Rock Art Ridge Runner Ale

Bottle (12oz) shared with and courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours a slightly hazy amber-brown with an average size diminishing off-white head. Slightly weird aroma: There’s an odd spice along with cocoa, caramel, roasted malt, fruit and grassy hops -- smells totally off-style to me. Flavour: Hmmm, that’s not very Barley Wine-ish: Malt, coffee and flat cola with a roasty bitter finish. A little too carbonated for the style as well. I guess if you totally disregard what style it’s supposed to be then it’s O.K., otherwise it’s a failure.

Pours clear reddish-amber, with a short lasting light tan head which leaves little-no lacing. Grainy, toasted malt aroma with muted citrus hop profile and some spicy notes. Flavor profile is much more akin to a (imperial) red or amber ale than a barleywine. It includes a nice balance between fairly complex malt and hop flavor profiles, definitely balancing dry and citrusy into the finish. Includes some light fruity esters, but nothing too exciting, and again some spice, like cinnamon. Medium to medium-light body - way under-bodied for a barleywine. Smooth, but with no warming qualities expected in a barleywine or strong ale. Moderately carbonated. This would be a very nice red ale (perhaps a winter warmer with its spicy qualities), but is far out of style as a barleywine.

Sampled on draft at Zeno’s in State College PA this beer poured a red-chestnut color with a medium sized tan head. The aroma was mostly citrus and grapefruit. The flavor was nutty, woody, malty and had a lightly rough fruity hop presence. The finish was long woody, nutty and fruity. Fairly thick in body.

Bottle (12oz). Share with blankboy, bottle via trade with jjpm74. Very dark pour, fairly clear, like a deep mahogany - small off-white head. Odd, light aroma - like dry straw, light cocoa, alcohol and roast cereal malt, somewhat herbal dry hop bitterness. The taste is quite soft and dry, herbal and wheaty, with chocolate toffee sweetness - not much alcohol presence. Light, soft body, dry and airy, modestly carbonated and quick-finishing, although there is a dry herbal and vaguely chocolately aftertaste. Not all that bad - very mild.

Dark and pretty full bodied for the style, this has some kick. Not my thing for summer drinking but on tap this was an eye opener. Probably sweeter for a b-wine, it doesnt stack up to the greats of the style but there is nothing bad I can say.