Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Milton, Delaware USA

Serve in Snifter

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Old world in its dried fruit, white grape and citrus peel flavors but new world in what is a great hoppy finish. 15% alcohol is buried beneath a rich mouthfeel and ’umami’ bitter-sweet finish. Great beer and would pair well with roast fowl. 4.5/5

Received in trade back in May/June 2008 sometimes thanks to dchmela! Not actually buried, but has been stored in a cool dark place since then. Bottle says bottled in 2007. Pours a beautiful deep amber to red color. No head to speak of and a little bit cloudy, but still gorgeous to look at. Nose is very powerful. Lots of dark fruits, and a little bit of cloves and some other spices. Very complex, lots going on in there, and it smells fantastic. In the mouth, plenty of malts coming out. Flavor has more malty flavors than in the nose. Caramel, butterscotch, and some other roasty notes. Some other nice flavors there too, again, some dark fruits, some more spices. There’s plenty of alcohol in the finish, but it’s not overpowering in any way. Mouthfeel is very thick, creamy, and a little bit oily. Very well balanced beer, and fantastic for being over 2 years old. Absolutely wonderful beer.

UPDATED: MAY 15, 2010 2009 bottle on 5/15/10 - about seven months old... very young... needs more time as indicated by my previous rating. Olde School pours a deep yellow out of the bottle and settles into a deep orange glow in the snifter with a rocky bubbly white head. The nose is filled with sweet fruit, light caramel, a touch of citrus and alcohol. As this 15% Barleywine crosses my tongue, I feel a generous hop presence scrapping my palate, while lighter sweet fruits float to the top of the mouth. The sweet malts almost drip sugar onto the back of the mouth. While young, Olde School brings lots of sugar and sweet candy notes forward with a twinge of alcohol. The hops are also very prevalent and intensify the experience. There is a big crisp apple infused finish with more sugar and alcohol on the back end... Olde School is a powerful and very enjoyable Barleywine while young, but with time it only gets more dynamic and more delicious. Drink 1, cellar the rest.

2007 bottle on 12/12/09. pours a deep copper with a 1/4" white head... big sweet aroma filled with candi sugar, deep fruit notes and a touch of apple... the alcohol has really left the nose after 2 years... medium body with port like qualities... raisins, figs, other dark fruits mixed with a touch of wood. strong finish with a small alcohol presence and more figs. this one is doing well....

’07 bottle. this one will kick you in your head.... the 15% abv is evident from the aroma to the finish.... but not overly so. A very strong Barley Wine and a much different Barley Wine than I’m used to. I think this one is absolutely wonderful and enchanting. It warms you up real quick... pours a deep red with virtually no head or carbonation.... much like a spirit. You can smell the aroma right out of the bottle before it’s even poured... Once poured, there are aromas of fruits, alcohol and caramel. Thin to medium body that unleashes it’s various flavors on the palate... a slight alcohol bite on the finish rounds this one off. An instant favorite.... too bad I can’t buy it in my state (GA - lame alcohol limit laws)...

decent to put it lightly, this is a powerful beer, not only because of the alcohol but the overall flavor and texture. It is a very warm beer, has a sort of tang and afterbite. Sip this one slowly and it can be enjoyed. DFH has a consistency with their brews, all being explosive in individual style. This is a great version of barley style wine but has maybe 4 or 5% too much ABV.

Style and Glass: BWSA, Snifter ABV, Volume & Calories: 15% in 12 fl oz. estimated at 300C Purchased at: Trenton Road Take Out, Fairless Hills, PA for $3.73 Aroma: wow, rich, raisins, peach, rose, autumn, leaves, mold, intoxicating. Visuals: average label, nice 4 pack, like turkey gravy , muddy, mississippi, thick, thin white head, beautiful, sticky lace. Taste: mostly malt up front, good hoppy finish, unbalanced in both directions, delicious, sugary, syrupy, bitter ending, good strength. Palate: feeling of high quality, sticky, woody, long bitter finish. Overall: Exactly what I paid for — not exactly a 120 minute IPA, but more of a mix between the 120 Minute and a Raison d’ extra. I’d have it again, for sure. very nice, but not one of my favorites. Medium value for high craft.

Absolutely loved this beer. Pours to a dark, big body and smells of sweet liquor but is well balanced. Has a sweet liquor taste mixed in with the malts and a hint of fig, really didn’t taste the date in this but the alcohol is hid very well. Not overpowering like others. My favorite barley wine

Aroma is balanced, yet promiscuous as it dances across the unique scents of the malt, and various fruit used in the brewing/conditioning process. Pours a hazy orange-reddish brown, with a thin head which quickly fades into a film. The flavor begins with a sweetness, which is quickly shoved away with a malty must, and then finished by a sourness. The mouth feel is nice. This beer is not too thick, nor thin. It has just the right amount of bubbling, which happens to be light. I am not a fan of over/under-carbonated beers... but for this style, the carbonation is perfect. After partaking into about 6 ounces of this clever brew... I find myself pleasantly buzzed, can’t wait to finish it.

Pours beautifully clear, with little to no head. Aroma is of figs and dates. Wonderful old cask smell lingers as well. Wonderfully smooth on the palate. A true treat!

12 oz bottle. Thanks to Michelle and Chelsea at Get n Go for setting this aside! Pours a hazy burnt orange with a medium beige head that falls after a few minutes. Aroma consists of toasted bread, brandy, caramel, dark fruit. Taste starts out sweet, turns bitter and then leaves a lingering tart and bitter finish. Alcohol is definitely noticeable, but it doesn’t taste 15%. It could easily pass for 9% ABV if one didn’t know any better. The dates and figs are strong in the flavor. Body is thick and chewy and the carbonation is average. Excellent, masterful, delicious...could be dangerous.

UPDATED: FEB 11, 2012 750ml pours copper with reddish orange hues and a off-white head. Aroma is complex with hints of raisins, brown sugar, apple cider, honey, wood, toffee, and alcohol. Taste is sweet with sweet caramel upfront mixed with raisins, plums,figs, apples and honey.