Heavyweight Old Salty

Formerly brewed at Heavyweight Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Ocean Township, New Jersey USA

Serve in Snifter

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2001 bottle courtesy of Footy. Cloudy deep ruby body with a small frothy head. Lots of sweet malt and dark fruit in the aroma. Slightly sweet berries and wine in the flavor with a nice shot of earthy hops. Really good stuff! Thanks Rudy.

2004 Bottle courtesy of SpringsLicker. He deserves major commendations for obviously storing/aging this one properly. Thanks, Jay! Pours a gorgeously deep, rusty red. Head is small, but lively and ever-present. Nose is a huge, lovely malt-wave; full of ripe figs, brandy apples, and fresh golden raisins. The flavor is so very true to the nose; like a flavor-infused gourmet salted caramel in liquid form. While they take a back seat, there are plenty of hops to balance this monster out, making for a long and satisfying finish that never approaches cloying. This is a fantastic English style barelywine, and it has been an honor to be able to sample it. I’ll be opening a barrel aged version with some friends soon, and cannot wait to experience the differences.

Sampled at Hell With the Lid Off. 2004 vintage. Malty nose, smells like macerated raisins, light alcohol, burgundy. No hops. Dark brown amber with light haze and no head. Medium heavy body with medium light carbonation. Kind of sour now, tastes like tart macerated raisin juice, tobacco. Alcoholic warming. Grows on you after a while, with some vinegar acidity. Would have like to try this in its prime.

2003 Bottle - Thanks BBB63! - Pours a dk and hazy amber with barely a whisp of a beige head...aroma is beautiful, coconut, dk fruit, molassas and, brown sugar, caramel...flavour is similar, sweet cocoa and coconut on the front end, dry gritty grain and slightly tart on the finish...very little carb, almost still after all these years, but just amazingly drinkable without a hint of oxidation...amazing stuff!!

Bottle courtesy of Oslo, Ratebeer tasting under the Bridge 12/9. 2004 bottle, as stated below by highlandlad, slightly oxidised. The aroma is sweet and alcoholic, caramel, some sultanas. The flavour is quite sweet, some dark fruits, and warming alcohol.

Our 2004 bottle showed mild oxidation but this style can handle a few sherry notes. Lots of stewed fruits, caramel and a warming finish. Slick palate. Very nice drinking. The human failing of suggestibility meant this actually tasted salty to me at the end of a long group tasting. Lucky it’s not called Old Shitty. 񢉔 bottle courtesy of Oslo - thanks buddy - at the Milson Point park session September 09)

12 oz bottle courtesy of Secret santa. Thanks Rudy. This is the 2004 bottling. Pours a hazy chestnut brown color with a small beige head that has fair retention. The aroma is rich with molasses, dark fruits, toffee and spices. The flavor is faithful to the aroma; lots of dark fruits and toffee. The palate is smooth, creamy and full with soft carbonation. The finish is long with lingering brown sugar. A very tasty barleywine, I’m glad I had a chance to try it.

2005 bottle. Deep, reddish-brown, muddy body. No head and little carbonation. Thick, viscous aroma of caramel, raisin, prune and some hints of anise. Smooth flavor - prune comes through along with some chocolate, cherry syrup and white grape. 4 years of slow oxidation is highlighted by some light sherry notes. Similarly smooth palate, full body, no carbonation, very sweet and light bitterness. Overall a smooth, very enjoyable barley wine. Good sipping beer.

Too bad they stopped brewing. Always enjoyed the offerings from here. This bottle may have reached its’ zenith. Pours a cloudy brown color with no head. Aroma of caramel, molasses, spice, and raisins. Perfection on the palate! Smooth. Tastes of caramel, molasses, and dark fruit. Hard to find a flaw in this.

Very sweet, without great depth. Good cellar flavor if that’s your thing. Moderate palate. I didn’t care for this. Bottle shared at RBSG 2009 grand tasting.