4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: JAN 15, 2012 Bottle pours amber brown with tall tan head and a lightly roasted aroma of barley and some sugary fruits. The taste is full but smooth cold with some slightly burnt caramel, as it warms the grain puts out a good bit of fruity, semi wine like alcohol and a dry grainy palate, but this is still the standard barley wine to go by thru and thru. Good til the last drop, particularly on a cold night. -- aged notes, a smell of amaretto and a slightly almond buttery complexion that was not noticeable in a young batch. The beer is still dry but the hop flavors are deeply blended--
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Pours an opaque reddish copper with just a thin diaphanous layer of tan head. Aroma is lovely - a mix of raisin, almond, vanilla and oak. Flavor is lovely. It has a lot of raisin character, caramel and bread and a tinge of butterscotch. Body is creamy but not thick. Just the right amount of carbonation to lighten it up.
3.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Bottle. Pours dark amber/copper color. Aroma of dark fruit, licorice, caramel. Taste is mild sweetness. Finish has some bite, medium bitterness. Long finish you’d expect from a barley wine. Medium-full body, thick texture. This is a barley wine done right, I’m just not a fan of this category.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
0.355l bottle @ Oliver Twist, Stockholm. This one pours a clouded deep bronze body with a big-bubbled and sidesticking just off-white head. The aroma is lightly sweet, some deep caramel, forest. Yes, forest. Hints of toast and something lightly burned. Full-bodied with a nice creamy mouthfeel and a average carbonation level. Flavors are not to sweet, but still light sweet. Malty and dry, lots of wet leafs, light grassy as well, some raisins and figs and it’s somewhat vinious and woody before it ends really dry-mouthing and light fruity with a warming aftertaste. Good stuff!
4.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
Bottle courtesy of Strykzone. Wow. Another great beer from a great trading partner. Poured a rich mahogany color with a billowing off-white head and lacing rings like glue. Beautiful. Rich nose of ripe fruit. Rich body and creamy mouthfeel. The flavor is intense, with lots of roasted malts with ripe fruit including raisins and figs. The finish goes on and on with just the right amount of sweetness and bitterness you expect from a barley wine. Superb ale and good to the last drop.
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20
Aroma - Light Fruity, subtle malt aroma
Appearance - Medium Brown, cloudy, thick small head
Taste - Medium malt flavor, light hops
Palate - very smooth finish, no bitterness
Overall - A solid barleywine ale; not too hoppy-American, but not nearly as malty as the English-style I prefer. Really a pretty good hybrid of the two styles. Probably my favorite Bell’s beer.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Carmel, malt, and bitter sweet. Very good to drink today, but probably even better a year from now. Six months in a cask and six in a bottle would be nice.
4.9 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
I’ve had it in my cellar for about 10 months, pours a dark amber, clear, with moderate/ low carbonation, aroma is sweet caramel toffee with alcohol up front with a dark fruit in the background . Drink this at 55-60 degrees, the aroma is outstanding. Smooth malty alcohol flavor with lingering alcohol and sweetness. Great beer, when it comes out this year I think I buy a case with 6 pack for years 1-4.
|
