East End Gratitude

Brewed by East End Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

Serve in Snifter

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2007 vintage-pours a deep red brown with a beige head that fades into a thick lacing. At this point the hop presence has faded into a very subtle bitter support to an out standing malt backbone. This is an amazingly balanced sipped that I can’t get enough of!

UPDATED: SEP 19, 2011 Huge props to AL aka petesuphi for bringing this whole vertical to the Inaugural "Imminent Liquidation Bottle Share" Event. While I tried samples from all of them, this review will be for the 05. Red waxed bottle poured into a taster glass. A - Pours a deep, hazy, orange with a small half finger tall off white head, dissipating down to almost nothing, leaving light wisps of lacing down the glass. S - Lots of sweetness in this one. Smells of caramel, butterscotch, and toffee sweetness up front. The sweet caramel malt is strong but not to the point of being overpowering. I almost didn’t want to drink it, it smelled that good. T - Damn, this is one tasty beer. Lots of caramel and toffee sweetness up front never really giving way thru out the glass. The earthy sweet caramel malt adds depth behind all that sweetness. The booze has all but disappeared at this point leaving an oh so smooth feel that is just outstanding. Finish has some lingering sweetness but it fades quickly. This was easily one of the best barleywines I have ever had. M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Smooth, rich, feel with some lingering sweetness in the finish. It is just so damn sooth it is bordering on dangerous. O - Damn. I have had some of the newer vintages of gratitude before but the 05 and 06 are easily the best I have had. The 07 and 08 are well on there way as well but the original two are already there. One of the best barleywines I have had in quite some time, possibly even the best ever. Thanks again AL !!

Bottle 750ml. @ home.

[ Trade by GAManiac ]. [ Batch 2006 ]. Clear medium red amber - orange colour with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly to fully lasting, off-white head. Aroma is light heavy malty, caramel, riped fruit, wood, tobacco, moderate hoppy, orange - citrus, dried fruit - berries, alcohol. Flavour is heavy sweet and light heavy with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily and sticky, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light alcoholic. [20110722]

Purple wax bottle, thanks Dmac. Pours out a deep ruby/amber color with a very small lacing head. Aroma is of raisins, light caramel, dried fruits, light alcohol and some grainy notes. Taste is complex with raisin, cherries, light caramel, licorice, Robitussin, grain and a long, dry finish with slight alcohol. Solid brew.

750 ml purple wax sealed bottle from Capones. Poured a reddish/amber body with a very small off white head. Aroma was dry and yeasty with notes of fruit, tropical fruit, fruit rinds, banana, clvoe, raisin, alcohol, slight caramel, dates and a hint of wax. Slightly syrupy body and the alcohol is very well hidden, soft carbonation and a quick fading aftertaste. Flavor of syrup, alcohol, grains, cereal, raisins, dates, dark fruits and a hint of tropical fruit and yeast. OVerall this was way to dry and needs to be sweeter, sort of like a Belgo/English barleywine if there is/was such a creature.

On tap. Pours a murked out amber with no head or lacing to speak of. Aromas of apple cider, belgian yeast, earthy hops, cherry, distinct and unique tones of strong fig and dark fruit. Taste in so so smooth, with red apples, cherry, candy sigar, belgian quad grapey notes, with a ton of sweet and toffee malts. So drinakable for 11.5%. This beauty was put on tap for the ratebeer event during beerweek at Capones.

Someone opened a vertical of this at the HF anniversary after party. 2009 vintage. Dark mahogany pour with slightly off-white foam. Aroma is typical old barleywine, lots of old hops, rich caramel malty aromas and a bit of alcohol. Taste is pretty boozy, sweet and very malty with just a touch of hops. Not really my thing. I also tried the 2006 vintage which wasn’t completly oxidized but still past his prime

Had a couple different vintages after the Hill Farmstead celebration. Seriously unimpressed- maybe it was stored incorrectly by whoever brought it, but it was lacked complexity and depth; very sweet molasses on both the nose and tongue, quite cloying. Not impressed.

06-09 vertical. I don’t know why so many people rave about this beer. It is too sweet (and I love barleywine) and even the most recent sample tasted of carboard. Huge oxidation issues for sure. Cloying palate with a sugary finish.

From notes: 2007 vintage. Pours a deep dark mahogany/chesnut brown color with a thick, frthy two finger light beige head that has excellent retention, slowly fadig into a lasting cap that coats the glass with large chunks of soapy lacing. Sweet malty aroma with subtle spice, booz, dak fruit and earthy hops. Leathery with hints of caramel, toffee and biscuit as well as some plum, fig and raisin. Faint earthy hops and peppery spice add to the nose. Sweet alcohol bit doesn’t smell too boozy considering it’s 11.5%. Creamy, chewy full body with an excellent balance of leathery and sweet malt, booze, dark fruit and earthy hops. The mouthfeel of this beer is onenof the best I’ve encountered in the style. Slightly earthy with lots of sweet malt going off hints of caramel, toffee, hazelnut, rye and biscuit. There are some earthy hops balancing thing out especially in the finish whichns long, dry and slightly bitter. Very well balanced and extremely quaffable with faint hints of dark fruit, especially plum and raisin. The alcohol sweetness is there but it isn’t hot at all and the high ABV is excellently masked making it deceptively drinkable. Highly recommended!