Mother Of All Storms - Pelican Pub & Brewery

Arbitrator

California

2.65/5  rDev -40.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Re-review of 2011 vintage shared by mfielden. Thanks, Mark.

S: This is very oxidized, more than previous vintages have been. It has substantial cardboard and a general aroma of "nothingness," as if the beer is over-mellowed.

T: I taste the bourbon, a bland sweetness, and cardboard. Yech. This is not a strong showing of a beer. It is one-dimensional and simple. To my credit, nearly everyone else at the tasting felt the same way. Finally! Validation!

O: As noted in my comments below, I haven't been a fan of this beer from the 2009 vintage onward. But this one was especially off. I like barrel-aged barleywines, but something about this beer doesn't click with me. I turned down an offer from ramnuts to get the 2011s for me, and I'll do the same in the future. It's just not my beer. More for others...

~~~

2009 vintage. A big thanks to Frank (ramnuts) for trucking these down to my house!

A: Pours a very dark honey / amber body in the glass. Develops a decent light beige head with the pour; retention is decent for a barleywine of this ABV. Some lacing down the glass as I sip, but nothing that sticks.

S: This beer REALLY needs to warm up. It produces aromas of bourbon, toffee, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, wood, toasted pecans, and some booze.

T: Like the nose, the beer is best when warm. Toasted pecans, bourbon, and toffee up front. The malts continue into a blend of caramel, and butterscotch, but they also develop rummy dark fruit flavors. Vanilla and chocolate are lightly present. It's surprisingly tannic in the finish, but that doesn't offset the molasses bomb that this beer is turning into. Each time I've had it, it has tasted sweeter and sweeter.

M: Medium bodied, with low carbonation (very creamy). It used to be somewhat hot in the finish, but after about a year it has cooled off. The tannins have been more pronounced each time I've had this beer, and they create an astringency that is distracting.

D: I hate to blaspheme, but I'm not blown away by this beer. I think it's solid but no more. I've had it a handful of times since it came out last year, and each time I am less and less taken with it.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 05:47:01 | More by Arbitrator

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.65/5  rDev -40.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Got this one from Stupac a while back. Cheers man! I had 1oz of this beer a while back and have wanted to try more ever since.

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2011
Aged in bourbon barrels

APPEARANCE: This one pours a one finger, very loose and fizzy, tan colored head that fizzes away immediately. Only a slight ring is left after the quick disappearing act. A transparent rosewood red/brown in color with lower levels of carbonation evident. A faint ring remains until the end but leaves no lacing down the glass. Body is fine, but the fizzy head was pretty unattractive.

SMELL: Boozy nose for sure. Bourbon and hints of oak in there, with some dark fruits, caramel and coconut notes, but I'm reaching a bit. The nose advertises a sweet, bold and boozy ride. More so than others in the style.

TASTE: This is exactly as the nose suggested. Lots of alcohol here, especially after the swallow. Some dark fruits and caramel up front, but quite mild in flavor initially, then the barrel and booze multiplies exponentially after the swallow. Bourbon, oak, raisins, caramel, and light flavors of coconut show up, but the booze is just overpowering. Bold and ligering, spicy alcohol finish just doesn't quit. This is certainly flavorful and complex, but it's hotter than a prick.

PALATE: Medium-thin body with surprisingly high levels of carbonation. Light on the palate, semi-creamy as well, but goes down a bit prickly with a good burn and scratch, finishing mouth-coating. It thickens a bit as it sits, but this is generally too light and abrasive. Layers of heat linger.

OVERALL: This is one step too far in my book. I've had enough of this style to say that this one needs at least 3 years before it'd be remotely approachable for anyone other than the most ardent booze lovers. Simply too boozy, light and harsh to be enjoyable. Glad I was able to drink more than 1oz of this one, as it's shown how increadibly challenging this beer really is. I'll skip this one and choose one of the many others in this style that agree with me more. Thanks again for the trade Stupac.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 19:06:26 | More by Jeffo

craytonic

District of Columbia

2.85/5  rDev -36.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Incredibly disappointed in this one. I reviewed batch #2, perhaps batch #1 was much better.

Appearance: Decent enough, rich, deep mahogany brown with a big head.

