Draft at brewpub. Brown pour with thick small head that quickly disapates. Slight spotty lacing. Sticky sweet mouth-feel with hints of hops, yeast, brown sugar and clove. very decent beer, didnt really remind me of a barley wine

This beer had a reddish-brown appearance with a small amount of head. Aroma is very fruity and slightly sweet. Taste is somewhat sour with a strong alcohol taste up-front and some bitterness at the finish. Mouthfeel is a very full-one. Like a big red wine, this beer is substantial in your mouth and makes you slightly pucker. Not bad, but not really for me.

On tap at the brewpub. Fruity as all hell in the aroma and the flavor. Pretty malty sweet. Medium bitter finish. Really not all that great, but this used to be one of my faves.

Thanks to Richlikebeer for bringing this to the January gathering. Aroma of sweet bubble gum and hops. Taste is somewhat buttery, fruit, alcohol and some bitter hops. A few off characteristics in both the aroma and the taste that keep this from being more enjoyable.

Bottle and given the royal treatment by being served in my Duval snifter:

Pour is a nice deep brown with reddish and golden highlights, topped by a small but lasting frothy head and good lace on the sides. The aroma is interesting has it comes off quite sweet (toffee and caramel) and fruity (apple, orange zest, and pineapple). It is more towards the English styles, additionally I detected some light pepper and clove as well as an earthy and bready esters. The taste starts similar to the nose with a lot of sweetness and fruit overtones followed by some brash bitters. Ended with a spicy note and a strange almost grainy aftertaste. The feel is moderately smooth for a barleywine, initial crisp and fizzy before fading into a watery wash, needs more body for sure. I have mixed feelings about this, one hand it is quite drinkable for the style yet it has a few flaws the keep me from truly enjoying it. I doubt since it is not bottled-conditioned that aging will improve the end product.