Emelisse Barley Wine Ale - Bierbrouwerij Grand-Café Emelisse

kvnstfrd

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 10.14 oz. bottle into a 16 oz. glass goblet.
Deep copper-red color with a foamy off-white head.
Sweet aromas of caramel with notes of freshly baked cake.
Flavor is strong and sweet with a light hop bitterness and a slight alcohol burn after the swallow.
Not as much body as I expected, but not too thin, either.
Overall, a nice non-English, English barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 14:48:34 | More by kvnstfrd

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.5%

12-25-2012 21:58:10 | More by ejimhof

Offa

California

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a pretty good barleywine.

Cloudy pale red-brown with a small off-white head slowly shrinking to foamy ring, wisps.

Aroma is nice toasty caramelly bread, rich, with some dried fruits and wood, toasty barley. There is a fleeting hint of chocolate that soon vanishes. It is a nice English barleywine character but a bit simple.

Taste is simple, boozy whiskyish dried fruits and caramelised grain and wood. It has light sweetness, spicy alcoholic warmth and bitterness coming on at the finish and lingering. Aftertaste is sweet white bread. It's good, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 23:55:25 | More by Offa

homebrewhawk

Kansas

3.28/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.16 oz bottle served in a snifter. Poured a hazy amber with a quickly dissipating head. Bottle conditioned. Lots of malt in aroma, caramel. Very sweet, not much hop bitterness to balance. Medium to full bodied. Not much carbonation. Didn't do much for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 02:26:23 | More by homebrewhawk

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz bottle received in trade with Phyl21ca - thanks!

Appearance - Murky brownish copper colour with small size beige coloured head.It's hard to make out the amount of carbonation and there isn't much lacing. The head lasted for only 2 minutes.

Smell - Malts, anise, caramel/butterscotch, dark fruits

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation.. almost none. I can taste hops and malts mixed with buttery caramel. There is also some anise and some raisins. It ends with a malty sweet and buttery aftertaste.

Overall - It needs a boost in carbonation but the alcohol is well hidden and the beer has a nice taste. Even thought the bottle says best before end of 2012 this seems a bit past its prime. Still glad to have tried.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:48:30 | More by spinrsx

kaelingirl

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +33.8%

09-27-2012 02:26:36 | More by kaelingirl

Rickythejeweler

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Copper-amber, thin soapy head, minimal lacing.

S - Perfumy, grapeskin, light funk, alcohol.

T - Lager yeast, malty, candi sugar, raison, hint of olive, mixed berries, little alcohol.

M - Medium-full bodied, low carbonation, bitter/sugary/chalky semi-dry finish.

O - Strange take on a barleywine, middle of the pack.

best before 03/13 Lot A

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 20:29:08 | More by Rickythejeweler

justme

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +26.8%

09-04-2012 00:32:53 | More by justme

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -15.5%

08-23-2012 01:59:32 | More by t0rin0

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Maudite snifter. Pours a dark coppery caramel amber. Thin fine off-white head that slowly dissipates to a ring around the glass. Aroma of caramel malt, caramel, orange, fruit and alcohol with a slight sourness. Flavor dominated by caramel and alcohol, which transitions into pleasant caramel malt, dark and light fruit, brown sugar with a slight hop kick in the finish. Immediately warming. The initial booze is a bit overwhelming, but as the flavor transitions, this has very pleasant and well integrated flavors. A tasty barley wine that is a little unbalanced at first, but settles in to traditional English barley wine territory and finishes nicely. Medium bodied with some creaminess.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 03:14:57 | More by LiquidAmber

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

07-14-2012 22:17:09 | More by rolltide8425

MrBillyMac

California

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%

04-22-2012 00:29:01 | More by MrBillyMac

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.48/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle. Snifter glass. Enjoyed on dec´11. Orangish copper in color. Off-white, medium size bubbled, froth. Thin layer & brief crown. Collars on sides. Caramel malt, sugar, alcohol & subtle chocolate aromas. Ripe fruit hues. Tasting shows sugar & bitterness all over. Dry palate.Full body, soft carbonation. Spicy & fruity finish. Gentle warming alcohol sensation.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 18:12:14 | More by GONZALOYANNA

The22Lou

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +26.8%

04-04-2012 02:30:52 | More by The22Lou

DARIVA

Netherlands

3.55/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Red brown clear beer with minimal head.

