3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Dark mahogany with some ruby edges nice creamy head and some stringy lacing. Sharp notes of bitter and piney hops. Strong caramel malts accompany this with just a hint of the spicy herbalness. There is a touch of fruitiness througout. Figs or another dark fruit. Raisins maybe. Cinnamon and after a bit there is a touch of woodiness there. The flavors are surprisingly balanced. The malts come in pretty heavy but bitter and piney hops push it back into place. There is a bit of a sourness going on about and along with the heavy malts, which are comprised of caramel and roast, there seems to be almost a vinous quality. The dark fruits from the aromas are there, but not as prevelent. Thick beer, a film coats the mouth and lips where it touched. It trails off into a full malt profile with a strong bite of alcohol and bitterness at the end.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Over carbonated again, urgh. Frothy brown head. Brownish red color hazy. Aroma is very sweet and very piney. Flavor is so sweet it is over bearing to me. Thick syrupy body. Finish is bitter up front and sweet as candy from there on out.
4.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
2004 Vintage. Holy crap... I’ve never seen such a nice pour into my Belgian tulip glass. It pours a slightly hazed deep red amber with a monster head that sits tall and proud and leaves behind lace, lots of lace. I am half way down my tulip, and there are stalactites of foam that hang from the top of the glass... The aroma is of very fresh hops and some deep caramel. The flavor seems to hit like a tsunami, but at the same time has progressions that are as gentle as ripples on a smooth-as-glass pond that has been awaken with a pebble (very continuous and analog, not disjoint at all; blended, well suited). Malt sweetness, fruits of all sorts, chocolate, roast, fresh hops that dance on the tongue, there is so much going on in the flavor department... The palate is rich and Belgian like in the cleansing nature. Did I mention warming? No, I did not. It is warming. Wow, this is one fine Barley Wine. This is world class. Thanks Becky for hauling this from OR. Thanks Alan for making such good beer.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
2004 vintage. Hazy muddy mahogney color, with a creamy dense off-white head. Super fresh hop aroma with notes of caramel and brown sugar. Light sweetness, some caramel flavor, citrus and some light toast. Very enjoyable barleywine, that is big on the hop flavor. I would love to try some aged.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: DEC 6, 2008 [12 oz. bottle] Deep and dark amber color with a thick tan head that seemingly lasts forever. Full and rich aroma of malt, pine, grass and some sweetness. Very potent flavor of sweet malts with a very strong alcohol middle and a sweet finish that lasts and lasts. Very warming and creamy. What a barley wine should be.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
An unclear amber beer with an orange head. The aroma is sweet with notes of caramel, yeast, and spices. The flavor is dry mlaty with notes of fruits and prunes, while the body is strong.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Vintage 2003 bottle of course ;-)
Dark amber colored body with a fine off-white head. Sweet aroma of yeast, hop, fruit with banana tones. Sweet malt and hop flavor with grass and toffee notes. Little weird and not the typical American barley wine!
Thanks Mike (Eyedrinkale) for the trade!
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottled: Amber coloured. Clear. Has a light brown small head. Chocolate, alcahol and sweetness in the aroma. Flavour is light spiced, hopped and sweet. Alcahol is present. Ends on a bitter note with some warming qualities.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Red to brownish body, small white head. Sweet aroma, yeasty and some alcohol. Sweet flavor, alcohol and some fruityness. Decent one.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottle, aged for 1 yr. Pours dark copper with a very large foamy head, poured half into a small glass and when I set the bottle down it kept foaming up and out. Aroma is of pear, spice, hops and alcohol. Starts out with a nice fruity sweetness, but some astringent hops and alcohol presence fights against it. The complex array of flavors in this brew to me just did not sync well for me, I was in the end disapointed.
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