Olde School Barleywine - Dogfish Head Brewery

dasenebler

Maine

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine
12oz
Bottled in 2011

Pours a deep, glowing amber with a small, off-white head. Admirable retention for such a high-gravity brew. (3.5)

Huge notes of rum and stone fruits in the aroma. Intense and really raisiny. Good dose of alcohol, but not overpowering. (4.5)

Sweet and malty, with an emphasis on the rich and sultry. Lots of candied, dark fruit flavors and a thick, chewy maltiness. Notes of molasses, date and fruitcake. Barleywine is an unbalanced and sweet style, but this beer is shockingly drinkable given that it is 15% ABV. There's some serious heat, but it really smooths out as the beer warms. Mouthfeel is slick, with a pleasant amount of carbonation. (4, 4)

One of the better barleywines (and Dogfish Head brews…) I've had in a while. A year of age on the bottle seems about perfect, with no glaring oxidation. (4.5)

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 01:56:31 | More by dasenebler

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

2.64/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

Had on 6/16/13:
'10 Vintage, cellared properly, poured into a snifter

A: Pours a clear darkish ruby red (with slight orange hues), thin head that disappears quickly.

S: Alcohol. Rum soaked raisins, some stone fruits, a little tart apple, lots of alcohol, very sweet aroma.

T: Very boozy, lots of alcohol burn still. Overwhelming level of sweetness, cloyingly, and it honestly tastes like straight corn syrup spiked with alcohol and some fruit. While the notes of stone fruits and rum soaked raisins/plums/etc are nice, they are just completely overpowered by the brashness. The definition of a sweet boozy mess.

M: Sticky and somehow smooth (though certainly a ton of alcohol burn). Mouth feel is on the thin side with a moderate level of carbonation that is fairly crisp on the finish. Cloyingly sweet, unpleasant alcohol after taste.

O: Aged for at least 2.5 years and this is still a boozy mess and the cloyingly sweet corn sugar doesn't help that any. I don't think Sam's massive corn sugar additions to boost ABV are the right way to go...

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 04:10:39 | More by Satchboogie

doremite

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

06-13-2013 23:13:29 | More by doremite

djre4orm

Virginia

3/5  rDev -24.1%

06-13-2013 19:19:02 | More by djre4orm

Brewman123

New York

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

06-13-2013 12:32:59 | More by Brewman123

Thedrizzle

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

06-13-2013 01:36:19 | More by Thedrizzle

billbeers

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-10-2013 02:52:13 | More by billbeers

Satsuma

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

06-09-2013 02:21:01 | More by Satsuma

toadfather

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

06-07-2013 22:28:26 | More by toadfather

coolandy007

Nevada

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-06-2013 10:37:37 | More by coolandy007

bcp5296d

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +26.6%

06-05-2013 22:38:04 | More by bcp5296d

Rihup

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

06-04-2013 01:19:02 | More by Rihup

ajzy

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-03-2013 23:32:17 | More by ajzy

GrindFatherBob

New York

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

06-03-2013 19:50:39 | More by GrindFatherBob

Sarmartay

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-02-2013 23:53:10 | More by Sarmartay

Devi0us

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-02-2013 04:19:00 | More by Devi0us

DenverBigRed

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-31-2013 22:50:44 | More by DenverBigRed

Nevermore

Maryland

2.5/5  rDev -36.7%

05-31-2013 00:51:46 | More by Nevermore

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.94/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

this is a massive barleywine. 2011 vintage here, and I am thinking I should have given it another year or even two to cool out a bit more. this beast is hot! pours a dense amber color with a lot of yeast floating around like fish food, and a prominent off white head over an inch tall but not lasting a real long time. the nose is very alcoholic, predictably so, but there is also some interesting things going on here besides the malt. I pick up a lot of Mediterranean fruit notes, like figs, dates, and drying apples. it is sweet in taste, but not cloyingly so like many colossal barleywines. the dried fruits come through nicely, adding complexity to a huge grain bill and a lot of brown sugar sweetness. the alcohol cuts through everything, and when this beer warms up, it feels like liquor. the yeast adds a lot, and is obviously fairly sturdy, with some white toast sort of elements. decent carbonation really for what this is, and a predictably large body. this is a slow sipper, and even a twelve ounce bottle was a little more than I wanted, so maybe share this with a friend or a lover. I probably should have waited until fall to open this one, but curiosity got the best of me on a warm early summer afternoon. an excellent example of the style, in many ways more enjoyable than say a bolt cutter, with all the fruit happening in this. good effort.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 19:19:50 | More by StonedTrippin

tfield

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-30-2013 01:02:51 | More by tfield

mulliwater

Virginia

5/5  rDev +26.6%

05-25-2013 03:48:06 | More by mulliwater

DrGonzoDDS

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

05-24-2013 01:31:22 | More by DrGonzoDDS

kojevergas

California

3.39/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Truncated review since I had to do this on my phone at a crowded bar. 2011 vintage served on-draught at the Blue Palms Brewhouse earlier this month. Expectations were above average. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a two finger beige colour of nice cream, thickness, and retention.

Sm: Dates, fruit, caramel. A mild strength aroma.

T/Dr: Hides ABV well. Fruit-forward, with dates and vague dark fruit character. Quite malty and well layered. Very drinkable for the high ABV. I like it.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Good carbonation. Good presence on the palate. Suits the flavour profile well.

B-

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 20:26:26 | More by kojevergas

cnewton

Illinois

2/5  rDev -49.4%

05-23-2013 18:57:57 | More by cnewton

IMSPEAKNOENGLISH

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-23-2013 03:07:01 | More by IMSPEAKNOENGLISH