BrianK (67), New Jersey, USA
Feb 19, 2008
Very different beer from the Brandy version. Had them side by side for comparisons sake. Still thick and chewy but much more subdued with a much more mild bourbon oak flavor. A little bit more heat on the finish as compared to the brandy but still thick and chewy. Nice beer
 RollinHard (527), Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Aug 8, 2008 Hats off to moejuck for sending this bad boy over! Pours dark brown with orangey red highlights and a short-lived moderate tan head. The bubbles are oddly weak on this and rise to the surface quick as soda. Aroma is a lovely mix of brown sugar, peppermint, toffee vanilla, wood, sweet booze, wood, and just a bit of raspberry glaze (like for cheesecakes). Fantastic nose, a bit hot, but what do I care when it smells so good? Flavor is a bit more subdued than the aroma in comparison with a heavily boozy, woody flavor; some brown sugar, toffee, chocolate, vanilla and lot of alcohol make their appearance as well. Finishes very hot with a pleasant vanilla and brown sugar flavor up front, wood and buttered toast on the back and a mellow toasty bitterness. The body of this beer seems a bit strange overall. What should be thick and creamy is only somewhat thick, and completely lacking in that soft creamy mouthfeel that I know this beer should have. What happened to the carbonation? It’s plenty carbonated, but without the creaminess. The regular 05 Old Stock behaves a lot more normally. Anyway, the aroma here is just fantastic, but the flavor could have been a little better and the heat shouldn’t have gotten this out of hand. Worth trying though!
AmEricanbrew (907), Left Coast, Louisiana, USA
Aug 6, 2008 hazy chestnut color with a fleeting tan head. Huge bourbon vanilla aroma with pit fruits in the background. Smooth, full body. Big whiskey vanilla and wood flavors riding a heavy, boozy pit fruit base brew. The big alcohol gets in the way a little bit. A great fire side sipper, but not so satiating on this hot, humid summer afternoon.
decaturstevo (1181), decatur, Tennessee, USA
Jul 30, 2008 A brown and hazy pour with tan head and lace. Aroma of bourbon flavored raisin juice. Solid flavor of dates and raisins cured in bourbon. Full palate and solid carbonation. A beer I would trade my next born child for.
Snojerk321 (943), San Diego, California, USA
Jul 26, 2008 375 ml bottle via trade with cloudskipper. Thanks for this one man, wow! Pours dark brown almost black with a tiny beige head that didn’t last long. Nose of sweet malts and bourbon. Flavor was big on alcohol, molasses, spice, dark fruit and vanilla. The only that keeps this beer from being spectacular was the abundance of alcohol, it was over powering, still a great Barley Wine.
blankboy (2562), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jul 20, 2008 Bottle (375ml) shared with HogTownHarry & garthicus -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours a hazy dark reddish-brown with a small diminishing fizzy off-white head. Big malty aroma along with alcohol, spices, lots of bourbon and vanilla, oak, dark fruit and light hops. Flavour’s also quite malty, along with vanilla, oak, bourbon, dark fruit, spices and a good amount of alcohol. Very nice stuff but definitely a sipper -- and a little goes a long way.
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