Southampton Old Herb

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Barley Wine
Southampton, New York USA

Serve in Snifter

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2011 vintage, 12 oz. bottle, sent from javit (thanks a lot, Adam). Pours a beautiful dark mahogany with a small beige head. Nose is very malty, with dark fruits, caramel malts, some mild candied sugar, and an herbal note. Flavour has lots of caramel malt sweetness, some toffee, feint dark fruits and loads of booze - there is definitely a big boozy burn on the finish, along with lots of sweetness. Somehow the sweetness is contained by the intense heat, almost making two wrongs a right, except that the heat is too much. Low complexity, dominated mostly by caramel sweetness and booze. Perhaps age would settle this, though older reviews seemed to indicate the same thing, so I couldn’t be bothered waiting. Decent sipper.

Unclear amber body with a small offwhite head. Aroma is hops, fruit, caramel, spices. Flavor is caramel, fruit, dried fruit like apricots and pineapples, hops, pine needles, light alcohol. Nice lacings, well balanced. More like an iipa!

Tiny sample from bottle after a long tasting. This one had a reputation of being past it’s prime but It was still worth a go. Pours hazy brown orange. Small beige head and light lace. Aromas and taste were strong vanilla, slight oxidized rust, bread, apples, and spice. Plenty of carbonation. Not bad just overshadowed by the others brews that night.

Pours unclear amber in color with a decent light tan head. The aroma is light sweet malts typical of the style with a bit of the booziness there at the end. The flavor is not as huge as expected overwhelming in booze or sweet malts, the alcohol may have settled a bit over the year. It is palatable for sure with an ABV of 11.

UPDATED: APR 7, 2012 Jeff pulled this beauty out of his cellar late night. 2006 vintage poured into a Stone IRS tulip. Pours a flat honey brown. It is completely translucent in clarity. Nose is hops, honey, and malt. Taste is rather pleasant, perfumery hops, smooth malts, and some caramel. Smooth mouthfeel, light booze, and a moderate finish. Nice barley wine for the age, would like to see what this guy tastes like fresh.

2011 bottle, 250/500 from hbmason...thanks Tim! Pours chestnut brown with a thin tan head. Mild nuttiness, nice mild herbal maltiness. Touch of floral hoppiness. Alcohol is present, but not overbearing. Taste is fruity--lots of plums and raisins with a big overlay of nuttiness, dry grainy malt, and a lightly spicy finish. Big fluffy carbonation with a soft body.

Big thanks to mrchopin for this beer. Big giant head. Brownish in color and slightly hazy. First taste is strong alky and alkoholic. Same with aroma, volatile, dont light a match. Mouth coating with little detectable co2. Wew, I think I’m getting dizzy. Over the top and down the side. Thanks kevin for mauling my taste buds.

This poured a darker orange color with a biege head. Aroma was of caramle, lightly burnt sugar, and some slight cardboard too. Flavor was a bit oxidized, but nothing terrible, a good bit of sweetness and some herbal notes too. Decent.

Orange-red, whitish ring. Aroma is sweet, bready. Taste is sweet, caramel, bready, there is some light oxidation here, but it works with the rest of it.

Bottle pour thanks vferg. Browb hazy pour with some tan bubbles. Sweet malt some oxidation aromas. Light metallic tones slight off tones. Old.