UPDATED: MAY 10, 2019 Pours a muddy brown with no head. Thick and heavy of the palate. Rich caramel malts, brandy finish.

UPDATED: APR 18, 2019 The big daddy. Thickest beer I’ve had. Strong but silky texture. Like a meal in a can.

Pours ruby gold with off white superfine head. Aroma of malts. The soft mouth feel reveals a beer of great balance. Malt, caramel, hints of xmas pudding are all present, balanced off by some bitterness from what i assume are hops and well roasted malt. The alcohol is so very well contained that it only ever hints at its presence towards the finish and even then it is restrained (which is dangerous isn’t it!). The finish is warm and long with some malt sweetness the only unbalanced component. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle from first choice. Maybe most expensive bottle there. Not sure. Recommended by old mate at work, reckoned it was the bomb. Wasn’t sure given what I’ve been able to acquire thanks to the international beer collector. However, this was exceptional. Prob best Aussie beer I’ve had. Everything I like in a big beer. Smells and tastes of caramel and toffee. Little to no head, married, used to it. Appearance of the type of water mud crabs would thrive. Never thought anything like this was available in Oz so easily, but guess I’m raw. Maybe not. Delish!!!!

Love this beer. From a stubbie, pours a rich dark amber with of white oily head. Aroma is toffee, plum, booze, scotch, wood. Taste is sweet bread with a medium roasted bitter finish. Palate is medium, oily and smooth. Scrumptious!

330mL bottle from Yarragon Ale House. Pours a slightly murky deep bronze body, a creamy beige head persists. Aroma is properly rich - treacle, golden syrup, aged port with undertones of sultana, dried fig, touch of nutty rancio, undertones of milk chocolate, plummy esters, touch of booze. Thick, very sweet, syrupy, subdued carbonation, very long on the palate. The palate delivers huge truckloads of sweetness - plenty of treacle & golden syrup once again, vinous Tokay & Port-like dried fruits, slightly nutty, fruity, biscuity finish, lingering warming, bitterness is high yet pales in comparison to the sweetness. Been around a long time, well made stuff, probably a bit lost in the crowd of amazing BW’s on offer down here these days though.

UPDATED: JUN 9, 2018 Bottle. Cellared for 2 1/2 years. Deep murky brown, with small but attractive thick cream head. Luscious aromas of biscuit malt burnt caramel, dark brown sugar, chocolate and some fortified wine type alcohol. Sweet brown sugar and caramel dominates the front palate, moving into a roasted malt finish and noticeable, but well integrated alcohol element. I'm usually disappointed with grand ridge, but this is their best offering along with the hat lifter stout.

330mL bottle. Pours hazy nut brown with a thin, dense off-white head leaving a little bit of lace. Aroma of malt, biscuits, dried fruit, some acidity and a little bite from the alcohol. Caramel, toffee, golden syrup, ANZAC biscuits, high sweetness, mild bitterness and a lingering acidity. Full body, syrupy with soft carbonation and a velvety mouthfeel. Long finish.

330ml bottle. Pours a hazy deep amber, with a small off-white head, which lasts well without leaving much lace. Candied fruit, biscuit malt and floral hops make up the aroma. Floral and mild peppery hops up front lead into a savoury, meaty flavour. Biscuit and rye bread malt in the mid-palate lead into a candied fruit finish. Quite a nice barley wine.

UPDATED: FEB 21, 2018 From a 330ml bottle on 16/8/2012. Pours a cloudy dark amber with a smallish head. Has a strong malty aroma of toffee, butterscotch and caramel. Very sweet and malty in the mouth, with more butterscotch and toffee, honey, some scotch and a touch of dark fruit. Finishes with a nice, reasonably firm, balancing bitterness. The texture is quite creamy and the 11% abv is quite well hidden. All up, this is a very enjoyable barley wine. Re-rate on 21/2/2018. Well it's six years between drinks, but I'm even more impressed. A glorious nose and a delicious toffee/butterscotch character. Just lovely.