New Holland Pilgrims Dole

How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course, and I forgot how to drive?

Bottle back from bruisin’ ales. Pour is a thick bright copper color with zero head. Aroma is syrupy and alcohol. The flavor is alcohol again and a little over the top with it. Combine the alcohol with some seriously resiny pine hops and you got a lip puckering and seriously sipping sort of drink.

22oz. pours copper and clear with small head. aroma is sweet with a bitter edge. mouthful is very full of bitterness and some alcohol. just ok...

Sampled at the Richmond Gathering. Medium amber, slight head. Molasses aroma with some alcohol heat. Flavor was quite malt oriented, sweet molasses, some pure wort, and that was about it. Not hoppy in the vein of many American barleywines - this was clearly English in nature. Also no detectable wheat infulence in this version either. Not bad, but could probably benefit from some aging to add some layers to the rather simple malt flavors. I think I actually liked this less than the score indicates.

22 oz. brown bomber bottle, with silk screened label. No freshness date seen. Poured out a deep reddish amber color, with a sticky tan head. Aromas are of burnt sugars, deep fried dates, cheap bourbon. Flavors are about the same as the aromas. Medium mouthfeel, medium body. OK to try once, & that’s it.

Bottle courtesy of Kinz on 03/14/2009. Clear caramel body with a small creamy off-white head. Sweet caramel, dark fruit, raisins and light wheat aroma. Sweet caramel, light honey and fruit flavor with a bit of wheat in the background. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation.

(bottle) A cherry-amber beer with little off-white head. Aroma is very sweet and fruity (cherry, apple, peach, grape), tart, notes of alcohol. Warm and full-bodied, soft mouthfeel. Sweetness from the aroma is nearly gone in the flavor - lots of warming alcohol, dry.

Bomber, at least a couple years old. Poured a lovely shade of translucent coppery-amber with a short, swirly cap of beige head. The aroma was very much on the sweet side with vanilla, bourbon, and caramel leading.. spicy accents from the wheat.. danced well across the nose. The flavor was centered around sweet toasted caramel and toffee with bourbon, vanilla, and brown sugar notes extending outward.. spicy and rather hot around the edges with some fruity notes and white pepper.. the finish was quick, dry, and hot. Heavier-bodied on the palate.. smoother and rolling on the front and hot and a bit cloying on the back with only a decent transition between. I don’t see explicit mention of bourbon in the description or on the bottle, but I swear this must’ve spent some time on wood. Quite tasty whatever they did!