Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

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

2001 bottle; batch 3. Hazy brown with medium head; surprising amount of carb left in this old bottle. Lots of brown sugar, maple syrup in the aroma. Wow. Insanely smooth mix of brown sugar, maple, oak and dark fruit. More than just a little hops still stand out providing a balancing bitterness. Zero alcohol taste or burn. Big flavors that manage to come off smooth;nothing close to a sherry bomb; clean and very little oxidation. Awesome. I really wish Fish would start brewing out these BA beauties again.

[Vintage 2002] Bottle... Poured amber with a beige head. Palate was insanely smooth. Really nice fruit flavors with a nice alcoholic finish. Other flavors of herbs and leafy tones with a brown sugars.

Aroma is very strong alcohol and syrup with some dark fruits and wood. Taste is a bit hot with some wood and vanilla. wow.

Vintage 2001. From someone in a trade, big thanks to them. Pours murky brown with a thin tan head and specks of lace. Smells rich and sweet with vanilla, wood and some alcohol. Tastes sweet with some slight vanilla wood flavors. Nice roasty sweet malt flavors as well. Just a faint hint of sourness. Mild amount of alcohol flavor as well. Full body, good carbonation.

2002 bottle from brewdad. OH MY GOD. Let me say it again. OH MY GOD. Dark brownish/red pour with a superb tan head. Aroma...where do I start? With the carame, toffee, fruit? Or wtih the vinous and bourbon notes? Or how aobut the woody, earthy tones? Or how aobut the vanilla, tartness. And damn if the flavor doesnt carry over the same as all the aromas. Rich, full and wonderful. Each sip dances on your tongue undressing itself showing you deeper and deeping into its soul. The barrel aging of this beer was done masterfully. Brewers take note: this is how you do it. DAMN STRAIGHT!!

2001 bottle, sampled at Woodshop Quad. Pours a clear dark reddish-brown with a thin off-white head. Rich aroma, of malt, bourbon, wood, and dark fruits. Huge taste, of malt, pine, grass, hops, a lot of wood, wine, and bourbon. Lingering wood and malt flavors. Really great.

750ml bottle. Batch #3, bottled Nov. 2001.

Really cool mix of malt and tart barrel on the nose. The crystal malt is still fairly evident even after 8 years. It’s pleasantly less sticky and sweet though. There is a good dose of wine barrel. Plenty of dark fruit skin... red grape and maybe a touch of tart apple? Toasted vanilla. Slight sherry-like nutty oxidization, but melds quite well with the other aromatic components. Very little hops left on the nose... but still very aromatic and vibrant. Pours a hazed, copper/brown with a thick off-white creamy head. Flavor is just as unique as the aroma. Crystal malt, dark fruits, toasted vanilla and caramel, loads of tart barrel tannin. Quite delicious. Little hop presence. Some oxidization... but does not distract from the flavor. A slight hint of basement must. Still quite malty and alive. I think this one will last a while longer. Medium to full bodied. Slightly oily on the tongue with a bit of a lactic creaminess on the finish. Still... 8 years later and this badass has plenty of time left. Wonderful stuff. Thanks Andre!

Bottle, 2001 Vintage. Sampled at the Woodshop Quad Tasting. This was a really stellar standout of the evening. Talk about some serious maturation. This one has aged nicely. Pours clear copper with no head and barely any carbonation. Aroma of vanilla and oak with a bit of dark fruit. Caramel flavor with tones of wood and cellar must. Bitterness has calmed down a bit. Finishes extremely smooth and elegant with more barrel on the back end. F**king really good.