hopdog (4525), Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA Sep 30, 2005 Bottle acquired in a trade with a member of the other site. Bottled on date of 4/03//04 (22oz bottle with a hand written keg label that was labeled Barley Wine, 9.4%). Poured a darker brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, dark cherries, raisins, and some smoke. Very nice aroma. Tastes of caramel, toffee, dark fruits and some smoke. Softer and smooth body. Light to medium sweetness. fatty (363), Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, USA Oct 16, 2005 Cloudy mud brown orange body with off-white bubbling rigning head. Caramel cherry aroma. Caramel smokey flavor. Creamy palate which is smooth and soft. dirtymike (2019), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA May 16, 2004 Art of Beer Fest ’04. Deep copper in color with a small off-white head.Aroma of dark fruit and sugars,malt and yeast. Flavor is sweet,malty,hoppy and very warming. egajdzis (2947), Terrapin, Pennsylvania, USA Sep 29, 2005 Poured a muddy brown color with no head or lacing (perhaps it was my snifter?). Aroma of cognac, caramel malts, toffee, smoke, dried fruits, and some citrus hoppiness. Taste of lots of toffee and chewy caramel malt, citrus, and dried fruits as well, some hoppiness, and faint alcohol as well in the finish. Pigfoot (2224), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Jan 9, 2005 Nice, dark auburn hue, capped with a creamy, cocoa-toned head, slim, but lasting....beautiful nose, sweet, yet mellow, dark fruits and spice, not too bold, not too shy, just right...
Mmmm, warm, slightly sharp on entering the mouth, nice and chewy mouthfeel, big maltiness, rich caramel meets tart berries...a beautiful blend of contrasting tastes, slippery sweet, bracingly bitter, but not too brash, despite the high alcohol. Bit sugary going toward the end, but still a display of disparate elements is at play, prunes dance with butterscotch candies, a chocolate truffle dipped in Courvoisier...very nice.
Long stay on the palate, very memorable, full bodied, and very true to style. Well done!
(This bottle is labeled as being 9.4%...unless I’ve surely consumed something different, I’ll assume there are variances among batches.)
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