Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #04 - Barleywine

Formerly brewed at Harpoon Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Snifter

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The beer dispenses from the 22 ounce brown bottle an unclouded mahogany color, the head modest in size, frothy in texture and the color a winsome light tan with the residual lace a fine silk slip to cover the glass. Nose is sweet malt, light hit of hops and a pleasing bit of fusel alcohol, start is sweet, nice malt profile with the top middling in feel to the palate. Finish is moderate in its acidity, the hops spiteful in their bite, the aftertaste quite dry with a nice alcohol bite to seal it off, and nice representative to the “Barley Wine Style”.

100 Barrel Series. Poured amber with no head. Taste was a bit sweet with the alcohol masked pretty nicely except for the aroma. A real treat.

Pours orange, with a small vanilla aroma. Much thinner than any other barleywine I've ever had. Very hoppy, slightly sweet to start, but rather bitter in the end and aftertaste. Not great, just OK.

22 oz bottle. Very light, bright orange, clear, virtually no head, still. Very sweet caramel malty nose, light alcohol presence, vanilla. Very sweet initially on the tongue, almost candyish, but turns excessively dry and almost astringent at the end. Alcohol a bit too prominent towards the finish; overall just ok.

I was impressed with this Harpoon beer, and disappointed that I probably won't get to have it again. The alcohol is very well hidden, and it's quite unique among barleywines. Very wine-like qualities to it, and it's not too sweet at all. A little fruity and yet not dainty at all. Yum.

[draught] Quite light in color for a barleywine - a golden straw color with a medium ring of white lacing - aroma of light hops, maple (the syrup and the wood), and some light fruits that are carried to the flavor, like apples, white grapes - some honey and syrup, but this is not overly sweet - some dessert wine qualities, like a riesling in some ways - quite delicate for an american barleywine - a refreshing change.

Tap. Beer was medium-dark orange in the glass, nose indicated that it was mildly dry-hopped, but the hop nose was not in your face. Flavor was what I've come to expect from Barleywine, lots of almost syurpy malt with alcohol, balanced out with a very nice hop finish. Produced pure hop burps later on, which were quite nice :)

Like the nose, piney, bananna, sweet. Beautiful amber color, small head. I didn't care much for the flavor. Honey, with a dash of clover, old leaves, and maple sugar. I like the most of the flavors, but not the mix. Syrupy and sweet on the finish.

On tap at David Copperfield's NYC. Only keg in town Rather pale in color for a barley wine, this could have passed for an IPA or Pale ale, judging from the death of viscosity. The nose is rich in blended hops, a cooking caramel aroma and some notes of medicinal nature. Good smooth, well rounded hop presence firmly carried along by a stern malt backbone. Smooth, and easily drinkable for a beer of this gravity. Piney, citrousy and yet a touch sweet to round it out. Good example of this style.

Bottle: Ok nose. Almond, banana, sugar, corn. Orange amber color. Clean, small head. Honey, orange, graham cracker, brandy/whisky, corn all come to mind. Kinda creamy, kinda oily. Enjoyable, but ultimately comes up short. Lacks real oomph.