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Midnight Sun Arctic Devil Barley Wine

Percentile
99
overall

bottled
common

on tap
available

Regional Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
2764.01/5.03.98/5.0Winter14%97Snifter
Commercial Description:
Arctic Devil Barley Wine, aptly named after the ferocious wolverine of the north, is an English-style (meaning malt-inclined) barley wine. Though the recipe and process for Arctic Devil have evolved over the years, it is typically brewed in January then aged in oak barrels for several months before the entire batch is blended, bottled and released on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In its youth, Arctic Devil gnarls and snarls its way across the palate. Containing this beast of a beer for long periods in oak barrels--some having previously aged port, wine or whiskey--tames the unleashed malt and fierce hop flavors, melding and mellowing this powerful liquid into an incredible elixir worthy of a brewer's table. Each annual batch of Arctic Devil Barley Wine represents the brewers' resolve to create an intriguing and sought-after barley wine by precisely brewing to well-designed specifications, carefully selecting the type and combination of barrels to use for aging, and meticulously checking the beer as it ages. Distinct nuance and complexity are contributed by the wood's previous tenants, resulting in unique flavor profiles in each batch that continue to change over time. We invite you to savor Arctic Devil Barley Wine upon its release then cellar some for future enjoyment.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 JCB (1747), Durham, North Carolina, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Nov 16, 2008  
22oz from my man Sparky27 - thanks, Eric! Now this is the kind of Perfect 10 madness I’m all about. It’s a dark amber pour, more cloudy than I expected. Very lovely, soft toffee notes in the aroma. It promises to be a superior English style BW, and that’s indeed what it is. The flavor is complex, a bit nutty, with the main elements being strong caramel but also some port. It’s warming without being boozy, with a mild hint of yeast in the somewhat spicy finish. Really top notch, no doubt a rock solid ager.


 MatSciGuy (631), Rosemount, Minnesota, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Oct 26, 2008  
[Bottle] Pours a clear caramel with a fine foamy beige head. Thick aroma, loads of malt, raisin, caramel, vanilla and some alcohol. Flavor is similar to the aroma, very rich and full, with some warming alcohol.


 dalekliz (546), San Diego, California, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Oct 19, 2008    Updated: Oct 20, 2008
Bottle, sampled at RBSG 08, with thanks to WeeHeavySD. Pours a reddish-brown with a small, offwhite head. Sweet malty aroma, with dark fruits and molasses. Taste is also sweet and malty, with hints of dark fruits. Lingering sweet malt-molasses flavors. Nice barley wine.


 presario (2956), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/512/20
Oct 12, 2008  
Shared after the Big Worse and Fred from the Wood so may have been an unfair comparison. Smokey alcohol aroma. Big alcohol flavour. Really strong molasses and soy notes.


 zebracakes (1214), Washington DC, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/55/103/511/20
Oct 12, 2008  
Bomber, thanks to the fantastic CMUBEERMAN. Pours black ruby, thin off white head. Aroma is fruit (grapes, plums), molasses, honey bread. Flavor is fruity, syrupy, some hops bitterness. This beer needs more blending and more complexity. It’s bit like a sheet of paper: two-dimensional.


 Hophead22 (1087), Redlands, by way of Wisconsin,, California, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/518/20
Oct 5, 2008  
22oz bottle courtesy of NYbeer, thank you Steven. Pours a dark murky brown, light tan head. Nice rich carmely aroma. Damn that is a good beer, so rich and flavorful, with an alcohol warmth in the backround. Very tasty, could use a couple more of these to age for awhile.


 imadeadguy (378), back in NJ!, New Jersey, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/513/20
Sep 28, 2008  
Shared w/TheRealBastard. Pour is marron with small off white head. Aromas of sugars, dark fruits, and strong malt. Flavor is dominant of caramel/mollases and alcohol. I think this one is strictly a winter brew and is not meant for the warmer months.


 maniac (2628), Richmond, Virginia, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Sep 27, 2008  
Bottle at RBSG2008 Grand Tasting on 08/02/2008. Dark amber body with a medium frothy light brown head. Caramel and molassas aroma. Caramel, light molassas flavor. Medium full body with mdoerately low carbonation.



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