2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 13/20
12 oz bottle, cellared about a year and a half. Deep clear brown with a pocked head and lacy rings. Nose is caramel, overripe peach, butter and earth. Medium body, slick and oily, trace carb. Taste initially sweet plum, prune and butterscotch. A citric tang then bitter, dry and vegetal. Maybe infected but enjoyable as a curiosity.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
on tap at brouwer’s cafe for hard liver 2010. very dark reddish tint that was gorgeous. dark fruits on the nose, alcohol noticeable, a bit too cloying but had intriguing notes that kept me coming back.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
On tap at Brouwer’s Hard Liver 2010. Deep, dark ruby amber with a dense, foamy head. Fruit and caramel malts on the nose – definitely on the sweeter side – with some booze and a mild hop contingent to counter. Smokey meats follow overripe, fermented fruits in the flavor – this stuff would be killer with a plate of fresh beef jerky, and that note doesn’t come through at all in the aroma. Thick, full mouthfeel. Slightly boozy, slightly sticky… with some acetyl on the finish. Nice.
2.9 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
2009. On draft at Hard Liver. Deep, dark brown with a creamy tan head. Aroma of candied fruits and caramel. Likewise with the taste: very sweet dried fruit and a heavy, heavy dose of malt sweetness. The only flavors here are cloying malt and sweet candied fruit. Maybe ideal for some, but not for me.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
draft at the brewery. pours a deep ebony with coppery edges. dense, creamy tan head that fades quickly away. loose stringy lace. rich datey, figgy nose with tangy molasses and brown sugar undertones. creamy medium body. rich fruity sugary mid palate...dates, figs, shortbread, black bread. lingering sweet finish. tasty. does not seem bugged. yay!
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
aroma of dark plums and raisins. Dark copper=gold color. Taste of sweet cherries, then a dry finish. Slight warnth from the alcohol. Med. body.
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Medium mahogany color with little carbonation and a small, brief head. Traces of caramel malt in the aroma, soon followed by hints of dark fruit, though pretty understated. Mild caramel flavors, moderate diacetyl, slight bitterness. Pretty punchless for a barleywine, though the alcohol is well masked, making for a drinkable potent brew.
2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 12/20
Tap at College Inn in Seattle. Way out of balance, too sweet and too malty. very sticky and raw. soy and vinegar mess.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Dark auburn pour with a thin head. Aromas of dark fruit, licorice, chocolate, and a touch vinous. Initial flavors of dark fruity sweetness and chocolate. Floral earthy hops come through, as does a good deal of smokey teriyaki and soy sauce. Full bodied, complex, and interesting.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Sampled from a 12-oz bottle of 2006 vintage, picked up via ABA beer swap. Pours a semi-hazy dark caramel amber with a fast dissolving beige head that leaves behind some fine beige film that contains swirls and thin ring. Aroma of dry caramel malt, some soy sauce, raisins, some citrus zest, and dark pitted fruits. Taste is full bodied, lightly carbonated with flavors of caramel malt, orange zest, a touch of dark pitted fruits and soy sauce. Finish is slightly chalky with a caramel malt and fruity aftertaste that lingers after the finish.
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