brew

Gorgeous tan & black contrast

A pitch black beer with a pleasant tan head – more than I was expecting to see given aging and ABV. The nose is sweet with hints of alcohol that come across more fruity than hot. The body is definitely thick and heavy and it starts very, very roasty. I definitely get coffee and chocolate from it. The brew definitely is not overly sweet or syrupy. The only place that the hulking alcohol creeps into the taste is in the finish. Aging has tempered that part significantly. There’s a little bite but not hot alcohol hitting the throat. It’s certainly warming but as an effect rather than a flavor. I don’t think there’s a single thing wrong with this beer: great, interesting style and well executed.

By the power of barley

The barleywine smells… powerful. That’s appropriate I suppose. The aroma is full of caramel and booze. The head gets obliterated by alcohol in fairly short order. Some carbonation persists but a low level is sufficient. The beer itself is extremely rich with huge coffee and dark caramel flavors. It’s sweet without so much as a nod towards being balanced, but I think that’s OK since the whole thing is tuned for a ten ounce glass. The alcohol presence isn’t the least bit subtle but it’s tamed down just enough. All in all a solid prototype barleywine – the flavors are well suited to further aging and developing.

Even a half pint may be excessive

The old ale has massive bubbles in a big white head topping a dark brown ale. The aroma is much grainier compared to the sweetness of other high proof beers. The beer itself is deceptive. The body is by no means heavy the initial taste is mild – just a standard malt-forward ale. The finish, however, packs a wallop of flavor. Light toffee is underscored with some balancing acidity. The finish tails towards sweet but not excessively so. I think the richness of caramel or burnt sugar could be upped a bit for an even better beer but this isn’t bad as is. Treacle instead of molasses might be the magic ingredient that tips it from good to special.