3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
Pours a dark amber color with a frothy tan head. Aroma is cinnamon, orange peel, lemon, malty, tea, and apple. Flavor is bitter spicy, orange, black pepper, astringent, orange, caramel, apple, and a bitter peppery finish.
4.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
Barleywine heated and jacked up with all sorts of satisfying spices.
Appearance: Opaque, dark mahogany-hued body with just under an inch of creamy, ivory-colored head.
Smell: A simply heavenly, sweet-smelling maltiness graciously seasoned with characteristically Christmastime spices. Of particular note is the orange peel, which along with the heating of the barleywine literally gets those alcohol vapors cooking, giving it an impression of top-shelf mandarin-flavored vodka. Mmm!
Taste: Succulent, artful blending of dark caramel, brown sugar, and treacle with plenty of toothsome sweetness on-hand. Rich, earthy spices added by a heavy hand help to round out the flavor with distinct tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Again, the real standout is the orange peel. No more than a touch of bitterness. Warming finish in every way a heated barleywine can be warming.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Velvety mouthfeel.
Drinkability: Yum! A delightful way to spend a December evening. Yes, even if it’s in the mid-60’s outside.
4.2 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: JAN 9, 2011
Date: December 27, 2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 2007
Appearance: opaque dark red with ruby edges, lasting dense beige head, sheets of drippy lace
Aroma: rich and sweet warm fruit cake aroma with lots of candied fruit and sweet christmas spices
Body: rich creamy body
Flavor: rich malt flavor with a candied fruit sweetness with a prominant orange character, caramel malt and vanilla sweetness combine to bring out the fruity sweetness, lots of balancing spices that stay muted rather than controlling, cinamon and brown sugar blend to add complexity, touch of bitterness at the bottom of the glass from the cinamon and nutmeg, slight alcohol in the final sip of the second glass adds a peppery edge to the spices
Overall: fresh warm fruit cake in a glass, warming in addition to being warm
Aroma: 10/10; Appearance: 9/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 9/10; Overall: 19/20
Rating: 4.8/5.0
Drinkability: 10/10
Score: **** /4
Date: December 18, 2008
Mode: Firkin
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: muddy brown, frothy tan head, streaks of lace
Aroma: rich sweet spiced aroma, candied ginger, jellied orange, cinnamon sticks, sweet figs
Body: big creamy body that gets creamier as the night wears on
Flavor: sweet malt flavor is quickly balanced by a blend of peppery spices, sweet candy character comes back in a second wave, touches of oranges and figs, nice cinamon, light clove, sweet vanilla and licorice, sharp ginger shoots up your nose, warming, belt of alcohol in the finish
Overall: when hot the spices come on strong and hide the sweetness, upon cooling the sweet fruity character appears and it blooms, best warm
Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 19/20
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **** /4
Date: December 17, 2009
Mode: Cask
Source: Brewpub, Westside
Vintage: 2009
Appearance: dark brown with ruby edges, wispy tan head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet spicy aroma, lots of dark fruits, candied ginger
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of candied fruit, light spicyness, nice sharp ginger offsets and complements of sweet fruit
Aroma: 10/10; Appearance: 9/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 20/20
Rating: 4.8/5.0
Drinkability: 10/10
Score: **** /4
Date: December 23, 2010
Mode: Cask
Source: Brewpub, Westside
Vintage: 2010
Appearance: steaming dark brown in a coffee mug, frothy tan head
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma, caramel, ginger, cinnamon
Body: thin body probably due to being served coffee hot
Flavor: rich fruityflavor, ginger and cinnamon, spices add a bitter edge (nutmeg?) that fades a bit as it cools but never disappears, dry caramel, robust chocolate, touch of orange citrus, candied fruits shows as it cools and the bitterness abates, long bitter finish
Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *** /4
4.2 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Cask. 27 Dec 07. Warmed for the most tradional expirience. Dark puple hue. Aroma blasts you as its’s set down on the bar. Aroma of cherry, ginger, nutmeg. Cherry spice cake, nice & warm! YUM. Flavor is creamy with an initial cherry and spice flavor. Light on the palate but still super big on flavor. Reminescent of a Swedish Glogg, a warm mulled wine. I’m heading over to the fireplace!!
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