3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Sampled at MuckFest 09! Had sampled the bourbon barrel version.Poured a deep reddish brown color with a small head. Flavor was sweet, caramel with the dark fruits.Flavor was a copy of the nose with some of the booze coming out.Finished off with a slight warming
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 15/20
2011 bottle shared by Buckeyeboy. Nose of barrel: vanilla and bourbon. Nice flavor: vanilla, booze, malts, cola, light fruits. Tasty, but far too carbonated and fizzy.
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
[2011 Bottle] Pours dark, reddish, brown, with a good sized beige head. Lots of barrel in the nose; alcohol is strongly present as well. A little too much bourbon barrel, and fairly simple. Taste was quite nice when first opened—lots of raisin blended very nicely with the bourbon barrel, with just a little oxidation towards the finish. However, as it warmed, the alcohol and bourbon really started to come out, and became a little overbearing. Still enjoyable, but it certain knocks it down a bit. Maybe it is just the power of suggestion after now reading the description, but I can see where they found (dried) apricots in this. Average mouthfeel, creamy, long finish. Overall, I enjoyed this, but there is too much barrel, and it falls short of the top tier barley wines.
3.4 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Pours a deep red with a thick white foam. Hops and apricot top the caramel sweetness. Bitterness and sweet honey balance nicely. Finishes slightly bitter but nice.
3.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
750ml bottle pours a pale amber orangey color with a finger of off-white head that leaves some creamy lacing on the side of the glass. Aroma is dark fruits with hints of caramel and oak with some hops. Taste is caramel and fruity sweetness with some fruits and a mild hop bitterness with some hints of whiskey. Medium to heavy body and light carbonation. A very drinkable barley wine style ale.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Nice orange hue w/ good carb and a bit of floaties. Good off white head and some serious lacing. Smells like rich toffee and bourbon and vanilla. I even get some wood notes. Tastes really malty and sweet, the bourbon is present and so is the vanilla. Very nice beer.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Hardliver
Pours dark amber with little head. Smell is mild, little going on, maybe a bit of malt. Taste is dark fruit, something a bit beyond that. Fruity and almost spicy/peppery. Light to medium bodied. Decent.
4.3 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
A smooth, mellow, easy-drinking barleywine. Lighter color, moderate head. Vanilla, wood, maybe some honey. Bourbon in the nose but light in the mouth. very drinkable. 2010, 40/3000
4.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Tap at Stone. Pours a muddy caramel brown with an active tan head. Aroma is background bourbon, soft vanilla, and a fairly thick, raisin heavy traditional sweet barley wine profile. Wow. Taste is soft, rounded bourbon with vanilla, caramel, toffee, heavy raisin, and a soft finish. Light and creamy mouthfeel. Well balanced beer. Really a great beer where the taste exceeds the aroma.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
750ml, 2010 vintage, bottle 2126/3000, shared with shadowane.
Pours a cloudy, dark amber color with golden ruby edges and a one finger frothy, yellowish beige head. Very good retention slowly fading into a lasting ring that leaves chunks of lacing behind.
Musty, earthy aroma with lots of dark fruit, leather and wood. Nice barrel in the nose with toasted oak and vanilla notes but only subtle bourbon. Lots of leathery malts as well as some fig and raisin.
Medium body with soft carbonation up front with a strong barrel presence that’s a bit harsh with lots of toasted oak and sweet booz. As it warms there is some vanilla and the sweeter malts and dark fruit notes shine. Leathery and musty with some sweet caramel and nut along with hints of fig, plum and apple. Decent but kind of harsh up front. Finishes nice.
4.4 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 19/20
750ml bottle from Warehouse poured into a snifter. 2010 vintage, bottle number 2334 of 3000. Pours dark brown with about 2 fingers of off-white head. Aroma of whisky, vanilla, fermented dark fruits, citrus and wood. A little caramel there too. Taste is medium sweet, light sour and very light bitter. Whiskey, vanilla, wood, blood orange peel, light caramel and dried apricot. Full bodied with a thick and creamy texture. Lively carbonation and a long bittersweet finish. Overall, I’m in love with this beer. I could drink this every day.
|
