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Bourbon Barrel Warmer
Upland Brewing Company
- From:
- Upland Brewing Company
- Indiana, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 11.54%
- Reviews:
- 41
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 24, 2016
- Added:
- May 02, 2010
- Wants:
- 25
- Gots:
- 14
Aged for 6-8 months in bourbon/whiskey barrels
2009: Pappy Van Winkle barrels
2010: Buffalo Trace barrels
2011: Wild Turkey barrels
2013: Willet barrels
2009: Pappy Van Winkle barrels
2010: Buffalo Trace barrels
2011: Wild Turkey barrels
2013: Willet barrels
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DrewskiWhit:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by brewskis from Indiana
4.28/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled in December of 2013. Have had this for a long while after buying it at a discounted price of $3.99 for a bomber.
Pours a cloudy dark brown amber color. Lots of sediment. Finger and a half of a tan head.
Aroma is actually outstanding. Burnt carmel (creme brûlée), toffee, molasses, raisin bread, plum, vanilla, oak, smooth bourbon.
Taste follows the aroma closely. The raisin bread, toffee, and carmel pops up front. This then blends into a rich vanilla and smooth bourbon from the Willet bourbon barrels. The finish is more rich vanilla, burnt carmel, oak, and smooth bourbon. Outstandingly decadent.
Medium body. Nicely carbonated, creamy, oily, and sticky.
This was a big surprise, as I didn't expect much given the discounted price a while back. This was a very well done BA English Barleywine. The barrel presence, even after 2 1/2 years, was still very present and melded well with the base. I wouldn't be surprised if this is what Upland now calls their Barrel Chested Barleywine, as it is eerily similar.
May 15, 2016Pours a cloudy dark brown amber color. Lots of sediment. Finger and a half of a tan head.
Aroma is actually outstanding. Burnt carmel (creme brûlée), toffee, molasses, raisin bread, plum, vanilla, oak, smooth bourbon.
Taste follows the aroma closely. The raisin bread, toffee, and carmel pops up front. This then blends into a rich vanilla and smooth bourbon from the Willet bourbon barrels. The finish is more rich vanilla, burnt carmel, oak, and smooth bourbon. Outstandingly decadent.
Medium body. Nicely carbonated, creamy, oily, and sticky.
This was a big surprise, as I didn't expect much given the discounted price a while back. This was a very well done BA English Barleywine. The barrel presence, even after 2 1/2 years, was still very present and melded well with the base. I wouldn't be surprised if this is what Upland now calls their Barrel Chested Barleywine, as it is eerily similar.
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota
3.99/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - A beautiful beer, with fine dark brown-red body. Slightly hazy but still mostly clear. Light tan head, huge lacing.
S - Vanilla, toffee, burnt sugar, molasses, wood, and booze.
T - Open with caramel, middle explodes with wood and wine notes, vanilla and a slight bitterness parries the sweetness.
M - Spiky in the opening. Sticky. Recedes quickly in the close.
O - Decent barleywine. Bright sweetness, slightly muddy close.
Sep 03, 2015S - Vanilla, toffee, burnt sugar, molasses, wood, and booze.
T - Open with caramel, middle explodes with wood and wine notes, vanilla and a slight bitterness parries the sweetness.
M - Spiky in the opening. Sticky. Recedes quickly in the close.
O - Decent barleywine. Bright sweetness, slightly muddy close.
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts
4.24/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Poured into a Kate the the Great tulip a clear honey hue with a thin head that fades quickly to leave sticky lacing. Thin wisps.
S - Aromas of caramel, vanilla, bourbon, light malt sweetness.
T - Taste is similar to the nose, caramel, vanilla, oak, no booze. Smooth, caramel sauce, nice bourbon notes.
M - Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, not slick or boozy.
O - Overall this beer was really tasty, smooth. Super surprised
Serving type: bottle
Apr 08, 2015S - Aromas of caramel, vanilla, bourbon, light malt sweetness.
T - Taste is similar to the nose, caramel, vanilla, oak, no booze. Smooth, caramel sauce, nice bourbon notes.
M - Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, not slick or boozy.
O - Overall this beer was really tasty, smooth. Super surprised
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to jmgrub for sharing this one at Oneinchaway's tasting.
