Hellbender Barleywine - Pisgah Brewing Co.

cosmicevan

New York

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

08-22-2012 01:10:27 | More by cosmicevan

JamLand

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

06-15-2013 20:58:11 | More by JamLand

chinchill

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

06-10-2013 03:29:03 | More by chinchill

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

05-22-2013 01:20:00 | More by mikeincharleston

midlifec

Michigan

4/5  rDev -1%

05-12-2013 23:35:13 | More by midlifec

Falcone

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%

04-24-2013 08:23:39 | More by Falcone

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%

02-24-2013 01:16:47 | More by djrn2

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -1%

12-08-2012 22:08:01 | More by t0rin0

brystmar

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

08-12-2012 17:15:44 | More by brystmar

RedHaze

Nebraska

4/5  rDev -1%

01-15-2012 21:40:46 | More by RedHaze

Brewsed

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%

01-03-2012 21:56:04 | More by Brewsed

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had during an afternoon ticking session at Pisgah! Served from tap into a shaker pint. Poured red-orange with a one finger bone white head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, citrus, and citrus hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, citrus, and citrus hop. It had a medium feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good Barleywine. Very nice aroma and flavor going on here. The citrus aspect I got in this one really made the beer for me. Even at 9.8% there was no sign of the alcohol in this one at for me. This one is definitely worth trying without a doubt!

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2011 12:17:00 | More by thagr81us

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber, 2009 vintage(?)

Pours a dark ruby/copper color with golden amber edges when held to a light and a one finger frothy yellowish beige head that quickly fades into a thick lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lacing left behind.

I was expecting the aroma to be very leathery/boozy but it's surprisingly sweet with dark malt notes and zesty spice. There is a touch of earthy/leathery malt and alcohol sweetness but the nose is dominated by hints of caramel, toffee and rye as well as some cinnamon, brown sugar and dark fruit. Hints of fig, raisin and plum.

Fuller bodied than expected with a beautiful balance of sweet and earthy/leathery malt as well as some autumnal spice, dark fruit, booze and faint hops. Lots of luscious sweet malt flavor with a lot caramel, toffee, chocolate, rye and hazelnut. This is countered by some zesty spice with notes of pepper, brown sugar and cinnamon. I'm also picking up some sweet dark fruit, notably raisin, plum and fig. There is some faint hop bitterness balancing things out as well as some subtle alcohol sweetness but there is little to no heat. The ABV is excellently masked with only subtle warmth in the finish, making this beer dangerously drinkable.

Overall, this beer has developed very nicely. The alcohol heat has mellowed very gracefully, allowing the sweet malt and dark fruit notes to shine. Incredibly complex, well balanced and extremely quaffable. I had to slow myself down from drinking down the whole bomber to fast. Another excellent beer from Pisgah that I highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 07:44:23 | More by corby112

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to ncvbc for this bottle. Opened in the wee hours of the morning at Tröegs during the Splinter Black release. This cork was a bear to get out.

A: The barleywine is a copper color, brown and orange in tandem, that is opaque. The only thing visible in the glass is the swirl of yeast particles. A small head sat atop the ale, a white color. The cork removal issues caused a slight ding here.

S: The nose has all the key ingredients of a rich barleywine, toffee and caramel and rich breads. Hops, surprisingly, aren't a factor (at the time I didn't think that it was English).

T: The spicy warmth is a nice touch on this cold day. By spices, I primarily mean brown sugar and caramel. This is by no means a quad or spiced ale. Rich caramel and toffee, aided by several years in the cellar, are chewy and sweet. Hoppiness is minor, an afterthought amongst the malts. A decent barleywine, maybe with a little too much time under its belt.

M: The mouthfeel is malt sweet, plenty of rich syrups that sit heavily on the palate.

D: A tad heavy, all the better for sharing in a sub-freezing temperature. A visually appealing bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 20:45:05 | More by akorsak

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to a generous BA for sharing some of this at the Splinter Black release. Served in my Savor snifter.

Pour brings forth a somewhat-light copper-colored brew with a thin white cap and not too much lacing. A few bubbles around the edges. The nose is fairly complex, though all the notes are pretty related. I got a strong dose of caramel along with toffee, light brown sugar, and perhaps a bit of molasses. Some light tropical fruits in the background, but mostly just the caramel.