Smell: Booze (not really bourbon), oak (more like oak chips in a cheap chardonnay), vanilla, toffee, caramel, and chocolate.

Taste: Train wreck of the flavors mentioned above. Booze intersecting with too much oak and brandy, along with chocolate, toffee, raisins, prunes, butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla. WAY to sweet.

Mouthfeel: medium-to full body, a bit to sticky sweet. Booze is way too hot.

Drinkability: Boozy mess (didn't notice bourbon), too sweet and too much oak. I don't get what I am missing that makes others like this one so.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2010 03:31:54 | More by craytonic

StormKing47

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

A collaboration of efforts to buy a case of these. Bottle shared by petsuphi with cmurren25 and it went a little something like this...

A- A very surprising dark charcoal black color similar to some fine stouts instead of the familiar brownish colors of most barleywines. A nice amount of carb that dissipated an off-white/tannish head into a tiny thin strip of it's former self. A quite odd looking beer in my honest opinion.

S- A pungent smell greets me like a filthy old diaper. Did not pick up the normal smells, but some burnt oak/wood, some touches of bottom shelf bourbon and stale vanilla. It was very undesirable, seriously wanted to pick up more aromas, but they just weren't there at all. Completely let down.

T- I will say the taste does not match the smell at all. Has a pleasant opening of smoked oak/wood with a nice earthiness in the beginning. As it warms though more of the off putting characteristics come back to torture me. Stale vanilla, your grandmother's stale werther's original caramel candies from 1981 and some malty sweetness that is almost not sweet enough. Son of a bitch why did I buy a few of these?

M- Full bodied and thick. From appearance the carb was anticipated, but is really not there no tingle or prickle. A nice warming presence along with coating and a syrupy character. It's semi-viscous, but doesn't stick around like others I've had. A little underwhelmed to be honest.

D- Not really, I had to suffer through too much with this one to ever come back to it. I would think about it, but would probably pass on this one. It's high abv, nasty smell and unpleasant taste kill this one for me. I'm sure a lot of people will like it I'm just not one of them. I would reconsider after putting myself through that one twice.

I have had 2 vintages of this beer and they both were let downs. There are definitely better barrel aged barleywines around. Anyone want one in trade?

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 03:40:12 | More by StormKing47

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.88/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

2009 -The Perfect Storm
A: Poured a deep brown with good carbonation.

S: Nose is bourbon, booze and vanilla.

T: Taste is off because I thought it was poorly carbonated. I did find notes of bourbon, toasted grains, caramel, toffee, dark fruits and booze. This beer was all over the place. Not a subtle barleywine and I have had many barrel aged bwines which were capabale of pulling flavors together much better.

M: Mouthfeel is hot and bourbon but mainly because I did not find much on mouthfeel to help balance it out. There is a sherry like quality to it

O: I struggled and wanted to give it an A but no dice
///
2011-Mother of All Storms ampled 1/8/2012 and 12/1/2012

A: Poured a medium brown with a nice tan cap and some bubbles

S: I get a unique cotton candy nose on this with toffee, brown sugar, bourbon and booze

T: Immediate atringency with brown sugar and toffee, a little bit of residual sugar, bourbon midway with some pungent heat. I managed to pick up some light leather, vanilla and cocoa

M: Medium body but I still feel this beer was carbonated a bit high for the style, seemed a bit thin on the back end, perhaps due to the heat. Booze and a syrupy sweetness on the back end and an odd twang to boot I can best describe as liquid dirt.

