Ringneck FOTB Barleywine

07 vintage on tap at Brew Kettle. Pours copper with an off white head. Aroma of fruit, sweet malt and light oxidation. Flavor has some caramel malt, fruit and wet cardboard. The oxidation is easily found, but doesn’t completely ruin the beer. Smooth and pretty easy to down.

On tap at the Brew Kettle. 07 vintage keg. Pour is cloudy amber color with off white head. This has an amazing aroma showcasing raisin, caramel, and a sweet tangy bite. Has a medium heavy mouthfeel. Flavor follows the nose and has smooth character that is inviting. Overall a top notch brew. Should be on tap all the time at this place and I’d never leave.

2004 Vintage. Poured a hazy golden amber color with a small off-white head. The aroma was of oxidized malt with some cheezy notes. Sweet malty flavor with notes of caramel and a hoppy finish. Warming with a medium-full body.

Bottle at my latest BW tasting. Pours a deep peachy amber, hazy with an ok head. Aroma is light in alcohol right off the start, good nutty doughy and toasted swet malts, honey, raisin and slightly estery with a nice floral hop component. Flavor seems a bit sweet, caramel and honey in there, molasses and toasted malts with a floral honey finish and a bit dirty yeast as well- not quite refined but still ok.

Bottled. Aroma is ok, toasty sweet, mildly oxidized. Taste is incredibly astringent, still hoppy but only in bitterness. Tough to drink. Not great.

On tap at Rich O’s Publick House when I stopped on the way to Dark Lord Day. Left over from Gravity Head. Slightly hazy, deep amber in color, with a frim off-white head. Light malt aroma that lacks complexity for a Barleywine. Sweet malt flavor (but not overly so)with some bitterness in the finish. A bit one-dimensional, this would be a good candidate to age a bit more.

Draft @ Gravity Head: Pours lightly cloudy amber with a spare white head. Burnt caramel stands out in the sweet aroma. Lots of hop character in the body - flower, pine, grapefruit and orange. The malts bring sweet fruit to mind as well - peach, pineapple and apple work well with lots of caramel and bubblegum. A well done BW.

Draft. Clear ruby body, little head. Lots of aromas: toffee, doough, cherries, sweat, flowers, sweet malts. The flavor, though, is only moderately sweet compared to the heavy bitterness. Full bodied and low carbonation. Astringent, bitter finish.