Montegioco Bran Reserva

Brewed by Birrificio Montegioco
Style: Barley Wine
Montegioco, Italy

Serve in Snifter

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Poured a deep mahogany with a very small off-white head. Somewhat faint aroma of oak, chocolate, and some acidic grape fruitiness. Flavor follows and is surprisingly tart with some notes of oak and current, with a touch of cherry and grape. Lightly carbonated body. Unusual, though I expected as much from the Italians, and though wasn’t bad, I’m not dissuaded from enjoying more traditional barley wines more.

Shared with rudy and IPFreely. Dark chestnut brown color topped by a tiny white head. Oak vanilla and red grape aromas. Nice dry oak flavors accompanied by grape skins, and a hint of balsamic vinegar. This was really a very enjoyable beer, almost like a great Flemish Red minus the puckering sourness. Not really a barley wine in my book, but an interesting and enjoyable experience.

Thanks Beerlando! This is a truly lovely drinking experience. Pours a somewhat oily but decadent deep brown in color with absolutely no head at all. Vinous fruits and caramelized brown sugar. Its amazing to me how you can take a miniscule beer and barrel age it and it come alive, completely transformed. Front of the palate is slightly vinous and fruity, then a flavor explosion happens, sweet vanilla and oak notes, some dry red wine like tannins. This is really different and delicious.

This beer pours a dark brown with little to no head. The aroma is oak and molasses. The flavor is oak, and acidic . Taste like a port wine. WAY different than the regular bran! Cheers!

UPDATED: MAY 19, 2011 Bottle share ----> OmegaX. A very stout-like pour into a tulip glass. The head was creamy and tan, providing smooth lacing. The aromas were thick, spicy and zesty. Smelled like barley, malts, apples and spices. The flavor was tangy, dry and again, of sour fruits with a touch of pomegranate. This beer was very complex and strong in it’s mature flavors. DEFINITELY meant to be savored.

Bottle courtesy of Ibrew2or3. Pours a hazy amber with no head. Aroma is vinous with notes of oak and a hint of vinegar. Taste is coffee, chocolate, oak, and a slight nuttiness in the finish. Medium thin mouthfeel with a mild amount of bitterness and smooth alcohol. Very good.

Bottle shared by Alan. Thanks! Pours black with tan head. It whisps away quickly. Aroma really picks up the components of the wine well this beer was aged in. I almost thought I was smelling wine, not beer. Interesting. Plum and blackberry comes through. Medium mouthfeel. Flavors are like what I would expect. It really tastes more like a red wine. Without the strong tannins associated with one. But its still got a touch of tannic feel. Very interesting brew.

Very very wine-like. Oaky, currants, tart, some chocolate. This beer is a mess and not really a beer. Like cranberry and cherry juice.

100th Rating!! Bottle share. Tulip glass. The pour produced a thick, dark brown colored brew with nice lacing that lasted forever. One whiff detected funky/sour notes and a pungent malty and fruity flavor to go with them. Smelled like a sweet red wine in a way. Sour and malty flavors were right in line with the smell. Plums and raisins came forth as well. Semi-dry. Slight hint of alcohol but it was well hidden for the ABV. Quite different for a barley wine, or rather from what I’ve experienced. A sipper for sure. Also, the bottle had high amounts of thick, viscous sediment on the bottle neck/cap.

[Bottle] shared by guerde. Pours a clear, burnt caramel with almost no head. Aroma has lots of red wine barrel character, which I am really thrilled about, plenty of tannin, caramel, cherry, and alcohol. The barrel doesn’t completely cover up the base beer, which is nice. Flavor is a bit thin and nearly flat, there is a nice sharp tartness in there, caramel, and cherry.