Legend Barleywine (through 2008)

Formerly brewed at Legend Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Richmond, Virginia USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: APR 16, 2006 2005 bottle thanks to The_Beer_God sampled 9/17/05: Murky, near opaque rusty brown with a small tan head. The aroma has a great blend and balance to it, not quite featuring one scent over another. It does smell very much like an English Barleywine as rajendra82 has noted. Scents of sweet, earthy, and roasted caramel malt blend with figs, alcohol, and hops that become noticable when inhaled rapidly. The taste is alcohol-soaked figs, fruity chocolate, ripe fruit, tobacco, a hint of yeast towards the middle, butterscotch, and a hint of oxidization that blends perfectly with the malty alcohol to give off some wood & sherry qualities. Midway through the beer I also pick up some distinct legend house yeast (fruity, salty) that works quite well in this one. The hops are present, but only in enough quantity to keep the sweetness in check. Finishes sweet and sticking to the palate with notes of dates, tobacco, and then later light fruits. This is by far my favorite from Legend, and probably the best American example of an English style barleywine I’ve tried. This will age quite well. *Update without changing rating 4/16/06* Trying a 2004 bottle that did not age well at all. It’s very possible the recipe changed slightly from year to year, I don’t know enough about the beer to speak to that. I can tell you that my 2004 bottle is not excessively watery, astringent, and is starting to get a bit acidic and stale, possibly showing signs of a small, but lingering wild yeast or bacteria. Hops have faded, of course, but the caramel and malt have faded as well leaving a bitter acidic beer that is bad enough where I can’t finish the 22oz bottle. Very possible I got unlucky here too.

2008 vintage at the richmond beer dig 2011. Clear red pour and no head. Very sweet candi suger with rum and cherry and goodness. This is one of the best legend beers I’ve had. But still has some alcohol to it...

2005 bottle shared by footbalm, thanks
Appearance: Dark brown with a small off-white/orange head and some light lacing
Aroma: Brown sugar, tobacco and toffee
Taste: Smooth mouthfeel. Brown sugar, toffee, earthy with some tartness in the finish
Awesome nose and a good beer, I could have just smelt that glass all night.

2005 edition shared by Eric. Pours a cloudy brown color with a medium white head. The aroma is very good; very sweet brown sugar and toffee, some slightly sour hints. The flavor is very nice as well; tobacco, huge brown sugar, toffee, dusty, caramel, some oxidation. Very nice. Tasted like a aged English barley wine.

Bottle 22fl.oz.
Unclear medium to dark amber orange color with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, caramel, tobaco, light moderate hoppy, overriped fruit, vitamin tablets. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20090922]

Bottle at Papsø, 2007-vintage. Hazy orange red coloured with a medium sized beige head. Sweet aroma of caramel, hops and pine needles. Sweet flavour of caramel, rye bread, dried fruits and hops with notes of cardemomme. Hoppy finish.

Bottled. A hazy amber beer with an orangey head. The aroma has strong notes of over ripe fruits, caramel, nuts, and malt. The flavor is very sweet with strong notes of over ripe fruit, caramel soup, malt, and a bit of alcohol, leading to a dry caramel malty finish with a light alcohol note. Thanks Papsoe for sharing.

Bottled. Deep amber coloured. Unclear. dense light brown head. Aroma is full of plums, sweetness, spice and roast. Flavour of raisin, plums, sweetness, spice, perfume and caramel. Nice. Medium to full bodied. Ends on a fruity sweetness with a light alcohol touch. Very nice

22 fl oz bottle. Pours cloudy dark orange with a small tan head. Aroma is dense malty, overripe fruity and roasted. Sweet malty, metallic and slight yeasty flavoured. Light sweetness and roasted caramelish flavoured. Lingering metallic flavoured into a dry finish.

Vintage 2007, 2 years old
Cloudy red-amber color; small creamy head. Mature malt and caramel aroma, light aroma of sweet nuts, light cookies. Good malty flavor, caramel, light cookies and nuts; mature; correct bitterness. Solid and balanced.

Bottle 65 cl. Courtesy of fiver29. Pours a hazy amber with a creamy, beige and lacing head. Strange aroma of bonbons, tea and tobacco. Solid body, oxidized, overripe fruit and caramel. Some vitamin C also. Slightly bitter but quite some alcohol. A strange Barley Wine - almost more British in style. 220909