4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20On draught at BeerMongers. One of the "lightest" barleywines I have had. Nice caramelized fruit flavor cleverly hides the alcohol content. Dangerous.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
1 of Block 15’s 4 bourbon-barrel-age beers on tap for "bourbon month" (February) of 2013. This was my least favorite of the bunch, but still a great beer (especially for 5$, or 4.25$ during happy hour when I got it). Amber, fairly bright, not much head. Aroma is a sort of zinginess that I associate with sours. It’s present in the flavor too, and I guess that it’s just an unusual hop-bourbon combination. The bourbon notes (in both the aroma and flavor) are moderate; not massive like in the Super Nebula, or light like in the Enchantment. The hops are kept in check, even undermined, by the bourbon, yet the earthy bitterness and even some grain twang still characterize the aftertaste. I guess I’m just not into the bourbon barrel in combination with American barley wines. I’d stick with European (check out Weyerbacher’s Insanity).
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Draft at block 15. Burnt dark toffee brown with khaki head that leaves spotty lacing. Cola, caramel, vanilla, fig, light tart wine, dark cherries, bit of oak char and brown sugar. Light caramel, maple sweetness, touch of cola and apple, malt character is quite crisp for the style, a somewhat out of place tartness going on. The 12% is well hidden for sure.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Tap at Baileys Taproom. Deep copper pour. Huge malt nose with lots of caramel, toffee, earthy hops and a touch of citrus. Big sweet malty body with caramel and spicy pungent hops all popping through. Really nice BW.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Tap at the brewpub. Dark orange pour with a white head, sticky lacing. Tastes and smells of oak, vanilla, caramel, toffee, sugar and a little bit of whiskey. Easy drinker, alcohol is barely detectable.
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Tap @ Block 15... Poured dark, burnt orange with a white head. Had lots of vanilla, charred oak tones. A bit of smoke and charred burnt sugars. Like toffee and caramel sweetness. Whiskey, dark sugars, very smooth, and the alcohol was well masked.
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