henrikb (1298), Aarhus, Denmark Aug 24, 2008 Clear chestnut body, very fast disappering creamy beige head; Huge hoppy nose, a little soapy but very good; Big soft and sharp body, not really balanced; Thin and soft finish, simple bitter and sweet. Marsiblursi (1631), Göteborg, Sweden Aug 22, 2008 (Bottle thanks to Puddintane) Pours a muddy brown with some copper hints. Small head. The aroma is compact and complex malty with tones of caramel, dark sugar and dark juicy bread. Rather vinous and still a bit hoppy with notes of grapes, tart fruits and dark fruits like raisins, figs, prunes and oranges. Some resin and wood. Undertones of mint, earth, leather, apples and tobacco. The flavour is medium to heavily sweet and medium bitter with tones of caramel/toffee, citrus like oranges and grapefruit, resin and hints of chocolate. The mouthfeel is round and light sticky. The finish is hop dry alongside some light syrupy notes. Near full-bodied. Fantastic aged BW aroma but the flavour is rather simplistic.
islay (470), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Aug 15, 2008 Small sample from a large bottle at Great Taste of the Midwest on 8-9-2008. "Who is that guy [pouring the beer]!? "That’s Larry Bell!" "Oh..." Pours brown with small amount of tan head. Citrus, especially orange, in the surprisingly hoppy aroma. I can’t believe how hoppy this beer is in both aroma (especially) and flavor after years of aging. Wonderful aroma. Watermelon-sweet taste. Full body. Lively and silky in the palate. pepsican (884), The Student Ghetto, Iowa, USA Aug 8, 2008 Tap at maduro. Hazy brown/red pour with a thin off white head. Raisin and caramel aroma. The flavor is similar with cherry and booze as well. Long boozy finish. Kirsch (12), East Lansing, Michigan, USA Jul 31, 2008 Had this on tap at a local bar. Poured a very very dark amber, almost to the point of being jet black. The aroma was very overpowering, with a very strong alcohol smell. Flavor was suprising given the aroma, was very smooth and bold but not overwhelming. Overall a great beer. Miver (551), WillowStreet, Pennsylvania, USA Jul 12, 2008 12 oz. bottle thanks to Axilla for sharing. Poured hazy brown in color with a medium sized tan head. Aroma of toffee, caramel, and hops. Tastes of grainy malts, toffee, and molasses. The hop character is still present, and comes in at the front end, fades a little and returns in the finish. Smooth easy drinking barleywine. StoutCat (81), Rockville, Maryland, USA Jul 6, 2008 Caramel brown with no head. Sweet caramel aroma, matched in flavor with additional notes of dates and honey. Very nice beer. mreusch (715), Olathe, Kansas, USA Jul 2, 2008 12oz. bottle, with a giant thank you to sloth for the rare treat! Pours a nice burgundy color with a two finger creamy tan head that lingers, leaving behind a good coating of lace. Aroma is super nice, with toffee, caramel, dark fruits, brown sugar; sweetly malty. Flavor comes on strong, with more sweet malts, dark fruit, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, and some hops bitterness on the finish. Smooth and tasty, this is my kind of barleywine; sure wish I had a case of this in the cellar. Thanks again for the chance to try Bert!
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