Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

Batch 2, 11/00... Poured murky brownish with a small, off white, head that left spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of wine, vanilla, caramel malt, and dark fruits. Slightly tart taste of young grapes, nuts, plums, strong oak, and a nice bitter finish. Light alcohol Simply amazing, thanks LarryPitonka!

Batch No. 3. Rick dark brown liquid with a dense head that dissipates to a layer of oily looking tan bubbles. Aromas of Light malt, cocoa and grapefruit, with undertones of oak, tannins and alcohol. Fino sherry start with light raisins, and anise oil, and a few other spices mixed throughout. Outstanding lace, with a full glass cover of tiny bubbles. Becomes more sharp and citric acidic (oranges) in the finish. Lots more oak as it warms. Many layer of depth to this one and the moniker is quite fitting. For a two year old ale it still seems quite young. A bit too unbalanced for a smooth comforting barley wine. More of a kick you in the butt and let's party brew. I'm torn, while I like the originality of this one, it does seem a bit too unbalance and acidic. But then again there are the complex flavors and looks. I'm not completely sold, but I will be ready for a rerate. Thank to slikwily, another fine ratebeer gentleman!

cloudy amber with a creamy head..my notes are drunk, but they repeat "candy sweetness" and "super sweet" and all that jazzz a million times...I had a 2000 & a 2002..the 2002 had a tart aroma with creamy blissfully tangy hop flavors...re-rate 01 vintage: I think i was more sober than the first time i had this beer, and so i must raise its score significantly (although i originally gave it a 4.2)...my notes indicate that it poured a gleaming dead maroon and smelled of licorice infused cream and aged malt. The flavors had big anise candy notes and it had a thick mouthfeel...I wrote "candy wet dream" in my notes...licorice cream...super creamy...and i wrote that it was the best Barley wine ever....so...see for yourself.re-rate I had the chance to spend some time with this beer and all i can say is, SHIT! The wine barrel adds the coolest vinous flavor to this thing that if i had to choose but 1 beer to drink for the rest of my life, this would be it...its just so freakin amazing.

Thanks go out to The Beer God & Sham for coming through with bottles of this exotic Monster!
(Vintage 2002) This was quite an adventure! I didn’t know what to expect out of this B-Wine, and let me say it was not like anything I had ever sampled before, EVER! At first sniff I thought; SHIT, this beer has gone bad, –But after closer inspection it was just what the brewer had intended.
The nose totally reminded me of two distinct things, Buttermilk & Dill pickle juice, I must be crazy? But the flavor brought out so many complex suggestions. Again I got buttermilk and dill, then notes of rotten grapefruit and bread and butter pickles, caramel as well…. Evoking a reaction from both the sweet & sour. Then I find notes of robust dark cigar tobaccos, slightly spicy and charred. Next this B-wine provided suggestions of oak and peat, leather, and oh yeah, buttermilk! The finish was dry and bittersweet, inviting yet inexpressible.
This ranks among one of my most fascinating experiences in all my beer sampling. This was most enjoyable at or around room temperature, less dill and more caramel by that time.

Wow! These days I just love trying things that are so completely different than anything I have already tried and this one surely fits that bill. The first thing that popped into my mind when I put my nose in the glass was dill pickles, yes dill pickles - very strange. Matta - who was incredibly generous to share this, thought buttermilk as well so I think you can gather there was a bit of sour here. That and so much more. As it warmed citrusy caramelized fruits and spice emerge and flowers. Very distinct and complex range of tastes and textures. It actually seemed fairly light for the power it packed. Looked like some red Flemish ales I've had in the glass. Flavor was sorta a mix of a Flemish ale and a barleywine come to think of it. Very interesting and quite enjoyable after the intial surprise.

bottle in Nov 2002-batch #4-shared with whaleman. pours a deep burgandy hue. Small bubbles in the carbonation. Deep ruby red appearance when held up to the light. Apple cider arma-faint hops-green grapes, some pear, but mostly apple cider. some coconut in the aroma as it warmed. Super sweet palate in the start, then middle and finish are sour, but not in a bad way. sweet/sour thing going side by side. Very Wine-ey thing going on with the overall feel of the palate. thanks to whaleman for sharing and Buck-Dich for hooking us up with this one.

Bottled Nov. 2002. Viscous pour with a velvety beige head and some rockiness. Aroma of currants, all-spice, crystal malt, and hops. Flavor is like a dry, woody fruit wine with some prominent caramel added on. Has some fair sweetness and citrus sourness. Hops make a brief cameo appearance and then they’re gone. This strikes me as a wine connoisseur’s beer and does serious justice to the term Barley "Wine". I really dig this. I can imagine this beer becoming really extraordinary after some extended cellaring (3 years or more).

2002 Version. Medium brown color. Smallish white foamy head. Aroma is malty, orange with a touch of wood. A Full-bodied barley wine. Malts are fruity and sweet. Orange and citrus with touches of vanilla. Hops are bold and grapefruity. There is a very nice hop sweetness that comes through the hop bitterness, Well balanced. Touch of an alcohol bite. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.