Deschutes Mirror Mirror Barleywine

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Bend, Oregon USA

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

The infected 2009 Vintage The aroma is difficult to describe. There is some remnants of malt character with light caramel and toffee. There is a moderately strong phenolic note similar to anise. Some alcohol spice as it warms. Medium low fruit esters of tropical fruit and rotting stone fruit. Pours a cloudy burnt amber with some ruby and brown notes. Moderately thick tan head that recedes fairly quickly to the edges. Faint lacing and medium legs. Flavor starts with some nice sweet malt notes that you would expect from a barleywine: caramel, toffee, toasted bread. Some light raisin and cherry notes also. Mid palate the alcohol heat sets in along with moderately strong bitterness and a moderately strong phenolic note. The phenolic note is clearly from the infection and ruins the finish of the beer. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium high carbonation. Medium low astringency and medium high alcohol heat. Infection seems to have thinned this beer out quite a bit as well. Overall this is not a good beer. I will revisit this one if and when they release a new batch as I think the infection worked negatively for this beer. Sometimes infections bring fruit, sometimes phenolics; this one brought phenolics and it doesn’t work. Oh well, nice of the very to have given refunds for these bottles.

2009 bottle that has not stood the test of time. Pours dark hazy brown with a cream white head. Aroma is of a sour red/brown, acetone, sour fruit. Taste is astringent, sour, and just not good. This beer has seen its glory days come to pass. A shame because there is a shadow of what it once was, now it tastes like sour grapes. Drain pour.

Bottle as shown. Pours a cloudy amber with small beige head. The aroma is roast, vanilla and oak. Medium mouthfeel with sweet roasted malt and vanilla with nice oaky finish. A very good barley wine from Deschutes.

Bottle from timfoolery. Fantastic barley wine with sweet fruit and light bourbon. Sooo good.

2009, brown bottle, 1 pint 6 ounces, best before 04/20/10, from and with Luc Bourbonnière (merci!), savoured on January 11 2012; eye: brown with a light reddish hue, hazy, minuscule ring of beige head, no lacing; mouth: malt, caramel, medicinal, slight fruity, light hops, finale in spices with malt presence, medium body, not much carbonation, lightly bitter, lightly sweet, slick texture; overall: fine FRANÇAIS 2009, bouteille brune, 1 pinte 6 onces, meilleure avant 04/20/10, de et avec Luc Bourbonnière (merci!), savourée le 11 janvier 2013; œil : brune avec une légère teinte rougeâtre, voilée, minuscule anneau de mousse beige, pas de dentelle; nez : malt, caramel, médicinal, très léger fruité; bouche : malt, caramel, médicinal, très léger fruité, léger houblon, finale en épices avec présence de malt, corps moyen, peu carbonatée, légèrement amère, légèrement sucrée, texture coulante; en résumé : bien

2009 bottle thanks to EricE. Sour cherry, paint thinner, apricot, and heavy booze on this. I’ve got to say I think this beer is wayyyy past it’s prime, which is a shame. Some remnants of what I’m sure was a superior beer, but it’s not there anymore.

A hazed reddish amber ale with a thin mocha head. In aroma, a sweet vinegar malt with light bilous notes, garbage, bad. In mouth, a sweet malt with floral hops, pure sugar, off notes, overall, sad and disappointing.

2009 release. Small brown head and milky brown. Nose is sweet but something off. Flavor surprisingly is quite sour, how come?? Not really into this, to many abnormalities about this. I know this goes against whar everyone has rated, but I’m out in this one.

This poured a hay lighter brown color with a small beige head. Aroma was toffee, caramel, oak and light oxidation. Flavor was light cardboard, light oak and bourbon, brown sugar and toffee. Solid stuff,

Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike. 2009 vintage The beer is copper/orange hued with a thin, off white head that leaves sparse lacing on the tulip. The aroma offers brettanomyces, alcohol, oak, vanilla, and candied malt. The beer is just ok, and unorthodox for the style. An odd mix of sweet and sour. I don’t dislike the beer, per se, but this hardly resembles a barleywine of any sort. Deschutes needs to fix these quality control issues and stop releasing infected beers. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 01-01-2012