavor is full bodied with mild carbonation....heavy alcoholic front with vanilla and caramel...almost sugar candy tongue coating going on here. Heavy sweetnesses from start to finish....heavy alcohol presence... reminds me a lot of Brown Shugga...

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

rating #1000 comes courtesy of csbosox. Thanks Chris. Clear mahogany color, no head, this is a tasty brew. What’s scary abou this beer is that it if full of flavor, but drinks so easily for 10.5% ABV. It starts out sweet, but has a dry, almost salty finish. the body is medium.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

From the 2001 vintage sampled in 2005. Served in a snifter. Poured a cloudy brown and red with a trace of head on the edges. Sweet caramel and oranges in the aroma. There is also toast and some rich vanilla. This has orange peels, smoky moss and caramel. Also hints of toffee in the taste. Fairly sweet as you would expect of an aged barley wine. This has a thick and slick mouthfeel. Not sticky at all. An excellent barley wine.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

My second favorite barley wine at GABF. The biggest flavors were caramel and toffee. Not too sweet and real drinkable. Mellow hop bite levels it out. Dangerous stuff.