J.W. Lees Harvest Ale

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

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle 275ml. [Vintage 2000] @ home.
[ Courtesy of Mes_and_Sim ]. LIght light unclear red orange amber color with a average to large, frothy - creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, light beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, caramel, raisin, date, wood, alcohol, licorice notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - syrupy, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light to moderate alcoholic. (240608)

[Vintage 2003, sampled August 2004] A dark amber beer with a small disappearing orange head. The aroma is very sweet and very complex with notes of alcohol, caramel, flowers, honey, and cinnamon. It is like drinking warm honey or liquid caramel - it gives You a burning sensation on the tongue and a warming sensation in the throat, - but it is not heat that "burns" You, it is the alcohol presence. Wow.

27.5 cL bottle, 2008 vintage. Pours al ost clear and golden orange with a small solid white head. Dark malty, deep oveerripe fruity and somewhat earthy aroma. Syurpy thick mouthfeel. Flavour is extremely sweet, sticking and cloying really. Dense malt flavoured with a solid raisin/overripe fruity note. Sweet and mild spiced finish. I found this one utterly cloying.

(Bottle 27,5 cl) Vintahe 2004. Beautiful, clear, dark amber with almost no head. Extremely sweet tasting - this is honey and toffee and caramel all the way through. I’d like to believe this is a complex beer, but all I get is sticky syrup. I really like sweet beers, but this was way, way over the top. 120805

UPDATED: AUG 26, 2012 Bottled (vintage 2000, thanks mes_and_sim!). Deep amber colour, mediumsized beige head. Aroma is wooden, alcoholic, earth, wet cellar, caramel and some vanilla. Flavour is raisins, sugar, dates, caramel malts, very mildly alcohol. Also bigtime wood, butter and spices. nuts, mild syrup. hmm in one word, Licoricebomb! WOW. 9 5 10 5 20
Bottled (2003 vintage, had in 2012). Deep amber colour, minor head. Aroma is sweet fruits, some mild alcohol, some earth and caramel. Flavour is rather similar with some slight earthy and mild cardboardy notes. 7 4 7 3 14.

B ottled (2004 vintage, thanks mes_and_sim!). Deep amber colour, mediumsized beige head. Aroma is very much the same as 2000 vintage, but not as thick and full. Flavour is pretty much the same, but quite much sweeter sugary/syrupy than the 2000 one. Still excellent balance and very nice. 8 5 9 5 18
Bottled (2006 vintage, thanks mes_and_sim!). Clear amber colour with mediumsized beige head. Aroma is mainly oak, syrup, sugar and caramel malts with some dates and raisins. Overall very sweet. Flavour is very different. Very papery, roasted and smoked wood along with dates, raisins and quite much alcohol. Either this one has some smokemalts or something added, or then the smoked/roasted notes just disappear with time. Still nice. 8 5 8 5 17
The above vintages blended into the same glass (thanks for the tip mes_and_sim!). Deep ambery brown colour, small beige head. Aroma is roast, dates, plum, alcohol, caramel, vanilla and quite strong notes of oak. Flavour is an extremely wellbalanced mix of the stuff in the aroma along with some sweet spices and syrup. Rather pleasant, but still, the 2000 vintage is the best of these. Alone. 8 5 9 5 18

Bottled, 2002 vintage, thanks rauchbier!
Hazy amber, no head. Deep woody, malty aroma. Superb megadeep, chewy maltiness. Port and wood is very obvious. Alcohol is there, but only enhances the fabulous flavours, and despite it’s size it is hugely drinkable. The sweetness however creeps up on you, butmy overall impression is that this is the best showpiece there is when it comes to malt character. Ultra-superb!

Bottled at RBESG 2005. 2004 edition. Clear orange coloured with an off white head. Acidic aroma with notes of caramel and dried fruits. Sweet flavour with lots of caramel. Too cloying for my liking.

Bottle. 2003 vintage. Pours a clear amber colour with a very small head. Fruity vinous aroma and some spiciness. Sweet fruity flavor, lots of dark fruit, raisins. Thick mouthfeel. Leaves you with a long warming and fruity aftertaste. A lovely beer. Also had vintage 1999 at the same tasting session, but i liked 2003 better.

My rating # 2200. 2003 vintage: Pours cloudy orange with a small creamy off white head. Nose is sweet, earthy & mouldy. Very matured with lots of caramel, sugar & dried fruits in both nose & taste. Warmth from alcohol. Medium, smooth & syrupy palate. Vinous & close to cloying. A true sipper for sure!

UPDATED: JAN 4, 2006 1999 bottle: Cardboard aroma. Sweet flavour. Thick, syrupy mouthfeel. 2002 bottle: Bready, slightly oxidized aroma. Dark copper colour. Very thick, syrupy mouthfeel. Malty, bready, rugbrødy flavour.