S: A little sour, some strawberries, and grapefruit.

T: Slightly bitter taste, slightly sour and some green pepper. Many grapefruit.

M: Good tongue feeling , bitter aftertaste and light foam feeling.

O: Very nice beer where the grapefruit dominates.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 08:26:55 | More by DARIVA

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.5%

03-18-2012 22:03:40 | More by goblue3509

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured alight copper color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma consists of light residual sugar notes and dry caramel malt notes. Taste is quite simple with light residual notes of sugar with dry caramel malt and little else to report. Body is about average with OK carbonation and no apparent alcohol. A bit of a disappointment with no real complexity.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 03:13:29 | More by Phyl21ca

GrindFatherBob

New York

4/5  rDev +12.7%

03-05-2012 20:06:22 | More by GrindFatherBob

Mar02x

Netherlands

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Every time when I drink this beer I forget to review it. Finally I nailed it.

A - A dark orange poor and hardly no head.

S - A strong smell of malt syrup and some piny hops.

T - This is a good brew and it ages pretty good. I had it fresh and this one is about a year old. Man what an excellent taste. The bitter hops are still there and just a little reduced. The malt syrup is noticeable and some of the alcohol content as well.

M - The soft to medium carbonation makes it a pleasure to drink.

O - A good barley wine and would love to see what some more aging will do.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 19:52:34 | More by Mar02x

plickxt

California

2.5/5  rDev -29.6%

12-23-2011 06:41:50 | More by plickxt

tclapper

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

12-05-2011 05:39:14 | More by tclapper

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +12.7%

11-26-2011 23:50:45 | More by Rochefort10nh

Thickfreakness

New York

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Ruddy pumpkin/brown with lots of sediment. a one finger tangerine head that fades away and leaves a touch of oily lacing.

S- Caramel, candy corn, licorice, fig jam, dried cherries and leather couch. Has a touch of earthiness and yeasty funk! Really nice dessert sweetness! Just a fade of hop presence.

T- Caramel apple and toffee. Tart and sweet!!! WOW! No real hop fruitiness or bite at all at first, but it comes thru with the warming of the alcohol. Nice dried fruit, brown sugar and spice... not overwhelming. The caramel and booze really blast thru on this one leaving your mouth a touch hot.

M- A bit on the sweet and alcoholic side. The hops come in at the end and dry your mouth a little bit, but sweetness is the overlying theme here. A touch sour and tart, a little sweet, and overall a decent blend of both.

O- Nothing to sing about here. It's decent at best. The smell is really nice, the taste is ok... I've never really had a "BAD" Barleywine, they always have something a bit interesting to offer.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 23:14:11 | More by Thickfreakness

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle picked up at Whole Foods Bowery in NYC, split with Steve. 12oz bottle into a couple snifters.

Poured a rusty red with some burgundy highlights, thin offwhite head falls to a thin film and a collar. Nose has sort of a honey/honeycomb-esque malt, sweet caramel notes, booze, green (almost leafy) & vinous grape notes as well. Taste has caramel, more grapey notes, and is relatively rich altogether. Mouthfeel is sweet, sticky and boozy, as the first few sips come up through the nostrils to sting. Medium-full feel and a lower-medium carbonation. Average really.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 15:44:58 | More by liamt07

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep orange, slight white head, traces of lace are present. Malty nose, caramel and slight sweet notes, citrus fruit, hoppy in the nose, light grapefruit. Taste is malty, big hop profile, caramel notes come through, lightly sweet, sugary, quite well balanced, grapefruit comes in the finish. Good feel, full body wirth light carbonation. I would classify this as american barleywine and as that it is quite nice, very pleasant and approachable. Thanks to Radek for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 02:10:59 | More by peensteen