3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle. Clearish dark copper with a slightly off-white head. NIce grapefruity hops in the aroma that are nowhere near dominant but come through clear, caramel, and toffee. This leans a bit sweet and makes it seem a bit more traditional rather than US driven for the style, dark fruits, earthy hop in the middle, with lots of caramel but doesn’t suggest that it’s not fresh...just really, really balanced. Toffee-finish. Medium to thicker body that’s a little viscous with bubbly carbonation, and a little silky.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
(22 oz. bottle from Montgomery Plaza) Pours hazy dark amber with a finger of light-yellowy amber head that retains very well and leaves nicely-defined rings of lacing. Aroma of toffee, caramel, smoky, bit of cotton candy overlain by pine. Mouthfeel smooth, thick and a little sticky. Flavor is big and malty sweet with lots of caramel and toffee and hints of smokiness overlain by pine with a nice bitter hoppy bite in the finish. Liked this one alot.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Unfair comparison. I shared a bottle of this with myself tonight and two nights ago. I really liked it the first time and noted the neutral qualities: not too hoppy and bitter, not too sweet, no off-putting off-tastes. I thought it was a nice barleywine that walked a line between the flavor profiles of all barleywines I’ve had. Unfortunately last night I had some Old Numbskull and now it comes off as quite drinkable but nothing special.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Dark clear aged apricot color with a speckled tan head. Aroma is sweet with ripe stone fruits with a hint of tangerine. Taste is the same, and very malty, with more hop emphasis, and mild pithy bitterness. $10/22oz.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bomber from Chevy Chase in DC. Pours a hazy orangish-amber color with a lasting one finger whitish head and good lacing. The aroma is excellent, with caramel malts and sticky syrup, with big resinous hops and fruity notes. The flavor is also very good. Sweet caramel malt and maple syrup notes along with toffee, plum and raisin. Damn tasty. Fairly full-bodied with slight syrupiness and medium carbonation. Wow, this is a great American barleywine, reminiscent of Flying Mouflan. I could see this aging well.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
22 oz. bottle; thanks to tarheels86 for the trade; clear, rosy amber with thin soapy white head in bubbles along the edge of the glass; candy malt aromas with some citrus, caramel; very thin texture and light across the board, flavor-wise; sticky caramel, some dried fruit, stale malt and brown sugar; dry oak, a little spice from the booze and hops; bland fruits, stale malt and almost syrupy
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
22 oz bottle from tarheals. Clear amber with a big sticky beige head that leaves some lacing. Aroma of caramel, toffee, cinnamon, pine and alcohol. The flavor is sweet and malty with a light hop bitterness. Medium to full body with very mild carbonation and a thick, syrupy mouth feel. I think this beer would be a bit better with more carbonation, it almost makes the beer seam watery and makes the sweetness almost cloying.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Tap. Pours clear amber with an average, frothy white head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toasted), average hops (floral, pine, citrus), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of plum and peach. Flavor is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toasted), average hops (floral, pine, citrus), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of plum, vanilla, and peach. Full body, high warmth, medium carbonation, low warmth and a dry and biting finish.
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