Southampton Old Herb

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

2004, Bottle #478/500. The best barleywines rival the best Imperial Stouts, in my humble opinion. This is yet another great barleywine, of which I’ve sampled several in the last few months. Murky red-brown body, thin clumping off-white to beige head. Strong, sweet aroma of candied fruits, raisin, prune, caramel, and brown sugar balancing grapefruity, piney hops. Flavor was very sweet, plummy, with raisins and prunes, toast, and caramel balancing (and really overpowering) grapefruity, piney hops. Some alcohol was evident in the body too. Tangy, perhaps a bit too much so (this beer’s only flaw). My kind of barleywine. Thanks Dan (jah noth) for sending this one west!

2006 bottle. Head is initially small, frothy, off-white, fully diminishing. Body is hazy medium to dark amber. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (caramel), moderately hoppy (resin, grapefruit, apricot), with a note of alcohol. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium body, watery/syrupy texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. Not much going on here, surprisingly. Second rate (last was with the 2004 batch), still not impressed.

2003 vintage, bottle #217 of 500. Aroma is pleasantly full and heady, having some flowery, citric hops and sweet, sugary maltiness alongside fruity, doughy yeast traits and possessing notes of pine, brown sugar and spicy alcohol. Largely opaque ruddy color with a very thin head and only the slightest lacing. Flavor profile is appropriately huge but very nicely balanced between the massive, piney, citric hoppiness, the sweet, lightly syrupy malt heft and the warming, peppery kiss of alcohol. Extremely lengthy complex finish. Thick and heavy on the palate with a richly full body. Highly recommended.

I really like this Barley Wine. Either that or the Alcohol from the other brews I had tonight are kicking in. Grapefruit, pine, and raisin flavors. Finishes chrisp chewy, and warming.

Bottle, from Halftime. 2003 #385 of 500. Great nose, Fruity malty, figs and apples, carmel, orange. Hazy brownish orange color. Fair amount of sediment. No head. Sweet bitter flavors, carmel/butterscotch, whiskey,orange, little soapy. Thinner body, creamy oily mouthfeel, bitter dry finish. Some warmth on finish, Very friggin good beer

Bottle # 12, 2004 release. A barley wine (my favorite style) brewed by one of the best breweries in the world, this ought to be quite tasty. Light crimson hued with a healthy and lasting head, considering its size. Strange and intoxicating aroma of malt (caramel, raisins, pit fruit, plums), hops (resin, grapefruit, passion fruit) along with hints of agave, vanilla, honey and toffee. Rich and equally balanced flavor. Big chewy malts bringing forth notes of caramel-laden fruits, toffee and raisins along with a spicy, herbaceous and resiny hop bitterness. Big, coating texture and extremely well hidden alcohol. Sensational.

[2002 bottle] Dark, ruddy copper with a wispy film and a bubbly ring. Piney and citrusy hops really apparent in the aroma follwed immediately by spicy malt. Fruitiness: grape and raisin. The flavour is bitter with a pleasant pine and nice malt flavour with notes of wood. Unfortunately this beer was a bit too dry. This beer seemed not to hold up to the aging process very well, it was not smooth and too thin. [2004 bottle] Same colour as 2002 (see above) with a more clingy, beige head with finer bubbles around the perimeter. Fruity aroma with significant pine and some butterscotch, plum, and caramel/toffee malt. The flavour is a good balance of smooth maltiness and american hops. Also a pleasant raisiny fruitiness that’s accentuated, but not ovewhelmed, by the high hops amount. Medium body with gentle carbonation.

2002 vintage (2 x12 oz) and 2004 vintage (12 oz): The Great Montreal Barley Wine Blowout with asheft, beerbuzzmontreal, MartinT, tiggmtl, Rastacouere and Yowie, #13-14. 2002: dark, muddy copper-brown, no head to mention...piney-hoppy, sweet, citrus-caramel nose, fairly complex...rather thin and alcoholic, not a lot there in the flavor, some dark fruits but just doesn’t carry it over the cliff... 4/8/6/3 3.5

2004: much maltier, better balanced, body is creamier and fuller and there is some smokiness that’s quite pleasant. 4/8/8/3 3.9