O: Originally I gave this a cut above average. I c have changed my mind. After afting the first runs, vintages and fresh I still believe this beer is thin, hot and off balanced. The tannins on this beer just a killer for me. In no way is this a true to style English Bwine and I feel by taste, experience and BJCP standards this is a poor showing.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:39:17 | More by barleywinefiend

illidurit

California

3.25/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle courtesy Joel. Pours a gorgeous shimmering copper color with a fading beige head. Aroma is sharp bourbon, lots of heat here, charred oak, vanilla. This is more bourbony than any barrel-aged beer I've had. Over the top. Flavor is caramel and bourbon, vanilla, leather, and wood. I don't know if I'm drinking beer or if a plane dropped a barrel on my face. Needs a lot of age to gain a modicum of drinkability. Also rather thin from the spirit influence.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 03:27:44 | More by illidurit

bulletrain76

California

3.28/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle brought down by Joel from the pub. Super dark red color with a small beige head. The aroma has a lot of bourbon influence and barrel character, like this spent some quality time on wood. Dark burnt sugars, charred oak, burnt vanilla, caramel, alcohol and old wood. The flavor is very hot with lots of bourbon, dark caramel, bunt fruit and charred wood. The finish is almost pure alcohol and very rich. The mouthfeel is very hot and alcoholic, full, and has a modest amount of prickly carbonation. A very big beer that is not very smooth at this point and could use a lot of time to mellow out. Dark and burnt for a barleywine. They really went for it with maximum barrel extraction, but it looks like its going to take a lot of time to really mellow back out.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 05:19:58 | More by bulletrain76

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Foofaa for sharing this bottle at the Brass Rail last night.

A: The barleywine is a coffee look-alike, dark and brown and opaque. The depth of color makes me think of a stout. Surprisingly, at least to me, there is really no head whatsoever. All that remains, from first pour to last sip, is a miniscule off-white band.

S: The nose has plenty of toffee to go around. The malts are unmistakable, thick and rich. I'd even posit that molasses is sitting there. There really isn't any indication of a barrel.

T: The barleywine is very hot, leaving a burning sensation with each sip. The booze can't hide amongst the excessive malts. Those malts have toffee and molasses, paired with some chocolate, and are heavily roasted. Very thick, I feel like I should be chewing what is in my glass. As in the nose, there really isn't anything that screams barrel, or even barrel-blended.

M: Beware the heat, this baby isn't afraid to drop the booze on you. The maltiness is blindingly thick, drowning out any barrel and any real enjoyment.

D: Number 10 (as of right now)? Really? Give me JW Lee's Harvest Ale or Gratitude any time of this. Too messy, I just can't get into it.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 23:32:38 | More by akorsak

seeswo

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

MOAS (2010) bottle provided by CaseyK at a Madison tasting.

Pours a clear brown with the booze/sugar shimmers and very little head. Smells of oak, booze and vanilla. Another bourbon barrel beer *sigh*. Tastes strongly of booze, complemented with vanilla and a bit of hop bitterness in the finish. This beer is not ready yet. Like a little kid who is freaking out, this beer really needs some time to lay down and chill out. Features a medium bodied, sugary mouthfeel with lower to mid carbonation, which is not unexpected. It is way too boozy, sugary, etc. to call altogether that drinkable. Seriously, this beer was made for the long haul. In the future, I don't think I would touch it until it had a year on it. Then, I am certain my review and experience would be more pleasant. That being said, I think it has tons of potential and was enjoyable as is, despite it being a bit of a mess. Let's call it currently an enjoyable mess.

EDIT: Had an opportunity to try another 2010 bottle in September 2010 it is not aging gracefully. The big, bright excessive bourbon flavor which was both hot, but tasty has lost some of the positive edge to it and instead has gotten more abrasive. Review above adjusted accordingly (-1 for taste).

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 15:06:55 | More by seeswo

jdklks

Nevada

3.38/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a deep dark mahogony with amber hues and very little to no head. Not a great looking barleywine, but a decent looking beer. The smell is fantastic. super complex with vanilla, bourbon, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, and sweet dark fruit.

The taste of this beer was a big disappointment, given the high overall BA rating and the aromas eminating from my glass. There are still the toffee, caramel, bourbon and brown sugar flavors, but none of them blend very well. The alcohol is SUPER-hot, and the barrel aging has not done well for this beer. Again, super-hot alcohol throughout, and a dry, bitter aftertaste that does not compel you to drink more. 3+ years would do wonders for this beer.

The mouthfeel is nice and thick, but there is very little carbonation and it is way too hot all around. I'm glad I split this, because it would have taken me a few hours to finish a bottle by myself.

