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[expand]Total Score: 35/50
Alcohol dominates this English barleywine. This one may be a bit young so the alcohol may age out over time. more >
[close]Total Score: 35/50
Aroma: Alcohol is the prominent aroma up front followed by caramel maltiness and hints of treacle/brown sugar. Low hop aroma evident as earthy tones in the background. No DMS. Some fruity esters as apricots and pears, but none of the dark pit fruits. No diacetyl. (9/12)
Appearance: Bright clarity. Orange-amber color a bit light. Thin, rocky, tan head with good retention. (3/3)
Flavor: Caramel malt with a light citrus note and lots of alcohol that is a bit hot for the underlying beer. Assertive hop bitterness balances malt sweetness. The entire beer finishes on the dry side with both lingering bitterness and sweetness on the front of the tongue and a citrus sharpness on the tongue. Moderate esters are reminiscent of apricots and pears. No DMS or diacetyl. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. Mouthfeel is thinner—medium—due in part to citrus notes, not the low-to-medium carbonation. Lots of alcohol warmth. No astringency, although there is lingering bitterness in the mouthfeel. Overall, seems a bit thinner than the classic chewiness of the style. (3/5)
Overall Impression: Alcohol dominates this English barleywine. This one may be a bit young so the alcohol may age out over time. Additional malt complexity, fewer citrus notes in favor of English earthy/woody hop profile, and less attenuation would place this more squarely in the English barleywine style and also give a chewiness to the body/mouthfeel. Since there’s no oxidation as yet, this may age over a couple years, so buy a case and let it age, trying a bottle every six months or so. (6/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 39/50
Strong malt character is balanced with an assertive hop flavor and cozy alcohol warmth. Hop character is not distinctly English. more >
[close]Total Score: 39/50
Aroma: Bready and caramel malt, moderate peppery rose hop aroma; ripe plum fruitiness lies in the background. (10/12)
Appearance: Burnished copper with red and gold highlights. Very good clarity. Fine off-white foam forms a creamy layer that does not persist, but falls to a ring around the edge of the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Pronounced toasty caramel malt backbone balanced with an assertive earthy hop flavor, followed by a malty sweetness that gives way to caramel and sun-warmed, tree-ripened plum fruitiness at low level, as in the aroma. Finishes with an underlying pleasant lingering hop bitterness. Clean, lightly fruity fermentation. Malt becomes more toffee- and treacle-like as the beer warms. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with moderately prickly carbonation and creamy texture. Carbonation seems to amplify the alcohol warmth that lingers on the tongue, lips, and throat, but which is in no way hot—just comfortably warming. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Strong malt character is balanced with an assertive hop flavor and cozy alcohol warmth. Hop character is not distinctly English. Seems like the overall presentation would gain complexity with additional aging, adding some sherry and currant flavors for depth. Comes across as between American in its freshness and English in its malt and hop leanings. (7/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 40/50
An excellent example of the English barleywine style. This sample is a little young, with esters and alcohol at the forefront. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Intense malt aroma, with notes of toffee, caramel, and toasted breadcrumbs. Moderately high alcohol, mainly ethanol, but with soft floral and vanilla notes, as well as a slight solvent character, which could be from higher alcohols. Raisin and stone fruit (dates) elements add complexity and may evolve into more of a sherry character when the beer ages. Hops are understated. (9/12)
Appearance: Brilliant clarity and a creamy white head with stellar retention. Copper color with mahogany highlights speaks to the use of crystal malt in the recipe. (3/3)
Flavor: Solid malt backbone supports an array of complex flavors. The malt intensity is medium-high, with toasty, caramel, and toffee notes. Moderately strong dark fruit esters, complemented by molasses and raisin components. I also pick up some almond notes, but no sherry-like oxidation. Pineapple-citrus notes that are almost lemony, but I attribute these to esters rather than hops. The bitterness is modest with respect to the malt, which leaves the finish a little sweet. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: A perfect level of dextrins, and the carbonation is also at a level that enhances the mouthfeel without being prickly. The alcohol warmth is a little high. (3/5)
Overall Impression: An excellent example of the English barleywine style. This sample is a little young, with esters and alcohol at the forefront. These should mellow out with some aging, and the solvent notes should also abate. The malt character is the highlight of the beer—chewy, full-bodied, with complex toffee, caramel, and toasted notes. (8/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 32/50
Way too young. I’d cellar this at least another year, maybe more like three. The alcohol dominates all aspects of this beer. more >
[close]Total Score: 32/50
Aroma: Perfumey alcohol and hops dominate the malt. Alcohol is strongest, and has a sharp edge to it. Medium-low fruity notes. Malt is in the background, bready and biscuity with a hint of caramel; not much richness or sweetness noted. The alcohol isn’t the pleasantly aged type; it is fresh and attacks the senses. The hops are a bit floral. It seems very young for a beer this size. (8/12)
Appearance: Medium amber color—rather light. Frothy beige bubbles, settled quickly to nothing. Fairly clear. (2/3)
Flavor: Initial malty richness is smooth and tasty with bready and biscuity notes and some rich caramel sweetness—a classic English malt presentation, with very nice complexity accentuated by dark fruity esters. However, there is very little time to savor the malt flavor as the medium-high bitterness and hop flavor and strong alcohol attack the palate quickly. The finish is alcohol and bitterness with only an impression of malt. The aftertaste is dominated by the evaporative effects of alcohol. Not syrupy or cloying; this beer is well attenuated. Big and aggressive like a young Thomas Hardy’s Ale used to be. (13/20)
Mouthfeel: Full body, rich but not syrupy. Warming, with a hot burn in the finish and aftertaste. Medium carbonation. Sharp alcohol bite ruins the otherwise brilliant palate experience. (3/5)
Overall Impression: Way too young. I’d cellar this at least another year, maybe more like three. The alcohol dominates all aspects of this beer. The initial malt taste is interesting, and has the right components; it definitely hints at good things to come. (6/10)
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