The taste brings forth more of the same, though the brown sugar becomes a bit more apparent. Caramel fits in strong behind it with a bit of fruit coming through in the finish. The body is medium with good enough carbonation. The problem here is that it gets to be a bit too cloying. Overall, glad I got to try this but won't be seeking it out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 00:04:57 | More by Thorpe429

atsprings

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into a Hopus glass pours a crisp dark brown with a nice frothy khaki head that lasts as a thin layer and leaves nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is burnt caramel and mild cocoa. The taste is a nice blend of dried fruits, burnt caramel, molasses and pine hops. I'll say this much for sure, this is a heavy beer. Syrupy alcohol is very prevalent on the tongue, this one is going to take me a while. I chose this one tonight because it is a VERY cold North Carolina night, but turns out it's more than I bargained for, I'll want to age this one more than 6 months next time.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 03:13:50 | More by atsprings

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hellbender Barleywine, on tap at Pisgah's tasting room during my last visit to the area. Served in a full pint glass (mm!).

Appearance: Arrives a transparent copper amber, nicely colored, and capped by half a finger of sticky white head (surprisingly white, actually, given the style, expected high hopping, etc.), replenished by slow, sparse, and large effervescence and that showcases admirable retention. As it fades, the head leaves a great amount of side lacing and surface dust.

Aroma: Sweet sticky caramel is the predominant note here, though on the whole the aroma here is fairly mild, showcasing roasted, bready malt notes along with some green, dried fruits, one part fruit malt notes and one part sticky, juicy citrusy hop overtones.

Taste: A miraculously pungent and strongly flavored beer. Tons of crystalline, glassy caramel, sweet toffee, and light brown sugar, melding with a slew of hops to suggest candied white grapefruit, dried pineapple, caramel orange, and fantastic amounts of minty tobacco melded with herbal, spicy notes. The bitterness is moderate to high, but compliments all of the aforementioned nicely.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, viscous, chewy, and oily, there is one big mouth on this brew. Plentiful carbonation makes for a bigger, bolder mouth still.

Drinkability: A fantastic barleywine, flavorful, biting, and intense. Another huge winner from Pisgah. At 9.8%, this one isn't too terribly high for a barleywine, though, of course, relative to other styles it certainly is. A cautious sipper that begs to be sipped further, Hellbender proves again that Pisgah knows big beers. If you see bombers of this, do yourself a favor and pick 'em up - I'd love to see how this one ages.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 04:13:59 | More by CrellMoset

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dirty-white head, not huge but lasts a good while. Color of the liquid is reddish copper, hazy and almost opaque, although a shadowy hand can be seen through it when held to light.

Huge candy-like syrupy malts dominate the aroma. A little black tea, a lot of toffee and caramel, dabs of vanilla and sherry. Wowza.

Flavor brings all of that in, minus the black tea and adding brown sugar (and wouldn't you know: this is actually brewed with brown sugar). Citrus fruits come in, although they're polite and well-integrated. Toffee and caramel are big here, and the vanilla twists around something that reminds of sweet cherries, sour cherries and strawberry Twizzlers (hmm). Something like cinnamon-flavored ice cream comes in, emphasis on the "cream," and that leads me to thinking "deep fried ice cream." Would be an amazing thing to pair Hellbender with, anyway. Candy-like presence remains on the tongue, but never gets too sweet. Likewise, alcohol remains tempered and merely one component of the flavor (the label states both 9.8% and 10.2% as the ABV...either way, it's big). Seems this is one of few barleywines that is not only complex, but subtle...doesn't hammer you over the head with its bigness. Just catches up with you, if you're not careful.

Smooth feel, although a tinglier ride than expected thanks to ample carbonation. It's not bothersome or even unlikable, and it keeps the round, sticky, syrupy body in check.

Interesting, very drinkable, a little different from the norm. And this beer is a total win-win...Pisgah donates a portion of sales to Wild South, a non-profit that works to save fragile/endangered ecosystems (win), and it tastes freaking fantastic (the other win).

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 22:24:43 | More by Metalmonk

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pour is a mahogany-ruby brown with an enormous off-white head.

Smell: sweet Brown sugar-caramel with some sweet brown bread and malts

Taste: Brown bread and malts, brown sugar, caramel, faint toffee, lemon and orange peel; seems as if the tastes could be a bit more bold

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, carbonation is a bit aggressive

Drinkability: Good, but average for the style

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 03:22:27 | More by craytonic

McDiddyPop

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Shared generously by Bobby8405 at our Willard's Tap House throwdown.

