Fitgers Hercules

Formerly brewed at Fitgers Brewhouse
Style: Barley Wine
Duluth, Minnesota USA

Serve in Snifter

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Sampled @ GTMW ’09 - Pours dark brown with no head to speak of. The nose is all caramel and bourbon--a nice malty sweetness that I’m looking for in a barley wine. The taste is more of the same, with a smooth and syrupy mouthfeel. You don’t get a ton of warmth from this, and really no alchohol bite, so I could see this being pretty dangerous on a cold winter night. Great brew.

On tap at Great Taste of the Midwest. Pour was deep golden ruby with a sweet malt aroma. Flavors were very sweet with vanilla, oak, sweet malt, light toast, and bread. Complex and nice beer, but a bit sweet.

On draught during Great Taste of Midwest 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin. Pours a hazy dark caramel colored brew with no head. Aroma of raisins, caramel malt, a hint of tart cherry, some tropical fruit and a hint of brown sugar. Taste is full bodied, a touch of alcohol, with additional flavors of dark pitted fruit, candi sugar, some tropical fruit, raisin and vanilla. Finish is smooth with an aftertaste of vanilla, raisin and honey. Alcohol is well hidden. Outstanding.

Great Taste, 2009. Not as many quality barleywines there this year as in year’s past. The sweetness here is very much balanced against the 66 IBUs. The malt backbone stands up well against the hops, and I’m actually surprised the alcohol level isn’t a bit higher. Notes of sour cherry, brown sugar, and a sweet tar-like chewiness. Finishes with mellowed hops and vanilla.