Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

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

Very large bottle from 2001, shared by acrdz at the Shenandoah Beer Throwdown. Pours dark brown, very hazy, tan head. Aroma is sweet caramel, some subtle hops. Flavor is similar, with smoke, dark fruit, grapefruit, and warming alcohol in taste. Excellent, and very smooth.

Very, very thick and heavy - a little too syrupy for my taste, but the robustness is really good. Another good cold weather beer to warm you up. Dark amber body with a nice frothy lacing around the sides of the glass. Smells heavily of fruits and maybe even wine. A nice surprise in the flavor is a roasted chocolate-ness that grabs you. Some apples too.

Batch 4 - I could taste the wine-like qualities from the casks in the imperial stout, but I can REALLY taste it in this beer - very heavy and malty, but lacking the sweetness most barleywines have - highly vinous, leaving a lingering taste of red wine and hops in the finish - slightly tart - many fruity esters - roasty qualities - vinous qualities fade a bit as the beer warms, bringing more of the malty, barleywine-like elements to the front - caramel, chocolate - my this beer is complex - I didn't quite like it at first, but after giving it an honest shot, I think this is one of the most unique beers I've had in quite a while - a very nice change of pace!

Batch #3. Cloudy and brown colored. Fruity aroma. Flavor reminds me a bit of oak Arrogant Bastard I had the privilege. Wood, flavor and wine type qualities. Some hop bitterness. The subtle flavors I'm not picking up, but I'm fine without them. Truely a unique Barleywine and one well worth the effort of obtaining.

This beer like a bottle of wine needs to sit and be open for about 15 mintues, just to sit and merely take in the aroma for one thing. Once you get to the pour, is turns a gorgeous ruby garnet color in the glass with a small tan ring of foam. The aroma is full of dark fruits and alchohol, a sweetness that makes you want to lick your lips after the first sip. Hints of oak, chocolate and toffee. The fruits are also very present with almost a peach wine quality, backed up by the sweet hops and a flowery aroma. This was just a treat to drink, a little to heavy at times with the wine and oak, but overall very satisfying.

This is a nice way to end the party for me, at no. 78. Heavy and sweet and full of alcohol, this is pretty good stuff. Of course, this is my favorite style. Thanks to cquiroga for the heads up on which beer this was.

Batch #3, November 2001, via The_Beer_God. This pours a cloudy brownish/red with a dense tan head. Aroma is very bold and complex. I detect oak, red wine, and lots of malt. I have never had a beer with this unique of an aroma. Flavor is amazing! It starts with an attack of malt sweetness and alcohol warmth, then the bitterness and dryness comes through in the finish. It is sticky sweet, but very enjoyable. Not as bitter as I would have expected, possibly due to the age of the beer.

2002 Vintage. Fruity/red wine to start, alcohol, then sourness and hops. Dominating flavor in this beer is red wine and oak. Body is quite full. Carbonation is quite light. Minimal head and lacing. Color is translucent, dark red/amber. Beautiful, complex, delicious beer. Thank you Liquidsolutions.biz!