Give this one at least three years and maybe it will be worthy of its BA rating.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 07:29:14 | More by jdklks

TrueRates

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Rich deep dark mahogany brown with zero head. Some carbonation is seeping through. This beer just looks boozy and mean. Well sh*t. Another over the top bourbon mess in the aroma. Sweet bourbon, molasses, brown sugar, boozy soaked prune and dates. The flavor delivers a tad more. Wow, one boozy beer beer. The alcohol is far from hidden. Starts with a great in depth complex barleywine style and is followed by some bourbon integration, but the finish is just so sweet and hot. My belly is just filled with alcohol. I can see how many people would love this beer, but it's far from being a finessful drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2010 18:08:03 | More by TrueRates

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.51/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2009, waxed when i got it.

poured a deep copper and mahogany. light cream head.

alcohol and some caramel, harsh and rough.

very harsh, somewhat boozy. flavors were near dead and just no where in general. mainly harsh alcohol with a barleywine backbone. this aged terribly.

again, harsh. lots of bite, very moderate carbonation.

do not age this... it was bad.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:18:44 | More by hooliganlife

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle from Belmont Station. Split 2 ways. Snifter. 2012 vintage.

A: Dark brackish brown with tints of red. No head after an aggressive pour.

N: Malt, licorice, caramel, and toffee. Brown sugar. Has an inviting nose. Bourbon, vanilla, coconut, and oak are present, subtly. Biscuity sweetness. Quite nice.

T: Very sweet. Loads of brown sugar, toffee, and licorice. The bourbon goodness of the nose is very muted. There is some oak, but it’s very light. Does become cloying. Wish this matched the nose.

M: Thick and sticky. Coats the palate.

O: Glad this is distributed, because I definitely don’t need more than one and it would've bee a long drive to Pacific City to be nonplussed. Needs a ton more bourbon, otherwise it doesn’t justify the cost increase over the Stormwatcher's Winterfest or even the Wee Heavy. *Sigh* 2009 seems so long ago, though this is better than the 2011/2010 vintages when they were fresh.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 16:00:31 | More by writerLJBerg

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to milwaukeeclassic for the share.

Bomber split three ways. Pours still, with little action and a head that sinks immediately.

Vanilla and 31 flavors Dr. Pepper bourbon, incredibly hot on the nose. What remains of my nostrilical follicles is now destroyed.

Bourbon heat is a meaty punch in the chest. Caramel sweet maltiness and vanilla try to take hold, but are repeatedly beaten down by alcoholic heat. This beer is unrelenting.

Carbonation is non existent, which is stylistically appropriate, but doesn't help the drinkability or the experience. Really, really hot.

A real sipper and not one that I would seek out again. Big props to Duane for the opportunity, but this didn't meet the hype.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 22:50:38 | More by BarrytheBear

Jmoore50

Nevada

3.6/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The bourbon barrel scars this brew with a brownish hue. The barley wine looks like it started off with a great dark golden color, but the bourbon stains the color to make the finish with a hazy brown heart and darker golden edges. Has a bit of white head, but it leaves pretty fast. Alcoholic legs are fairly thick.

The smell has sweet malt sugars and bourbon. Oak, and cherries with vanilla. Oak and bourbon are very strong, giving the overall smell a 'hot' aspect.

The taste has characters of vanilla, cherries and dark fruits, with oak and bourbon. Lots of malt sugars that make it sweet, tastes like this is already aged over a year. The beer and the barrel come together very well, with the barrel being a bit of a larger character. It did not start off for me very ABV strong, but towards the end of the bottle it was a bit rough. I was picking up the oak and bourbon more and more and the balance was starting to fade. Very enjoyable, but maybe aged in oak a bit too long?

The mouthfeel was good, but towards the end started to get very hot. This damaged the drinkability a great deal, and made the last glass full a challenge. Maybe a 8 oz pour into a brandy snifter would be perfect for me. A full 22oz bomber, even shared, was a bit much.

J

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 23:04:52 | More by Jmoore50

jegross2

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the Mother Of All Storms from Pelican Pub & Brewery.
Score: 82

2011 vintage bottle served in a plastic cup and enjoyed the night before Dark Lord Day (04/27/12). Review is from notes.

