Thomas Hooker Old Marley Barleywine

2004’s edition. This quickly became one of my favorite barleywines. Pours a very dark crimson red, with small whisps of head on a fast pour. Looks magnificent in my brandy snifter. Aroma is strong hops, almost tingles the nose, with alcohol and a malty caramel and almost chocolate notes. I was salivating on the first sniff. Flavor was full and complex. Caramel and plums highlight the sweetness, which are then followed by some great hop bitterness and flavor, as well as some hints of alcohol. A great smooth mouthfeel, with almost no carbonation, and a light warming sensation. Man this is good stuff, highly recommended.

It pours a deep brown color with beautiful ruby hues. There is a slight coating of head over top, but just enough to stay around. The nose is awesome. I am not going to do it justice, as it is got a lot going on. There is raisiney sweetness, a whiff of alcohol, almost a peppery spicey quality, and a slight bitter pineyness from hops. Wow. Just wow. The flavor is just balanced as well as anything. The first flavor is a roasty raisiney malty, moving towards a slight spiceyness from the alcohol, ending with a residual spicey and piney hop that just sits lightly on the tongue. Wow. this is good. The feel is thick, slighly syrupy slick with a light to moderate carbonation. Overall, I think I am in love. The nose, flavor and drinkability are through the roof. The alcohol is present, but adds to the experience. Such a damn good beer.

This is avery nice barley wine. Warming, balanced bitterness and maltiness. Cool blue bottle, nice label...this beer has it all.

One of the thickest pours known to barleywines, seeping into the sifter as a translucent crimson brown. Some hazy galaxy wisps for the head. Aroma is sweet and seductive: maple, brown sugar, oak, caramel, amaretto and a subtle hop bouquet. Smooth oak properties thickly sedate the tongue, basking in a blanket of bourbon and vanilla eloquence. Accents of maple vats, singed cedar and a bite out of the barrel itself round out the flavor pool. Thickest and heaviest palate feel I’ve known for a barleywine. Smooth and symbiotic as all can be. Finishes with a comforting warmness and flavorful oak resonance. Another tally mark in the win column for beers scored by tpkenned!

Wow. Pours a dark brown with little to no head. Some lacing on the glass. Smells of toast with some definate piney hops. The taste is amazing. It fills the palate with a deluge of flavors. First is a roasted malt; almost a hint of a stout. Then the first wave of woody hops. A second round of mild maltyness with some citrus tones is followed by a lingering finish that is sweetly bitter. Great barleywine.