Full Sail Old Boardhead Barleywine

Brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Hood River, Oregon USA

2005 and 2008 bottles shared at a tasting. Pours clear amber with a small whitish head that fades to spotty foam. Light in color for a barleywine. Aroma is caramel, light fruits, and mild hop character that makes itself more evident in the fresher version. Flavor is caramel malt, pale malt, and hops that are mainly earthy and citrusy. Not very sweet for the style, although the old version is sweeter and slightly sherry-like. Medium-bodied with very slight booziness and average carbonation level. Overall, above average for the style but not a standout at all.

22 oz bottle of 2008. Hazy orange amber with off white head. Nose is fantastic. Smooth caramel, vanilla, sharp malt and alcohol, and spice. Nose is better than mouth. Taste is not as complex as aroma. Sweet and spicy malt, but not as much as nose. Light vanilla and caramel, but again, light. Mouthfeel and finish are both lacking. Still interested in trying my ’06.

(22oz bottle vintages 2005 and 2006 side by side thanks to BA biergut) Pours medium orange, creamy head and good lacing. Nose of caramel, chlorine, odd funk. Taste of bitter hops (after 4 years!), bread, caramel, unsweet, with good oily creamy finish.

2006 bottle thanks to a ba from the balm bottle release. poured amber with a cream head. nose is hops, fruits, slightly vinous and no alcohol. nice thickness, flavor is hops, syrup, caramel and a light alcohol finish.

From tap at Toronado, Barley Wine Fest 2010. Pours clear and dark orange with a small white head. Aroma is hoppy and fruity. Mild vegetable note. Bitter and dry caramelish. Light fruity and caramelish into the finish. Dry and fruity lasting impression.

Bottle thanks to ericandersnavy. Pours a deep, dark amber with beige head. Aroma is malty and hoppy, dark fruit, a bit of brown sugar. Flavor is malty and hoppy with some spiciness, some alcohol warmth, a little grassy, earthy. Mouth feel is heavy body with low carbonation, a tad bit watery. Overall, not bad at all, just seems to have a few flavors I could not recognize that did not mesh well with this brew and has a lingering weedy bitter I did not enjoy at all.

22 oz. bomber, 2008 vintage. Pours reddish amber with a slight cream colored head that doesn’t last, some lacing. Scent is caramel, butterscotch, sweet grass, banana, and strawberry. Very fruity flavor, with cherry, orange, strawberry, and lemon up front. Some astringency from the high alpha hops, along with flavors of tobacco and earth to balance the sweetness. Medium sweetness and strong bitterness, slightly sour finish. Alcohol is not very strong in the flavor. A smooth sipping barley wine.

bottle thanks to bhensonb. poured hazy amber with an off white head. aroma was caramel, dark fruits, and toffee. flavor was caramel, dark fruits, and a strange bitter.