Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

Formerly brewed at Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Barley Wine
Olympia, Washington USA

Serve in Snifter

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Thanks to cpferris for this rare -bal tick. Hazy amber in color with a small off-white head that leaves a good thick film. The aroma is undoubtedly old, with sherry notes from oxidation, but a good caramel malt presence and even a hint of aged hops behind that. Caramel malt flavor with sherry notes and faded resinous hops. On the sweeter side. Medium-plus bodied, and it has even retained some carbonation over the years. Solid stuff.

The beer pours amber in color with an off-white head. Big time oak aroma with a bit of red wine to it. Brown sugar and toffee with a surprisingly mild oxidation. Not too much going on in terms of the the aroma. Typical barleywine flavors going on here. Toffee, brown sugar, and toasted bread. Oak, vanilla, and red wine (maybe some red fruits) round out the flavor. Medium in body and a decent amount of carbonation.

In short: A surprisingly lively woody barley wine with a kick-ass dry malt backbone. Wow!
How: Bottle 750ml. Consumed when… old! Something like 9 year of age!!! Bottle from 5000, thanks a lot Andre
The look: Cloudy brown body topped by a medium dark beige head with medium retention. That doesn’t look like an old lifeless beer at all
In long: The pleasant nose is toasted malts with some kind of spicy (peppery) notes. Now comes the good part. The malt backbone on this bad boy is second to none. Crisp toasted malts, brownies, dark and light-colored fruits, brown sugar, caramel, black pepper, lots of dry wood. It’s kind of hard to put into words really. Somehow the beer doesn’t taste sweet despite being a 10% barley wine. I don’t know what it was barrel-aged in, but it sure didn’t taste like the usual bourbon barrel aged beers. This one had a lot (and I mean A LOT) of dry wood. This is a really fantastic malt backbone that I cannot accurately describe. Body was as lively as lively can be (like a true trappist Dubbel for instance) and there was absolutely no maderisation notes and only light oxidation notes. I’m no fan of aging beer, I’m drinking that old bottle now because I just got it a few days ago. Amazingly, this beer still felt fresh despite the age. I don’t understand why they brewed this amazing beer some years ago and haven’t brewed it again in many years. This is torture for the beer lovers like myself. This is a sadistic brewer, I bet he enjoys eating sushi in front of his goldfish.

Big thanks to Steve for this one. Bottle from 2000 batch 2. Pours a nice dark brown color with a thin head. Has the smell of wood, barley, and caramel. Taste is about the same. This is just a fantastic beer all around. Thanks Steve!

Thanks to hopdog for sharing this one. Pours a hazy brown with a medium bubbly off white head. Aroma of dark fruits, toffee, oak, vanilla and light alcohol. Flavor of toffee, oak, dark fruits and vanilla.

Big toffee and dark fruit nose, very vinous. Moderate sweetness, moderately bitter, very port-like, some oxidation, but seems to be holding up well, lots of toffee and a touch of chocolate. Medium body is soft, a bit sticky with light carbonation. Glad to see this held up unlike the IS.

2002 bottle thanks to Matta. A: Pours a vibrant amber hue with a small white head. Light retention and no light. S: Lots of dark fruit, light sweet apple, caramel, and red wine. T: Very similar to aroma. Lots of fruit, caramel, and light brown sugar. Some nice bold red wine notes with hints of oak and vanilla. M: Medium in body, sort of light in carbonation. D: Good, this one has aged gracefully and huge thanks to matt for having a retarded cellar that he is so willing to share.

(on bottle, 2001 edit) Rubyred, small, white head. Brumbles and malt, some champignions too. Perky mouth, alcoholic warmth in the tatste. Loads of malts and a thumpy finish of esters snd then more alcohol. The long finish gives forest berries and dirt. Cloying if warm.

From notes. 2001, batch 3. Courtesy Oakes. Murky brown pour, small tan head. Savory, smokey wine barrel, roasty burnt caramel, cookie, toasted grains, subtle cocoa, earth. Medium/full body, balanced, likely lost some weight due to age. Excellent barleywine, grateful to be able to try it.

2000 bottle via riversideAK, huge thanks Alex! Pours a rusty brown color with a beige head that lasted forever! Aroma is caramel, toffee, dried fruits, light vinous notes. The flavor is candi sugar, sweet caramel, maple, toffee, raisinsa, plums, figs, light oaky notes. Medium bodied, medium to high carbonation, finished semi-sweet, with some wine like notes. This was reediculously good, held up tremendously over time!