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9679
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Serve in Snifter

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RATINGS: 57   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.61   SEASONAL: Special   EST. CALORIES: 322   ABV: 10.75%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Summer Barleywine
Named for the 15th Century firearm which was successor to the Blunderbuss, this barrel-aged barleywine aspires to change the way you think of strong beer. Intended for sipping on these sultry summer evenings on our patio (or inside, with the AC), it is at once light and drinkable yet boasts significant body, and is almost syrupy smooth in texture without being cloying. Arquebus presents beautiful, complex notes of concentrated peach and apricot fruit, wildflower honey, toast and coconut oakiness, and a soft, tannin-hinted, white wine-like finish. Aged in French oak chardonnay barrels acquired from the Silverado winery in Napa, the residual flavors contributed by the wood offer a mellowness of character not provided by stainless steel fermentation.This honey-hued, ambrosial beer, beheld in a simple stemmed glass, pours with just a mild effervescence which accentuates its myriad nuances of flavors and aromas. Several more barrels of this elixir await release in the coming years. So for now, enjoy!
OG: 1.099 FG: 1.018 ABV:10.75%


3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
arjoseph (634) - Chicago, Illinois, USA - JAN 4, 2009
GABF 2007. My first tasting note was "nice." My second: "unique." This isn’t your grandpappy’s barley wine. Smells meady with honey and alcohol very much apparent, with an accent of menthol. Initial impression is that the mouthfeel is lighter than expected for a BW, but the expected sweetness didn’t overwhelm the lighter texture. This is herbal right away with the meady honey in the background as the dominant form of sweetness. Slightly flowery in the end. Honey comes out in the finish too, which is juicy (not dry).

4.2
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
TheGent (513) - , Massachusetts, USA - JUL 13, 2011
Enjoyed at CBC on their out door patio. Served in one of their small glasses due to its high ABV. Depp amber color with no head and really no carbonation. The aroma is very Chardonnay and white oak mixed malt. It is as if someone took some crusty bread and soaked it in white wine. Even through the taste I get a light grape like acid to it. Through the taste i get the grain more but also a wildflower honey. Mixing with the slight alcohol notes gives the impression of a light lowlands scottish whiskey. This is a very good barley wine and yes I very much could imagine drinking it in the shade of a summer afternoon.

3.7
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
mkgrenwel (455) - Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - JAN 27, 2012
2010 vintage. Syrupy sweet up front. Big acidity brings out pineapple and apricot. Honey. Light bodied for a barleywine. Not getting a ton of hops, but the acidity provides balance. Nice but actually a bit simple for such a big beer.

3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 13/20
GriffinAvenue (396) - Winchester, Massachusetts, USA - SEP 4, 2006
Draft (Sampled on 9/3/06). Caramel, cider-like appearance. Apricot, peach scent. Hints of cork, wood mixed in with the fruity taste. Residual kick. High quality, but was honestly disappointed relative to the hype placed against this barleywine.

4.6
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 10/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 17/20
fbennett (293) - Portland, Oregon, USA - JUL 24, 2006
It poured a ruby caramel creamy color with a small tan head that quickly faded. The nose is fantastic...honey, chardonney grapes, peach, mango, suttle spices, nuts, and oak. The taste starts vinos in nature, alcohal is warming but not really apparent at 10.5%. This beer has loads of tannins that make you smack the tongue, and the hop presence is right there to give you some balancing bitterness. The strong malt backbone and the aging in the chardonney barrels are a great compliment making this a smooth sippable brew. I can see why this is called a summer barleywine due to the refreshing nature in terms of carbonation, also the fruit feel on the palate. Anyone that is a fan of barleywines you need to try this brew!

4.5
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
BrianK (200) - Livingston, New Jersey, USA - FEB 21, 2009
Wow, wow, wow. What sick depth this beer has. Smells mead like with nice honeycomb coming to mind. Taste is incredibly smooth and light bodied. Multi-layered mid pallette involving wine grapes, honey, and mild chard. barrel is exquisite. Nothing is over the top here. Everything is mellow and dances over your tongue revealing all the great depth this beer has to offer. Well done and very original concept.

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
mmather (119) - Colorado, USA - MAY 2, 2008
at the 2007 Boulder CO Strong Ale Fest. Lots of spicy, malty aromas. Alcohol blends well with the base beer. Barrel aging does not overpower beer. A great, very well balanced beer.


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