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OHanlons Thomas Hardys Ale (vintage 2003 and later)

OHanlons Thomas Hardys Ale (vintage 2003 and later)

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 Percentile 
98
overall
A Barley Wine brewed by
OHanlons

Whimple, England

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
7103.92/5.03.92/5.011.7%90.5Snifter P  Stats

Commercial Description:
Scarce, subtle and complex, Thomas Hardy’s Ale is the beer enthusiast’s equivalent of rare cognac. Bottle-conditioned to mature in the bottle like fine wine, this old ale/barley wine will improve with age for at least 26 years (and we’re still counting!). Not for the faint of palate, especially when young and brash, maturity brings an elegance of flavors unmatched by any other beer—if you have the patience to cellar it for at least a decade.

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
Bananamaniac (35), Kristinehamn, Sweden
4.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/510/104/520/20

Jun 25, 2008  
Oh lord! The best barley wine I’ve ever tried. Really, really wonderful. On the swedish beer site Oltorget.nu i once wrote "Beer? Is it not liqour (as in likör)". And I think that says it all. Beer cannot be much exciting than this, wonderful chocolate, toffee, portwine, leather, oak flavour in a well balanced symphony. Gotta love it!

 Bigsilky (230), Boone, North Carolina, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/104/520/20
Oct 7, 2008  
2004 Bottle, cellar temp, into a bordeaux crystal. Hospitable aromas of warm spice cake, vintage leather, and vanilla infused toffee. Imagine Tawny Port dancing with Amantillado. Full embrace of the beer begins on the tip of the tongue and evelops the senses entire. All sides are confronted and it seems that even the gums have taste buds. The Tawny continues as a wave of cream and honeyed spice meld with golden raisins and a dose of oak fruit. Rich, velvet glove mouthfell gives way to brown sugar. Gracefully checked with a wool coat of alcohol and a touch of hop bitterness. Amazing, complex and needs several more years to mellow, although this one seems to have it’s life figured already.


 nqualls (422), Tennessee, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/510/105/516/20
Oct 4, 2008  
2005 bottle. Poured a cloudy brown color...I don’t even want to say what it actually looked like...with a very thin tan head. Aroma of some malts, but huge alcohol notes. This was a little obnoxious. Flavor was figs, raisins, brown sugar and molasses. Loved the flavor. Thick syrupy mouthfeel.


 Biddle_Brau (159), Midland Park, New Jersey, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/59/105/517/20
Oct 1, 2008  
Ruddy copper with red highlights and minimal head. Slight toffee aroma, malty, typical of a barleywine. Thick and syrupy flavor, alcohol quite evident, a true sippin’ beer. Raisins and dates dominate the fruit undertones of this big English barleywine. Would love to try well aged TH’s.


letsbeer (10), Brazil
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/102/510/102/518/20
Sep 30, 2008  
Graaaande cerveja! O aroma é de malte, complexo, intenso, doce, defumado, logo de início percebe-se tratar de uma cerveja diferenciada. A espuma, bege, é praticamente inexistente. Zero de carbonatação. Quando servida, lembra mais um licor pela consistência viscosa. A cor, caramelada, é opaca em razão dos sedimentos, conformando um visual pouco atrativo. Vale lembrar que a garrafa não deve ser agitada antes de servir, para não misturar os sedimentos, que alteram o sabor. No paladar, destacam-se os maltes, quase um "whisky", num conjunto bastante complexo e encorpado, um pouco amadeirado (carvalho), mas perfeitamente harmonizado e equilibrado. Amargor médio, mas discreto em função do excelente equilíbrio. No final, curto pela falta de carbonatação, sobressai o malte, convidando para um próximo gole.


 Jonte (403), Gothenburg, Sweden
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/514/20
Sep 27, 2008    Updated: Oct 1, 2008
Bottle from 2005. Deep red/brown color with a minimal beige head. Aroma: Very sweet and malty, alcohol, raisins, nuts, caramel and dried fruits. Flavor: Very sweet and strong wine like. Toasted malt, caramel, raisins, figs, nuts, syrup, chocolate, alcohol, and oak. Full bodied with very little carbonation.



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