Back Road No. 9 Barleywine

Brewed by Back Road Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
LaPorte, Indiana USA

Serve in Snifter

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Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy, dark amber body with a small, wispy, white head. Smell: Earthy caramel malt aroma with notes of citrus-scented soap. Taste: Sweetish caramel maltiness with an extra dose of sugar. Citrus hop presence with a touch of good, clean soap. Medium-high bitterness. Finishes bittersweet with a touch of alcohol. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: A basic barleywine that’s basically good.

Another great beer had thanks to some great ratebeerians. Cheers! This 1999 vintage 12oz bottle pours murky amber with copper edges and thin off white head. The aroma has aged pine hops, prunes, brown sugar, chocolate covered figs and sweet raisins. The taste delivers smooth muted pine hop infused sticky maltiness and some yummy rich creamy caramel candy. Here and there toward the finish thin ribbons of sweet dark fruity esters well up to the surface.

thanks riversideak! sweet creamy nose, ruby gold body. dry hay body, kind of metallic, confusing.

Nose is fruity and strong suhgary pear cakes oe someshitman. Hazt amber orange nice thins buit creamy heads. Pears, alepple bread cake fruity sweet with light alcohol but balanced and solid. Smooth sweet, lightly hoyt. Smooth, rather balanced, enjoyable, lightly herbal, peper, earthy hops. Apiscy. Spicy. Nice bw.

Thanks to hoppymeal for this one in trade. Well, it said 1999 Vintage on the bottle, but I believe it might be. 12oz bottle and a bit of oxidation tell me this could be the truth. Pours deep hazy caramel brown with an off-white head. Nose is caramel, plums, brandy, some cardboard, and some booze. Flavor is similar with cardboard, caramel, brandy, and a hint of port. Medium to full-bodied, and if it is 1999, then it has aged wonderfully well.

12oz bottle from lushawn, thanks Shawn! Rating #62. Hazy dark copoerish color with very little head and light, spotty lacing. Seems like a pretty decent hop aroma, also some carmalized sugar, really nice. Light sweetness and mire hops come through with a mild bitterness that was very enjoyable, I really like this beer. (1710)

2005 vintage. Thanks to tjthresh for the bottle. He told me to hold it for a while, so I held it for 5+ years. Hopefully it is still in good condition. Some carbonation escaped when I popped the cap. Color is murky reddish brown with wisps of carbonation sitting atop the beer. Nose is dark fruits, toffee, & brown sugar. Taste is spice, dark fruits, dark caramel with a bit of citrus. The oxidation character is evident, but not significant and a lot of the oxidation character is welcome. I don’t have a baseline to compare it to, but I certainly don’t enjoy it as much as 5 year old Old Foghorn. We’ll see how it is as it warms up more.

12oz 2007 vintage courtesy of the great ty! thanks yet again! pours a slightly murky deep copper with a small head and nice retention. the nose is very bready and fruity with a touch of heat. the taste is nice caramely, biscuity goodness, just a very faint hint of tart cherries in the finish, very nice. still a good bit of hop bitterness to this one, impressive. nice stuff, thanks for sharing!

22oz, white waxed bomber, 2009 edition courtesy of BBB63. thanks, mike! pours a hazy, reddish copper with a thin, sticky, off-white head and light lacing. aroma is damn nice, very sweet, with big brown sugar, candied pineapple, red cherries, and oranges with strong pine esters, raisins, and sweet malts emerging as it warms. flavor is very good as well with a nice balance of sweet malts, toffee, orange citrus, and glace cherries backed by spicy pine hops, soap, and a hint of roasted nuts. palate is medium bodied with solid carbonation and just a hint of warmth on the swallow. overall, a delicious barleywine for a cold, winter night.

Bottle pours hazy reddish color with no head and no carbonation. Medium mouthfeel. Aroma is brown sugar, fruit, plum, caramel, and a touch of alcohol. Flavor follows the nose and finishes semi sweet.

Sample at IBG Winterfest 2010. Poured clear reddish brown color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing. Moderate to heavy dark fruit, toffee and alcohol aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Moderate sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. This is an average beer.