CJs Big St. Nick Barleywine

Clear copper covered by an off-white ring. Sweet caramely nose proposes a slight smokiness and vegetal hops to back it. Acidic bite in the palate would fit well with only the woody undertones, but the smokiness doesn’t match it as well. mellow earthiness, abundant malt, but very simple and sweet for a barleywine. Light-medium bodied, soft to no carbonation.

2002 edition on draught at the 2004 MBG summer beer fest. Been turnin this review over in my head for some time. This was one of my favorites at the fest, a toss up between this and the Kuhnhenn Simcoe Silly. But anyways, I’m glad a barleywine really came through and shined. Pours a beautiful dark dark mahogany with some dark yellowish-browns around the edges. Quite opaque and has a small but lasting beige head. Aroma is lightly dry, but has hints of caramel sweetness, with some hints of cinnamon ice cream like notes, vanilla and a touch of dry and moderately bitter hops on the end. Flavor begins with a dry sensation, the age being immediately discernable. A bit of oxidation (just a hint) and then it develops in to a full caramel malt adventure, thick and sweet, but not too much so. The hops are still apparent, and as Joe notes, are quite sharp and piney, adding a big kick to this already huge alcoholic monster. However, it mellows out some and there is a lingering caramel/vanilla/toffee finish with plenty of complexities that make you stop think, and sip it again. Though I’m not a huge fan of heavily hopped barleys, this one was classy and nowhere near over-the-top with hops. Sure they were there, but I enjoyed it, and the dark malty notes, light roastiness and sweet caramel all balanced it very nicely. I bet this stuff will be incredible in another couple of years but alas, I probably wont ever see it again, and who knows if any is even left. . . .

Dark red with a thin head. Peaty, scotchy malts and hints of piney hops. Sweet honey notes in the rich middle, lingering pine and alcohol finish. A very nice BW!!!