Appearance: Looks like syrup. 4/5

Smell: Caramel malt, booze, brown sugar, light barley and a hint of cherry. Lots of malt and ample bourbon. 4/5

Taste: Loads of caramel malt flavor and booze. Like a lot of booze. And residual cherry. Maybe a little brown sugar. The flavor of this beer is essentially 90% caramel, 9% booze and 1% cherry flavor. Hot, unbalanced, and super malty. 3.25/5

Mouthfeel: Has the mouthfeel of hot, malty and boozy syrupy. No carbonation, medium-full bodied. 3.5/5

Overall: Too hot, malty and boozy for my taste, but I guess that's what a traditional barleywine is supposed to be like. For me, a few ounces was enough.

Recommendation: Fans of malty barleywines should seek this one out, but let it cool off in the cellar for a while.

Pairings: Fudge brownies.

Cost: $20 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 23:15:45 | More by jegross2

photomike

California

3.65/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to Joel, who brought this to our tasting...this was one I was very excited to try!

Pours a very dark, very clear reddish brown with a tan head that dissipates to nothing.

Smell is of toffee, raisin, prune, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Big, malty, sweet, and very boozy. Nice. This is so barrely.

The taste is equally strong. Very bourbony and boozy. Too much so. Bitter and carmelly with some blueberry-like dark fruits. This beer is so rough around the edges, it is impossible to review it as positively as others have on here. I truly don't understand the fuss over this one, and neither did most of those with whom I shared the bottle (and we didn't even discuss that at the tasting--just now reading their notes). This tastes like a prime candidate for extended aging, but as it stands fresh, it just isn't very drinkable or tasty. Give it 2 or more years and it might turn into something great, but it just isn't right now.

Crazy hot with low-medium carbonation with a medium-full body.

Too hot and too intense to be very drinkable, this one is complex and tasty enough to keep me thirsty for more...to a point.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 07:21:47 | More by photomike

fiver29

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Eric. Thanks! Pours dark amber with off white color. Aroma is oak, booze, and rubbing alcohol. Viscous mouthfeel. Flavor was dark fruit, vanilla, oak, bourbon, and finished with a rubbing alcohol aftertaste. This beer might be too green at this point. It was just hard to sip because of the rubbing alcohol aftertaste. It was tough. Shared originally Sept. 1, 2009.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2009 00:25:56 | More by fiver29

mikeyv35

New York

3.73/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Date: 02/28/2011
Type: 22oz. Bottle
Vintage: 2009 Perfect Storm
Glassware: Portsmouth Tulip

This brew has been in my cellar for 2+ years and am eager to sample it.

Poured dark brown mahoghany in color w/ a skim coat tan head w/ no lacing on the glass. Prototypical BA BW appearance. Aromas of dark roasted chocolate, molasses, dark currants, bourbon, vanilla, and oak. The taste was of warming dark fruits and charred malts, w/ a touch od brown sugar, followed by strong bourbon and vanilla. For me this was still way too boozy even w/ 2+ years of age on it. Medium bodied.

Disappointed majorly by this brew! Very complex in the flavors, but the bourbon barrel aging was simply too much and completely overwhelmed the base beer.

Glad I got a chance to sample, but now really looking forward to sampling the base beer(Stormwatcher's Winterfest).

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 15:31:53 | More by mikeyv35

ChrisPro

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Have had multiple times, but reviewing blind on 12/23/11 as part of a "BA barleywine" tasting. Finished #4 of 6 for me.

A - Medium reddish brown with no head.

S - Maple, cherry and fig with vanilla

T - Very sweet up front, with a bit of bitterness to balance, then a strange, somewhat unenjoyable yeasty finish. I don't remember this from previous bottles, so it sort of threw me off. After a bit of oxygen exposure, I notesed a little tart/sour aftertaste, as well as a touch of soy

M - Sharper carbonation, medium body, a bit of heat and a buttery tartness on cheaks.

O - Pretty good, lots going on, but I worry that this beer is just starting to turn. It's also a bit boozier thatn I would've expected.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 03:32:27 | More by ChrisPro

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2012 vintage. The pour reveals about a finger of head which is light brown in color with a lot of red in it. Body is pretty dark and is also very deep maroon/red. The foam falls quickly to a trace. Aroma is big and sweet. The in-your-face bourbon, raisin, vanilla, and molasses fill your nose quickly. There is a bunch of alcohol burn as well. One sip reveals a lot more bitter chocolate, and dark fruit. Not expecting that. A bunch of molasses and some alcohol. Mouth is quite good with nice carbonation and a very full body. A little syrupy.

