Mad River John Barleycorn

Pours medium dark coppery amber, forming little to no foamy head. Aroma of malted rock candies, dank prunes and candied figs. Flavour is of malts, a bit of hop stringency with a harsh alcohol and metallic hammer. A bit unrefined. Perhaps months of cellaring would calm it down. Drinkable, yet disappointing.

This cloudy amber ale poured with a miniscule beige head and a sweet fruity aroma. The flavor is caramel and perfumed fruit with a bitter finish and an acoholic afterblast. It needs more body to disguise the alcohol.

This bottled brew from Indianapolis, IN poured a very small sized head of foamy off-white colored mostly lasting bubbles that left behind a transparent carbonated dark red brown colored body and a fair lacing. The aroma was thin mild and malty. The mouth feel was strongly tingly from start to finish. The flavor contained strong notes of vinous alcohol with a biting hop finish and a strong vinous hop note.

The aroma gives a false sense of malty goodness. The hops seem rater tame in the aroma. The appearance is deep amber with an average head. The flavor is bitter and soapy to the point of being astringent and unpleasant. The palate is somewhat thin. Overall I would not recommend or drink this again.

Pours a fairly thin textured deep amber-orange color. Head formation is almost non-existant. Small islands of foam remain after the pour. No lacing noted at all. Somewhat restrained but pleasant aromas of caramel. toffee, toasted malts, brown sugar, ethanol and faint spices are noted. Palate is a bit thin and fizzy overall. Some slick oiliness is noted in the swallow, but overall not enough fullness for a big Barleywine. Flavors are in line with the aromas dominated by the sweet toffee, caramel and brown sugar malts. Just a hint of hoppy spiciness and a burst of alcohol is noted in the finish. A bit boozy overall, so not the easiest goin’ down. One or two is plenty.