Granite Brewery Gin Lane Ale

Brewed by Granite Brewery (Toronto)
Style: Barley Wine
Toronto, Canada

Serve in Snifter

The first barley wine I’ve had but its quite pleasant. Can’t say much more in the way of comment, except that i will definitely try this one again, as well as other barley wines. Smell is very interesting. On tap at Granite Brewery.

Tap at the brewery, Toronto. Deep amber pour. The aroma is sweet and malty. Lots of caramel and toffee as well as some light estery character. Fairly peppery yet sweet. The hopping is quite moderate allowing the yeast and the malt to shine through. Very British tasting and I think it would age pretty well, although I’m not sure they really do that. Soft lingering fruit with notes of dates, apricots and dried pears. It’s decent, although not really what I usually go for in my barley wine.

UPDATED: AUG 18, 2011 This is a solid english barleywine. Smells of caramel and sweet cherries. Tastes malty with a bitter backbone to balance.

Bottle. Not impressed when it gushes on opening. Giant head as expected from a gusher. Coppery beer. Another bad sign is when it smells of Flanders and I am afraid to taste especially after Poperinge has already drain poured. Unfortunately I tasted and found a new level of horrid! Formaldehyde, sour ale and insulation.

Draft, Granite Brewery. Whoa, here we go! Badass barley wine right here... I felt like a Viking drinking this. I don’t know if this is the sort of mead Vikings throw down, but it’d be in barrels on my ship. Great pour; as murky as a fetid swamp. Great cherry smell; wasn;t expecting that. Caramel as well. It smells like pillaging. It tastes like plundering. Tart taste. Plenty of fruit character here, heavy malt follows. Great body. The beer really goes through a transformation, as others have noted here. I loved this one, though it’s certainly an acquired taste.

675ml bottle poured into a large snifter glass... Deep mahogany body to it, quite cloudy. Not much head. Some very small bubbles visible. It’s got a very pronounced cherry smell to it, also with plums and caramel. Slightly tart and with just a tad of funky leather notes. Some floral notes. Smells like a proper barley wine to me Wow! At first it was extremely fruity, with lots of sour cherries and plums, followed by a very hearty malt breadiness, with caramel notes. Slightly tart, yet sweet. The finish was slightly dry, with some mild floral hops. As I was drinking more of it, the breadiness started to overpower the fruitiness, and more bitterness was coming through. Overall this was immensely flavourful and very enjoyable. Medium (maybe medium-to-full) bodied. Quite smooth. Not much carbonation. The alcohol is unnoticeable at first, but as the beer warms up you will taste it a little (and will most definitely feel it!). Very drinkable for a barley wine. At first it’s hard to believe it is 9%abv!

Growler from the Halifax Brewery. Lovely amber colour, crisp and clear with a thin white head which leaves a lovely looking lace on the glass. Honey aroma, quite floral. Strong malt flavour with big alcoholic kick. Smooth texture, maple syrup. Tangy bitter finish. tasty ale.

On tap at the Toronto brewpub. Pours a hazy amberish shade of brown with average off-white head. Aroma of dark fruit, caramel and nuttiness. Dark fruit predominant in taste with some caramel and light nuttiness. I actually found the hops came through reasonably well in the flavour. A very mild alcohol warmth in the finish. Decent.