Bottled 12/2014.
Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel toffee, vanilla, and bourbon aromas. Taste is much the same with caramel, toffee, bourbon, and wood flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with lots of sticky sugar and bourbon characteristics all around.
Serving type: bottle.
Feb 09, 2015Bottled 12/2014.
Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel toffee, vanilla, and bourbon aromas. Taste is much the same with caramel, toffee, bourbon, and wood flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with lots of sticky sugar and bourbon characteristics all around.
Serving type: bottle.
Reviewed by alpinebryant from Connecticut
3.5/5 rDev -10.3%
3.5/5 rDev -10.3%
2010 bottle poured into a tulip glass ,
A: Clear chestnut brown with minimal head, slight tiny hiss when opening. nearly perfectly clear. Time in the bottle has let this one settle out.
S: Aroma of sweet cherry, caramelized sugars, plum, subdued barrel and barely present bourbon, I would hesitate to know how much time passed prior to the barrel being used again, or however long it was, the bourbon is very faint.
T: This beer starts like a nice english barleywine, very faintly hopped with a very low alpha hop, abundances of caramel, vanillin, some stale carboard / oak barrel flavors in the background. This was apparently the Buffalo Trace barrel year, which is a whiskey i have not had, and makes me curious to know where the flavor notes are in the whiskey itself.
M: Relatively flat and seems basically appropriate for an english barleywine, but just a little too flat for my liking. Based on reviews from years following this batch, it seems like they may have taken care of that item as it seems the 2013s are drawing a full finger of head. Maybe worth reviewing again, but then again.... I have a lot of barleywine in the cellar and I dont know when I will be trading again for more from out of state in IN.
O: Overall, there are some good characteristics here. I have been sitting on this bottle for a few years in my cellar and it is a good barleywine, but not overly impressed with some of the flaws that are going on here. Slightly stale, slight cardboard hints, not much bourbon flavors. Other than that, it seems like the body is on par, color is nice and I would have to assume has improved with more recent batches.
Oct 18, 2014A: Clear chestnut brown with minimal head, slight tiny hiss when opening. nearly perfectly clear. Time in the bottle has let this one settle out.
S: Aroma of sweet cherry, caramelized sugars, plum, subdued barrel and barely present bourbon, I would hesitate to know how much time passed prior to the barrel being used again, or however long it was, the bourbon is very faint.
T: This beer starts like a nice english barleywine, very faintly hopped with a very low alpha hop, abundances of caramel, vanillin, some stale carboard / oak barrel flavors in the background. This was apparently the Buffalo Trace barrel year, which is a whiskey i have not had, and makes me curious to know where the flavor notes are in the whiskey itself.
M: Relatively flat and seems basically appropriate for an english barleywine, but just a little too flat for my liking. Based on reviews from years following this batch, it seems like they may have taken care of that item as it seems the 2013s are drawing a full finger of head. Maybe worth reviewing again, but then again.... I have a lot of barleywine in the cellar and I dont know when I will be trading again for more from out of state in IN.
O: Overall, there are some good characteristics here. I have been sitting on this bottle for a few years in my cellar and it is a good barleywine, but not overly impressed with some of the flaws that are going on here. Slightly stale, slight cardboard hints, not much bourbon flavors. Other than that, it seems like the body is on par, color is nice and I would have to assume has improved with more recent batches.
Reviewed by rlee1390 from Indiana
4/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-Deep brown almost in glass, a clear amber when pouring.
S-Mild bourbon, good deal of coffee and caramel. Earthy notes as well.
T-Starts with caramel and toffee, some bourbon, tad bit of oak. Dark fruits (cherries and plums) as well.
M-Medium bodied, tad velvety with nice carbonation.
O-A decent BA Barleywine, and even more importantly a cheap one.
Aug 03, 2014S-Mild bourbon, good deal of coffee and caramel. Earthy notes as well.
T-Starts with caramel and toffee, some bourbon, tad bit of oak. Dark fruits (cherries and plums) as well.
M-Medium bodied, tad velvety with nice carbonation.
O-A decent BA Barleywine, and even more importantly a cheap one.
Bourbon Barrel Warmer from Upland Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
129 ratings
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