J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Sherry)

Brewed by J.W. Lees
Style: Barley Wine
MIddleton, England

Serve in Snifter

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2004. In the glass, an apple core tannic bite. With sharp vinous notes and a lot of aged raisins and pudding. Somewhat subdued over oak. Pours crystal clear with dispersed carbonation and a rim of creamy white. Flavor is dense, as is the texture. A lot of syrupy cream alights over gentle fusels and a bowl of dark fruits. Not entirely complex. The sugar is too dense and rich. There aren’t many nuanced notes here. Some plum and pear juices in a rice mixture. Seemingly more confused. After the cloying mixture a brief reprise of light vinous character, a bit of bittered oak resins and then a wash of old hops. This one seems unbalanced. The sugars too abundant, the malt character not forward enough, the barrel character somewhat unpleasent and the hops kind of rotty tasting. A real shame for the price. I appreciate some of the figgy nuts and almonds brought in by the barrel, but I don’t think the beer reacted well. Mostly too sticky. Otherwise, clean.

Bottle. Clear dark brown pour, very little ring of carbonation and a nice sweet sherry aroma. Flavor is very woody, scotch, sweet cherry and good malty base and just slightly warming on the finish. Well done.

Bottle pours an ruby brown with hardly any head smells and tastes of booze sherry honey sugar molasses caramel. Nice a bit sweet up over all solid. Had a sticky taste but of a burn.

Pours a clear rosy chestnut brown with a thin head. Nose is brown sugar, roasted nuts, pistachio ice cream. High sugars up front in the mouth, sweet roasted nuts, some dark fruits through the mid and finish. Tons of caramelized sugars, but pretty refined. Maraschino cherries and an almost milky quality, hence the pistachio ice cream comparison. Sweet as all get out, but nice.

Strong aroma has fruity, molasses and miso tones, and is a bit on the syrupy sweet side. It pours a dark, somewhat hazy cola brown with an average tan head that does not stick around too long but leaves some generous lacing. Flavor fills the mouth with fruit, honey, molasses, and yes, more than a bit of sherry flavor. It is rather sweet, a tad much for a beer, but at least there is a bit of an alcohol bite. Texture is thick and syrupy, not much fizz. Overall, it’s OK, though more like a sweet wine than a beer.

2010 bottle from Healthy Spirits, SF. It pours clear orange-amber, with a thin off-white head. The nose is vinous, gingerbread, toffee, caramel, tart red fruit and banana bread. The taste is banana bread, ginger, caramel, toffee, spice, sherry, dark red fruit, vinous, wood, tinned fruit and alcohol warmth, with some bitterness in the finish. Full body, moderate carbonation and slightly sticky mouth-feel. Great balance. One of the best in this series.

Hazy amber color; Medium creamy body; Aroma of sweet malt, caramel/toffee, fruit, & some sherry; Flavor of sweet malt, caramel/toffee, syrup, spicy hops, and dark fruit; Nicely balanced; Alcohol is fairly well hidden; Overall, cost aside - this was pretty good.

2006 Edition - Pours hazy brownish orange with no head. Aroma is sherry, sweet malt and caramel, dark fruit, and booze. Flavor is sweet, caramel, earthy leather and tobacco, a little raisin, with a lightly bitter, semi dry finish.

Bottle at a recent tasting... [2009 vintage] Poured hazy orange with a thin head. Big sweetness here. Fruit characters like dates, figs and apricots. Sherry added wine-like grape and booze with hints of raisins and prunes. Earthy with notes of wood too.

I was really looking forward to this one as I am also a fan of sherry but the flavors really did not mesh well for me. Shipped to me by my wife on a trip to Portland. +++ 2007 edition. Sampled from a 9.3 oz brown bottle this beer poured a murky dark brown color with a trace soapy white head that left no lacing. The aroma was sweet toffee and caramel with notes of tart sherry, cherry and wochestershire sauce. The flavor was strong nut, toffee and butterscotch with tart sherry and an earthy undertone with notes of tobacco and smoke. Long finish. Flat but otherwise medium body. Disappointing.

RBAG. Bottle. Man, I guess I just didn’t get this one... Pours hazy tawny, with a copper hue. Nose is caramel popcorn, sherry, and sugar. Just like Rogers Golden Syrup sugar aroma - so sweet, and it smells boozy as well. Flavours of brandy, licorice, and tobacco. Finish is sticky raisin. I can’t get past the sweetness and the alcohol... Just profoundly not my style of beer....