Alaskan Pilot Series: Barley Wine Ale

Brewed by Alaskan Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Juneau, Alaska USA

Serve in Snifter

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2011 bottle. Quite flat. Very agressive hopping for a Barley Wine - a very nice surprise and really helps cut the sweetness (esp. since there was hardly any carbonation to help). The sweetness is kept in check, which I expected to be through the roof on a >10% Alaskan BW. That near 11% is well hidden as well. I was impressed with this one.

2011 bottle pours a dark red/brown with a small off white head. Scent is sweet malts, dark over ripe fruit and wet wood. Taste is toffee, caramel, dark sugar and wood. Sweet and very good.

On draught at Bailey’s Taproom CellarFest 2013. 2008 vintage. Smooth yet hoppy. Sweet and caramely but with a bitter alcohol kick. What a barleywine should be.

Nice crimson, scarlet, and garnet highlights along with a hint of mahogany and latte head. Loads of toffee, caramel, brown sugar and brittle accompanied by raisin, plum, and dark cherry skin. Can feel the ABV but can’t taste it. Pretty solid!

2010 bottle. Deep mahogany red body; thin head. Sweet malty caramel aroma. Flavor - same. Not bad, a bit on the simple side, maybe a little over sweet, just not a standout barley wine.

Bomber. 2011 batch. A dark amber brew with a rich nose of plums, alcohol, leather, and something earthy. Everything about this is delicious...rich and boozy, sweet without being cloying, hoppy but only as an accent, and finishes like a warm bath. Yum.

22 oz. bottle served in a FW tulip. 2011 vintage. Big thanks to mfavoino for sending this to me a while back. A: Pours a very dark ruby color with a light khaki head forming on the pour. It dissipates to thick ringing leaving behind tons of sticky lace. Beautiful looking beer. S: There’s a lot going on here. Some bitter green hops are still present up front with an underlying fig scent with some caramel malts. Brown sugar and raisins as well. Malty sweetness. There is a little alcohol present in the nose. T: Some bitter hops and sweet caramel and biscuit malts. Raisins and toffee with a definite grilled fig fruitiness. As it warms there are some leathery notes that come out. A little booze as well. The finish is sweet. M: Medium bodied with a little chew to it. Medium low carbonation with a slick and oily mouthfeel. O: Very delicious barleywine that has aged nicely. Still a little hop bite to it from the dry hopping, but the dark fruit and malts really steal the show. Wish I had another to age... Serving type: bottle

2010 Bottle. Malt! What a delight this was! Shared it with my Alaskan friend. Poured a very dark brown-amber color; nearly black. Thin but resilient off-white head. Aroma is sweet, caramel, vanilla, some dark fruits, earthiness. Taste is similar; big and malty, not at all bitter. Vanilla, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar. Some nice lacing. Really good. Shouldn’t drink too many too quickly, but considering the drinkability, I could certainly see that happening.

2009 bottle pours slightly cloudy medium brown with thin beige head. Aroma dominated by hops. Taste a nice caramel malt sweetness with hops moving in for a good balance. Palate full. Finish powerful but not overbearing hops. Alcohol apparent.

American (hoppy) barleywine which is well balanced. This is 3 years old and I’m guessing will be a lot hoppier fresh.

2009 bottle. Pours a dark brownish-red with a nice cream colored head. Big spicy aroma, of malt, dark fruits, wood, ginger, sugar. Taste is rich and sweet, of malt, figs, wood, spices, and a lot of alcohol. Lingering booziness. Tasty, but will probably better after it mellows a bit.