 tsarman (794), Northern, New Jersey, USA
Oct 15, 2005
2004 bottle. Aroma is magnificent. Alcohol is omnipresent, but enjoyable. As it warms, it warms the soul. This would definitely age well. Thick and sticky as well. Molasses and malt and warm. Tastes like a warm brandy.
Slipstream (394), USA
Oct 13, 2008 Bottle from the 2007 release. Biting, yeasty aroma - figs, grapes, and alcohol. Orange and ruby highlights in the body and a quickly dissipating head. The taste is strong and yeasty. There are 2 levels of flavor at work here - a heavy, sweet, bourbon-like malt flavor, and then a hoppy, yeasty mix on top of that. Complex mouthfeel and a tingly finish. This is a heavy, high alcohol sipping ale that is impressive, but may have a little too much sugar and yeast in it. Personally, I prefer Pranqster and Rasputin from North Coast Brewing.
Rotorhead87 (111), Temple, Texas, USA
Oct 9, 2008 2008 Vintage
Pours a dark brown color with virtually no head. It has a scent of malts and some oak, with some alcohol present as well. The initial flavor rapidly progresses from a quick hoppy bite to sweet malts to a somewhat oaken, alcoholic finish.
This is a great, top class barley wine, not over the top hoppy like some I have had. The only thing that prevented me from rating this higher was the fact that I could sense the alcohol as much as I did. I am laying down the rest of my 4 pack to age for a while, hopefully it will mellow out and be even better!
ruggedman (429), Portland, Maine, USA
Oct 5, 2008 Bottle at Novare Res. This stuff is fantastic, I’m starting to think I love barleywines as much as IPAs. Sweet, malty, the hop presence is there though and this is a great barleywine. Toffee and caramel aromas and flavors from the malts. Nice mouthfeel too.
Imperial-John (99), Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Oct 1, 2008 2006 bottle. Bubbly murky brown with creamy tan head that coats glass as it thins. Sweet oakey whiskey aroma. As aroma would suggest, wweet oakey raisin whiskey taste with clean aftertaste. Very warming and so smooth for 13.25%. It brought a tear to my eye as I drank this as it is the last of the 2 I had. This and Old Rasputin are 2 of my highest ratings. Thank you North Coast, hope to see you again soon.
Illini08 (519), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Oct 1, 2008 2007 bottle. Picked up at Brawley’s in Charlotte, NC. Dark amber pour with no real head to speak of. Very vinous aroma, dried fruits, maybe some leather, vanilla, some booze. Sticky sweet flavor. Fruity, some caramel and molasses. Not much in the way of hops. A bit of booze noticable in the finish. Pretty smooth on the palate. A little sweet stickiness as well. Enjoyable and I think it will get better with more age.
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