Eel River Triple Exultation

Brewed by Eel River Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Fortuna, California USA

Serve in English pint, Snifter

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, light brown, mostly lasting. Body is dark amber to medium brown. Aroma is moderately malty (caramel, toasted bread, cookie), moderately hoppy (apricot, grapefruit, resin), with notes of vanilla, dried mango, dried blueberry, toffee, marmalade, alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately to heavily bitter. Medium to full body, watery/velvety/syrupy texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. A truly beautiful barleywine. Green Flash’s rendition this year blew my socks off, and this one is right up in the same ballpark. Extremely complex and enticing nose that offers equal interplay of malt, hops, and esters...an absolute joy to nose. Tropical fruit galore, rich cookie-caramel malts, vanilla-toffee, it’s really hard to imagine someone not enjoying this. And remarkably balanced in the mouth with pretty much zero abrasiveness. Dare I call it elegant? It is, though...and that’s pretty rare with a beer of this kind. Two thumbs up.

sample at Coles Barleywine Competition 2012. darker copper pour. I thought that this was lacking typical Barleywine characteristics, the rich toffee maltiness etc. Lighter flavor profile. OK

(bottle) Pours a dark mahogany color with a large tan head and significant lacing. Perfect 5. I’m not sure of the age of this bottle, but it was purchased at a liquor store which sees low traffic, so I’m guessing it’s at least a year if not two old. It certainly smells aged, and it closely resembles, if not completely mirrors the scents of a well-aged barleywine. Scents of oxidation are present, but they only enhance the overall smell. Coupled with these aromas are toffee, peanut brittle, papery hops, and sugary dried fruits. The peanut brittle really intensifies with warming, and at 9.7% the alcohol is not showing at all. I miss the strawberry jam component present in many other aged beers of this ilk. Flavor displays a surprising hit of black licorice with sugared raisins, toffee, and a lingering finish of peanut brittle, toasted malt and oxidation that is coupled with a substantial amount of bitterness. The toasty malt and brittle are great, but the oxidation is a bit heavy, and the bitterness is just unwelcome and out of place. Further warming elicits some microwave movie theater buttered popcorn and dried pineapple. There is a slight bit of alcohol heat, but it’s very subdued. Overall this is a quality old ale, but the age is beginning to show a bit too much with this particular bottle. With that said, I would definitely consider buying another as it is good, and I certainly wouldn’t turn down a fresher offering.

Aroma of cherries, dark fruits, molasses and slight bread. Pours hazy brown with a medium dense head. Tastes very complex. Almost a cinnamon quality with dark fruits and breast. Yummy.

Sample at Ale Wine & Spirits in Powell on 01/06/2012. Brownish pour with ruby around the edges, and a medium beige head that recedes steadily. Stringy lacing on the glass. Aroma of dark malt, raisin and caramel. Medium to full body with a dark malty character and notes of dark fruits, caramel and a hint of spice. The finish is malty with a sweet aftertaste. Decent overall.

pours a cloudy dark brown. Has the aroma of a fruity barley wine. Taste is a dark plum sweetness followed by a smooth warm finish. Good brew.

A 2006 that was sent to me by Hayduke. Sampled at an esbls tasting. This pours hazy and dark brown with a smallish tan head. I smell lots of oxidized hops. It smells like a barleywine. Big fruity malt is very nice for the taste. Spmehow bitterness comes through so there must be some hs that ate alive. This is really nice and tasty. Thanks Ron! This was so interesting.

This is an excelent representation of an english old ale. Has a great flavor profile, almost tastes like it has been aged in bourbon barrels. But then our of nowhere you get this great hops profile. A the best part this beer only gets better with age, it has won four gold medals in the aged category at the Great american beer festival. Cheers,