Southampton Old Herb

12 oz bottle, snifter, #411 of 500. Cookie, caramel, toffee, toasted malt (H); flower and orange hops (M); light alcohol, pear, peach and brown sugar aromas. Average, creamy, off-white, lasting head is on a murky/cloudy, dark red-brown body. Heavily sweet, lightly acidic flavor becomes a moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter finish with a sour/salty tang. Medium-ful body, creamy/slick texture, lively carbonation, metallic aftertaste. The bottom line is: strange tinny aftertaste, but that’s the only fault...could have used a little more complexity in the flavor.

Hazy amber appearance, with an amazing malty aroma that just reaches out and slaps you in the face, and take control of your nasal passages. Also quite citric, with a very zesty tangerine peel scent. The hop profile is also very interesting to me in the aroma. The mouthfeel is slightly thin then turns creamy with a bad aftertaste that is slightly metallic, salty and sweet and almost cola like. Flavor is still very nice and not overly complex. Very silky with some nice fresh lively acidity. Sugary soda sweetness in the finish, but still very very good.

Dark mahogany brown, low carbonation & lacing. The aroma has some molasses & sweet brown sugar. Sweet hops & lots of malts with sugar plums. The flavor has a good dose of dry sweetness & some alcohol, almost too much tang and seetness though. I don’t know where the herb comes from but this isn’t bad, lots of alcohol feel though. Thanks to <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=12798>DomiNate for the birthday beers!

Cask, draft and vintage bottled versions. I have to say this stuff kicks ass. So nicely balanced without the big malt or alcohol taste that I get from most barleywines. I have to say I like the ’03 version most.

Year 2003, bottle 203: Thanks to Goldtwins for the bottle. Pours a dark murky copper brown with a thin cream-colored ring of foam. Aroma is full of caramel and butterscotch with a mild hop balance. Sweet syrupy malty body has lots of caramel flavor and touch of hops with a more bittering powerfully alcoholic finish. Very reminiscent of a young Thomas Hardys, a nice English barleywine.

2005 bottle. Bought at Half Time Beverage. Nice citrus aroma. Yeast nose and some hops. Malty and hoppy. Well balanced beer. Caramel notes. Roasty. Malty flavor. Smooth. Nice and warming character. Drinkable beer.

Bottle 291, 2005. Orange, clear, tan head. Floral malty aroma, with hints of ripe fruit. Big sticky malty flavor with gentle hop flavor and aroma. This is English in style and very well done.

Bottle # 16 from 2004. This pisses me off. Infected and very disdappointing. Lactic aroma. Sour flavor, with yeast notes and some hops. Bottles purchased at Half Time Beverage. I also have # 19. This is deserving of its low rating for the infection. I expect better from pros. 4-2-4-3-5

Vintage 2002, bottle #94 of 500. Pour is reminiscent of fresh apple cider. Very cloudy with very little head. Fruity sour alcoholic nose, aroma is quite harsh. Start is harsh also, strong alcohol with some carbonation in the middle. The finish is hoppy with a strange bitterness in the end. I don’t know if the name is skewing my senses, but I detect a definate herb presence in the finish. Definately not a barley wine for beginners.