I had this right after trying Bligh's and they are completely different. This is not nearly as sweet and has chocolate and bitter/dark fruits. Maybe some time really helps this beer out, but right now I don't think it is the league of exceptional English Barleywines.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 20:37:53 | More by RuckusDu

caskstrength

Minnesota

3.81/5  rDev -15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Downhill last few years. Some astringency, estery, oxidized vibes even with fresh bottles. Doesn't have the crisp bourbon bite with the rich toffee like before. I'm not searching this out anymore.

Kept the old review below, but adjusted things down.

---

09 Perfect Storm.

Dec 11th in MN. Was going to have something else tonight, trapped in the house, but I couldn't resist the symbolism of this one.

Thanks for the trade, ramnuts.

Pour is darker than expected. Deep, dark red brown. Nice carbonation that quickly recedes to the edge.

Smells are just so wonderful. Bourbon smacks you in the face, mingled with dark carmels and alcohol.(good, spicy, warming alcohol) Bourbon is strong in this one.

The bourbon is marvelous on the tongue. Defines the beer. Everything else plays a supporting role. Carmel, some sweet (dark) chocolate, dark fruits and tobacco. Ultimately sweet, but not cloying; balances the sharp boozy feel. (This must have been pretty hot early on.) Feels more than 13.5%.

Mouthfeel is great. This finishes like scotch or whiskey, sharp and tingly on the tongue. I like it. I like it a lot.

Wonderful example of what the barrel offers.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 23:22:44 | More by caskstrength

vacax

California

3.85/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark toffee brown with a paltry sized head with no retention noted. Aromas of brown sugar, cat food, maple, and bourbon booziness dominate. Did I just say cat food? Yes, yes I did and apparently I am the only one to pick up on this but I don't get much enjoyment out of the aroma. The taste loads up on sugary sweets, treacle, toffee, with a maple and earthiness to it, and a big bourbon bite that I enjoy. I do like this, though as far as bourbon barrel barleywines go, this is fairly typical in taste. The thick body and properly light carbonation for the style, are, however, spot on, and this is a nice beer. I would recommend this, however, no more than any other bourbon barleywine I have enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2010 03:32:12 | More by vacax

GRG1313

California

3.85/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2010 bottling.

Black with no head.

Nose is full sweet dark chcolate to sweet espresso with hints of cocoa that quickly goes to malty assertive whiskey and carmel.

Mouthfeel is initially creamy but with a "fizzy" character on the tongue, some of which is a good deal of alcoholic heat and a strong whiskey mouth. Mouthfeel becomes richer and creamier and loses some of the whiskey heat without losing the character and flavors as it warms to room temperature and as it gets more air.

This one, newly released, greatly improves from the air and is likely to become better with at least a little age.

Flavor is rich and creamy and improves with a bit of time in the glass and improves with air. Flavors go from bitter black chocolate and hot whiskey to roasted grains and coffee with an assertive soy flavor.

Air and some time in the glass really improves flavors to rich roasted grains, big black chocolate and coffee that goes to big black licorice nose and flavor profile. Black bitter coffee/espresso goes to an assertive licorice finish as one sips it.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 06:24:33 | More by GRG1313

TheBeerTruck

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage poured into a snifter:

Appearance: - not much head, but a great oil rubbed bronze color.

Smell: Nice scents of figs, rich malt, bourbon, wood, but all over powered a little by a woody raisin bran aroma.

Taste: Diverse! Some many flavors! Bourbon, malt, oak, vanilla, barley, dried candied dry cherries, but damn that raisin bran!

Mouthfeel: For 14% - nice bite, but smoothness that makes it hard to feel that abv. It also reflects far more carbonation than its appearance does.

Overall: This is my first time have MOAS and I wish I had never read any reviews on previous years. It's hard to think this one compares.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:18:42 | More by TheBeerTruck