Hales Rudyards Rare Barleywine

Brewed by Hales Ales
Style: Barley Wine
Seattle, Washington USA

Serve in Snifter

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Earthy brown coloring, with a negligible head. Aroma, arousing, full of dark fruit and alcohol, sharp, sweet, nutty, malty. Taste: rich and tasty, very small hop appearance, thick with malt, candy, toffee, very complex, with the alcoholic sting rising up through each sip. Flavor never ends, gets deeper, revealing flavors of raisins and plums. Full-bodied, with a warm, fruity finish, this is a welcome take on the barleywine style, not what I'd expected, but quite enjoyable.

On tap at the 2004 Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival. Clear deep amber color with a beige colored foam ring around the glass and a sweet, acetate nose. Lots of fruit and vinous qualities but the finish is raw hops. It felt a little young to me and might be an excellent beer when it balances out a little better.

UPDATED: FEB 9, 2004 2002: Darker red/brown for a BW. Pretty tan,lasting head. Awesome English style,sticky/sweet malts aroma. Maybe some hop resins also. Full,round mouthfeel. Lots of bready malts,and toffee in the flavor.Malts are slightly fruity as well. Juicy hops in the finish.Excellent BW,Thank you Hops.

Very much the English Old ale! Color was cloudy and brownish red. Little head. Flavor was malty, sweet and slighty hoppy, I'd guess Fuggle or maybe Centennial. Nice barley. Good company, cheers Raindog!

Dec. 2002 bottle. Smells great, sugar, alcohol, vanilla, and molassis. Clear appearance, yet dark and complex looking. Taste starts with fruit and alcohol, and finishes with a dry, burnt taste that sticks to your mouth. Alcohol sting is a little much, but this beer is nothing to complain about. Wish I had the 2001 bottle like TAR!

UPDATED: SEP 25, 2006 Dec., 2001 bottling: Unfiltered translucent black cherry. Gorgeous custard-like caramel foam. Colossal nose of dried plums, cedar, leather, and chalky black malts. Bountiful alcohol esters charged with burnt sugar and crystal malt undertones. It’s fairly oxidized, which gives it that beautifully subtle depth. Sits softly on the palate. Scant carbonation. The earthy English hops are curtailed by the massive malt body, leaving in its wake notes of cotton and sticky, grainy sugar. Persistent plummy finish alongside resilient chalky black malts. Resounding echoes of plum, wax, leather, maple, and matchstick. Pale malt husks make a very late appearance, lending some softness that plays so well off the firm, musty black malts. The hops are no longer a factor as this has melded into a voluptuous malt mammoth. Very much British.

I moved to seattle a little late to find this guy on tap. Unfortunately it seems they took the conservative route. Decent brew, very mild.

Dark brown with a hint of red, as is typical of barley wines the head just disappears. Malty and thick, a little sweet, hops are strong but by northwestern standards the hop profile is subdued. This beer does not assault the senses in the same way as some. This is a more balanced beer and a well made one

UPDATED: MAY 24, 2003 Dark copper in color with an ephemeral head. Sweet aroma with a refreshing floral/citrus hop character. I know they brew English style ales, but this one seemed a bit too subtle. A bit of a mumbler.

Every time I buy a new Barley Wine I"m just itching to try it, but this was disappointing. Very watery and the alchohol exists here only as a slight astringent smell and taste. There is a bit of a burliness to the malt, but the barley is overshadowed by an unpleasant bitterness. The wateriness on the palate is distracting, as well as the bitter. I"m usually partial to barley wines, but this was not so hot.