Heavyweight Old Salty

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

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle of the 04 at the Cuvee de Castleton release at Captain Lawrence. I was rather excited to try this as by the time I really started getting into hunting down craft beer that was not readily available in my own backyard, Heavyweight was out of business, so I missed out on trying anything of theirs until now. So thank you mystery person who shared this with me. Pours a hazy ruby color with a thin beige head. Caramel and vanilla on the nose. Sweet, sweet, and more sweet. Finishes with some light fruit. Pretty tasty.

From Skyview in March, 2008. There is salt in the flavor. Lots of sugar, including carmel and molassas. Sweet but balanced by the hops, and the alcohol is dangerously well hidden. It is unfortunate this is no longer around.

[2105-20090421] Bottle. Earthy sherry aroma has hints of mild honey. Murky brown body with a quick bubbly off-white head. More earthy wine casks in the flavour with fruity malt. Full body is quite boozy. Yum but hmm at the same time.
(c/o HogTownHarry, w/ blankboy, garthicus, jerc)

Bottle, 2005. Coffee colored, very dark for a barley wine, almost no head. Aroma is sweet hops, vanilla, cheese, bourbon, vinous, salty, (smells like Chinese food). Sweet and smooth, salty smoked meat flavor, almost no bitterness. So sweet, very well masked alcohol, weirdly smooth, and unbalanced in an interesting way.

UPDATED: FEB 20, 2012 I was able to walk out of Max’s Taphouse in Baltimore with a vintage 2004 bottle of this. Having never had a Heavyweight before I was very eager to give this a try. 12oz bottle pours an opaque amber, rusty brown with a thin, spitty, clumping, white head. Aroma was sweet with caramel, booze, rum, some tropical fruits. Flavor was malty, sticky sweet, candy, brown sugar, oranges. Finish was sticky, full bodied and a mix of sweetness and bitterness. I was glad to try this but a little underwhelmed. I would have expected more after five years in the bottle. 7-4-7-4-15 ***** Re-rate of a 2002 bottle consumed Feb 18, 2012. Pours a hazy, copper amber with some thin white head. Smells like fresh filet of salmon, minerally, sherry, caramel, apples, leather. Flavor is apples, pears, berries, caramel, leather. Medium bodied, sticky finish. Funny, I rated this exactly the same the second time around. 7-4-7-4-15

2004 bottle Shared by Jerc and Mabel with HogTownHarry and I. 2004 bottle. Appearance: Dirty brown, no head. Aroma: Malt, caramel, yeast, alcohol and yet some perfume. Flavour: Bitter malt, alcohol, honey, passion fruit with a cherry finish.

12 oz. bottle - 2005 vintage; thanks riversideak for this long desired (and retired) brew; pours flat, clear amber with aromas of apples and sweet candy syrup; carbonation is still and musky; seems this bottle is slightly oxidized and getting beyond its usefulness; a little butter, some sugar and quite sweet, thanks brah!!

[’04 Bottle] Pours deep reddish-brown with a small beige head that leaves good lacing. Aroma is quite sweet and subdued, with chocolate, lots of vanilla, yeast and alcohol. Light tartness in the taste, with lots of chocolate and alcohol, a little plum, some malt, and mild bitterness. Good mouthfeel, with a long finish. Wow, this is one of the smoothest, if not the smoothest beer I have ever tried. Overall this is fairly hot yet, but amazingly drinkable and insanely well-rounded and smooth. Just an outstanding barley wine.

2009-04-19. Hazy murky brown body with a small light brown head. (3+) Aroma is mildly alcoholic, fruity malt. (7+) Flavour is pleasantly sweet fruity malt, light dry alcohol and bitterness in the finish balances things nicely. Smooth average to medium bodied palate. (3+) Not quite as assertive as it may have once been but this is quite lovely. Rather pleasant. 2004 Vintage Bottle c/o HogTownHarry

2005 Bottle: Pours a deep, murky amber with no head. Aroma is intoxicating with sweet fruitiness, faded citrus hops, caramel, and toffee. Sweet and vinous. Almost a hint of red licorice... Flavor is mostly sweet and vinous too. Some faded citrus and light maltiness. A bit lost from the aroma. Carbonation is really near zero. I would love to have had this 1-2 years ago... Still, enjoyable. Thanks biggcb!