This was honestly one of the beers I was least excited to try out of the more-than-stellar lineup that was laid out on the table that day. Alas, I was blown away by it. The dark horse of the day for sure.

It poured a cloudy brown color into my wine glass, with a dense tan head that left incredible sticky lacing down the sides of the glass. A nice thick collar of foam left its mark while I was drinking.

Aromas of brown sugar, dark malt and a nice spicy, earthy hop. Nice and well-rounded. Not overtly sweet like many barleywines. I knew this one was a winner for sure.

The caramel and brown sugar hit me at first, with some balance from roasty malt characteristics and the dry earthy hops. Also some toffee. Beautifully balanced flavor. Everything works together perfectly.

Nice mouthfeel. Drying effects from the hops enhance the drinkability. A nice boozy warmth in the throat as I enjoy every last drop. Perhaps my most favorite barleywine to daye.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 15:04:51 | More by McDiddyPop

zeff80

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, caramel color with a small, white head of foam. There was some nice retention that left thin rings of lace.

S - It smelled of sweet caramel. It had some boozy notes, too.

T - It tasted very, very sweet. Lots of caramel and some toffee flavors. Very mild bitter hops.

M - It was soft and smooth. A medium bodied beer with a somewhat sticky mouthfeel.

D - This is a pretty good barleywine. A sweet one but I expect that in a English-style Barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 01:40:58 | More by zeff80

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Bobby8405 for sharing this. Very surprised at how great it tastes, despite the less-than-stellar score.

A - Caramel-brown hue, wispy head.

S - Caramel, toffee, hop, and biscuit are all rip-roaring fantastic. This is what a Barleywine is supposed to be.

T - Damn. The awesomeness continues. Great taste, it takes the elements of the nose and adds a creamy vanilla element that is sublimely balancing like the proverbial icing on the cake.

M - Silky and luxurious. Perhaps could use some balancing vigor.

D - Glad I have another one of these tucked away.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 16:22:33 | More by ktrillionaire

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a murky copper/brown with a slight red tint and a thin off white head that faded quickly. lacing is minimal

S: smells sweet, lots of brown sugar and some bitter hops. caramel malts and toffee also come through

T: again, sweet. burnt sugar malts with strong hints of brown sugar. some hops are noticeable but are secondary to the sweetness. very much a english style barleywine

M: pretty thick and a little syrupy. carbonation is mild and smooth

D: pretty smooth for the high abv. bottle says 10.3% abv. was a nice sipper for sure. alcohol was noticeable and warmed the throat on the way down but didn't overpower

Overall, I prefer american style barleywines but this was a very solid english style. A tad sweet but that was to be expected. Would recommend to barleywine fans

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 23:18:21 | More by CosmoHopHead

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the brewery the other day.

The beer pours a copper amber color with good head retention and considerable sticky lacing all around. The beer is very sweet and malty on the nose, with cherry, light brown sugar and underlying spice. Flavors generally replicate the nose, though I also got something of an aged ale, sherry component that was impressive. Yumm! On the palate, this beer was very long and smooth, with a viscuous, slightly creamy finish. The alcohol was a bit more noticeable then I like, and in combination with the sweetness, I thought that detracted just a bit from this beer's drinkability. However, I guessing that some additional bottle age might round out some of the rough edges. This is still a very impressive beer.

Picked up a few bottles of this at Bruisin Ales, so will see what a bit of bottle age does for this impressive young barleywine.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2010 15:47:56 | More by johnmichaelsen

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 picked up back in March from Izecold88... Thanks Manny for a great trade!! Shared it with the Boise peeps a weekend or two ago.

Pours a clear deep orange.... good 1" foamy white head.. nice lacing..

smell is dominated by a pretty sweet smelling maltiness.... caramel essence... flowery hoppiness... could use more hops for sure.

Flavor has a good bitterness that is quickly enveloped by thick almost syrupy malts.. hops are more grassy than the nose, but a bit of pithy citrus shows with alot of warmth.

I would have preferred more hops... and more carbonation.. the body seems too thick given the carbonation.

Good.. better than okay... glad I got to this one before letting it age any longer. Thanks again Manny.. any time brother, let me know.

4.5/3.5/3.5/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 08:06:44 | More by JohnGalt1