Emmetts Barrel Aged Barley Wine

Brewed by Emmetts Tavern and Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
West Dundee, Illinois USA

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle #68 (out of 114) from a special bottling done by the Emmett’s folk in the Winter of 2006: The cork broke and fell into the bottle, so I strained it as I poured. Still, it managed a modest, bubbly tan head over the deep brown brew. No lacing. The aroma is Jim Beam over chocolate, plums, vanilla, and oak. Pretty smooth. The Bourbon seems to dominate the flavor, which is okay... although I prefer Jack Daniels. The other tastes reflecting the aroma are present but are definitely second tier. Perhaps it’s fruitier than the nose, but not much so. Not bad, but a bit lopsided in favor of the liquor.

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Bottle # 65/120. Brewed in 2006. Aroma is potent oak and chocolate. Absolutely no head but does leave a thin off-white line down the glass as you sip. Looks like caramel as you pour it in and settles as an opaque dark brown in my tulip. Bold flavor, very forward with the bourbon and wood character. Char and smoke are evident and the body is very malty. No hops evident this is very slanted towards the bourbon flavors. Full creamy body, oily in the mouth this really bites the palate. Very whiskey like. Overall I’d say this had too much time in the barrell or did not present enough other flavors to counteract the whiskey flavors from dominating this and robbing it of a lot of its barleywine character. I enjoyed it, it was a great warmer and would make a great cigar beer but I do not think it is what it set out to be. I knock it down a few points overall because of this.