Bligh's Barleywine Ale - Dry Dock Brewing Co.

jampics2

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

01-21-2013 14:56:26 | More by jampics2

mynie

Indiana

3.79/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Let’s say you’re at a rockin’ party, circa 1985. It’s way New Wave. The host is dressed shamefully, like Eddie Murphy in Raw. The chicks (it’s still okay to call them “chicks” back now) all look awful, their faces mannequins smeared with crushed berries, their hair a sad mess of feathers and straw. Herbie Hancock’s “Rocket” is playing and some dude is like, hey man, you wanna blast off? You’re worried he’s talking about s’ing your D but you still say “yeah sure” because you don’t want people to think you’re grody to the max and so the dude pulls out some coke and extols you to take a snort. You do. It burns. Your vision gets tinted red and a bunch of Italian guys start cheering and saying stuff in their ungodly language, something about “borax” and “crushed Smarties.” Still, you pretend to like it, because you want to sound rad.

That’s what it was like when I tried J.W. Lees Harvest Ale. My whole review, I was like “oh golly this is probably way good but I’m just too stupid to know any better.” Later on, I noticed something strange: John’s Grocery has a whole vertical of Lees going back to the mid 90s. Not because it’s expensive. Because it’s bad and no one likes it.

So I say sure, go ahead, pour that shit in oak. People complain about how horrible the BBA Lees’ ales are, but I don’t see how they could be any worse.

I bring this up because Dry Dock’s Barleywine is, like Lee’s, an English barley wine. And I’m sorry, but this style is shit unless it’s properly Americanized. The genuine British stuff tastes like some kind of weird peat and raisin tea. You got to load some hops into that, or pour in some vanilla, or just fucking stick it in a barrel for a year and hope it comes out palatable.

This—this is palatable. I think it’s a good example of its style, then, in that it’s traditionally British (all filled with figs and rotting teeth) but I’ll be able to finish the bottle. It’s still not quite good, though.

(Full review with pics: http://mynie.com/?p=641)

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 02:03:36 | More by mynie

jeonseh

Indiana

4.54/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark hazy brown with a syrupy complexion. Light carbonation and just a few bubbles.

S - Malty, lots of barrel and oak, dark fruit, and light chocolate

T - Sweet brown sugar, dark fruit, lots of chocolate. Good beer with lots of sweet flavor. Light oak on it in the finish

M - Smooth, body with a light syrupiness and stickiness to it

O - Really good and sweet barleywine with nice chocolate flavor to it as well. Not as good as KH but pretty close

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 17:13:32 | More by jeonseh

acurtis

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -15.2%

06-15-2013 22:28:54 | More by acurtis

pixieskid

France

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

06-12-2013 13:05:34 | More by pixieskid

dhbiker0889

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

06-10-2013 19:56:33 | More by dhbiker0889

haknort

Illinois

5/5  rDev +13.1%

06-09-2013 14:58:17 | More by haknort

pinnser

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%

06-06-2013 20:58:17 | More by pinnser

Mscarpen

Tennessee

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

06-03-2013 18:04:02 | More by Mscarpen

Auror

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

06-01-2013 03:12:35 | More by Auror

GregoryMo

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

06-01-2013 01:45:25 | More by GregoryMo

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%

05-27-2013 00:21:26 | More by Holland

dcloeren

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

05-26-2013 16:48:45 | More by dcloeren

mobius387

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

05-26-2013 10:24:26 | More by mobius387

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%

05-22-2013 13:27:04 | More by SpdKilz

robwater

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

05-20-2013 22:20:33 | More by robwater

mookihouse

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

05-20-2013 18:34:30 | More by mookihouse

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.56/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 2.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Big ups to SteveO for this...

2012 offering pours an effervescent hazel color with a sliver of cream colored head. Zero head retention & lacing, some viscosity to this. This beer's only short coming is no real big deal

S: Plums, raisins, vanilla & nice boozey notes

T: Follows the nose, woody hops, dryness & raisins, marcino cherry, a bit of brown sugar & treacle up front. Hints of oakyness, vanilla & a kiss of whiskey booze mix with the cherry & plum as this warms. Finshes with caramel, vanilla, black cherry & an iota of chocolate

MF: Chewy, modest carbonation with much warming sensation, superbly balanced, a bit sticky

True to form, with a very subtle barrel-aged twist. I really enjoyed this one. Get it if you can!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 03:02:38 | More by russpowell

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev -3.8%

05-18-2013 22:03:29 | More by Photekut

brentk56

North Carolina

4.26/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2011 bottling

Appearance: Pours a clear russet, the head being a vague formation of bubbles; somewhat leggy, with dotty dribbles streaming down

Smell: Caramel, Bourbon, vanilla, fig and coconut

Taste: Caramel, fig and date notes, up front, with the Bourbon and vanilla bringing a punch to the middle; after the swallow, earthy bitterness adds balance and there is a hint of coconut in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: A very nice English style barleywine that is drinking magnificently almost two years in

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 18:54:56 | More by brentk56

TheRuss9585

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

05-14-2013 00:39:30 | More by TheRuss9585

injuredreserve

Louisiana

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

05-13-2013 02:28:38 | More by injuredreserve

lemongelo

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%

05-11-2013 15:46:42 | More by lemongelo

mdaschaf

Washington

4.24/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2011 Vintage.

A: Pours a slightly hazy brown color with a small tan head that reduces quickly leaving a ring on top. Not much lacing.

S: Nice caramel and bourbon aroma mixed with some brown sugar, toffee, and a little wood.

T: Lots of caramel and toffee mixed with bourbon and brown sugar. A bit of oak and vanilla, faint dark fruit in the middle.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: Pretty good for a barleywine, barrel does a nice job. Was better when I had it alone than at a barleywine tasting, but I think that was simply due some of the other beers in the line up.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 21:11:43 | More by mdaschaf

Pete27lax

New York

4.75/5  rDev +7.5%

05-06-2013 08:39:12 | More by Pete27lax