3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Big thanks to Magic Dave for this one! Muddy medium brown. Dead flat, no head. Dark fruits and piloncillo sugar on the nose. It has a woody, alcoholic taste that is surprisingly unrefined. There’s a flat fruitiness, and it’s more than just a little bit burnt tasting. Very breadcrusty, very burnt. Some deep fruity sugars, and these emerge more as it warms, lending at least a little bit of balance. Still too burnt, and the alcohol is too apparent for my tastes given the structure of the beer. The oily body glides well down the throat.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
(12oz handbottle, thanks kmweaver) Minimal beige head, clear dark copper body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, vinous, plum, some spice. Taste is moderately sweet, vinous/plum, caramel, toffee, light chocolate. Smooth medium body with low carbonation.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
RBESG08 grand tasting. Huge thanks to Chris for making this available.
Clear dark red-brown body. Nice malty, slightly chocolatey aroma. Aggressive taste, very noticable alcohol, nice nutty maltiness, caramel, some chocolate and some bitterness. Very nice, and I love the fact that I’ve had it!
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Mini-cask @ the RBESG08 Grand Tasting.
[thank you, chris_o]
Pours deep red-brown with a small, creamy, beige head. Aroma is sweet, dried fruits, plums, prunes, cherries, apple and rye bread. Pleasant oily mouthfeel. Flavour is powerful, lots of prunes, light chocolate, dry and rather hoppy. Great.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Mini keg (RBESG 2008): a bit unclear, ruby-amber coloured with a small beige head; molasses, dried fruits hops and port-wine in the nose; solid, full bitter flavour, smooth and medium bodied; lingering dry, bitter and roast-malty finish. Great british stuff........
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
12oz bottle, courtesy of Doppelganger. Thanks a ton, Casey! Pours a viscous, ruby-cola color; viscous appearance; headless. Solid amounts of caramel, dried red fruits, and cola in the aroma; viscous dark fruits and a touch of warming alcohol; some roasted meats; nice nose. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: lightly carbonated; loads of sweet dried dark fruits, caramel, and candy sugar; lots of warmth, soft earthy bitterness, and cola; very soft, viscous feel in the mouth; dense, generous barley wine. Lengthy finish: dried dark fruits, caramel, and caramelized sugar; tocuh of spicy, roasted meats. Very good stuff.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle shared by kmweaver. Still purple/brown colored body, little to no head at all; a few bubbles from the assertive pour. The nose opens up with rich and deep notes of peppery maple and bourbon, turning more towards dry oak tannins and notes of sweet, dried tobacco leaves, peppery and almost meaty in character at times. Texture is appropriately thick and viscous, faintly dry, with dry wood, tobacco, plum brandy and bourbon notes throughout. Warming, soft alcohol on the back… just really excellent stuff, well made, held up well in the hand-bottle. I wish more American barley wines had this amount of character and depth.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Courtesy of kmweaver. Dark brown body with no head. The nose is rich caramel and toffee and dark fruits. The flavor is very sweet with lots of caramelized raisins, toffee, gingerbread and cookie dough. Full body is round with low carbonation and a bit of a warm finish.
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