Arquebus - Cambridge Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
94
exceptional
-
67 Ratings

rAvg: 4.29
pDev: 10.72%
Reviews: 34
Hads: 33

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Cambridge Brewing Company

Massachusetts, United States

Style | ABV
English Barleywine | 10.75% ABV

Availability: Summer. on-tap (32), cask (1), bottle (1).

Notes:
Described by CBC as a Summer Barleywine. "Arquebus" refers to a heavy portable matchlock gun invented during the 15th century, and forerunner of the rifle.

View: Beers (111) | Reviews (189) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by glid02:

glid02

Georgia

3.58/5 rDev -16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the brewpub. I believe the ABV listed on the menu was 14%, perhaps it's a different recipe than in years past.

Pours a clear deep amber color with a cream-colored head that leaves decent lacing.

Smells of sweet caramel malts with large amounts of medium and dark fruits – pears, apricots, and raisins. Also present are mild amounts of oak and vinous aromas.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Strongly sweet caramel malts up front are joined quickly by boozy fruit flavors – pears and raisins with hints of plums. Midway through oak and white grape flavors mellow things out a bit before the sweetness reasserts itself and carries through to a moderately sweet ending. Mouthfeel is good, with smooth carbonation.

Overall I found this beer to be too unbalanced for my liking, with too much emphasis on the sweetness. If this beer were a bit drier I think the barrel would be able to shine more.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2011 03:21:53 | More by glid02

More User Reviews:

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5 rDev +4.9%

04-29-2013 06:12:45 | More by Kelp

ctrevino

Indiana

3.5/5 rDev -18.4%

02-02-2013 22:41:22 | More by ctrevino

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.25/5 rDev -0.9%

01-20-2013 16:15:36 | More by AlexFields

aorloski

Massachusetts

4.25/5 rDev -0.9%

01-10-2013 23:31:30 | More by aorloski

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

4.25/5 rDev -0.9%

01-08-2013 18:52:32 | More by rowingbrewer

KalH

Maine

4.5/5 rDev +4.9%

10-26-2012 10:48:50 | More by KalH

cestlavie

Yukon (Canada)

4.75/5 rDev +10.7%

09-30-2012 22:38:24 | More by cestlavie

BeerBucks

New York

4.25/5 rDev -0.9%

09-22-2012 20:02:47 | More by BeerBucks

brez8791

Pennsylvania

3/5 rDev -30.1%

09-10-2012 20:02:21 | More by brez8791

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.83/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a small teardrop shaped glass at Cambridge Brewing Company.

Arquebus pours a mildly clear orange, with almost a finger of white foam. There's no real lacing or head retention to speak of. The nose has a very strong mint presence along with a little bit each of honey and white wine. The flavor brings a bit of caramel to join a honey note that's more intense than I might have anticipated from the nose. The mint comes in mid palate, and while it's still fairly noticeable, it's not as overbearing as in the aroma. There's a subtly fruity white wine finish. The body is shocking, and very impressive in its lightness for a 14%ABV beer. The beer menu advertised the beer as being served still, but it seemed very lightly carbonated to me. Either way the end result is a mouthfeel that lends itself to the beer being way too drinkable for 14%. Cambridge makes some of the best barleywines around, but I have to say this didn't quite live up to my memory of prior vintages. Still, a very nice brew.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2012 03:55:44 | More by axeman9182

t0rin0

California

3.5/5 rDev -18.4%

09-09-2012 21:57:09 | More by t0rin0

BobCobb

Illinois

4/5 rDev -6.8%

09-08-2012 03:58:28 | More by BobCobb

DelicateDelirium

Massachusetts

4/5 rDev -6.8%

09-04-2012 21:57:31 | More by DelicateDelirium

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 08/18/12 notes. Had this one on tap at the brewpub up in MA. Menu said it was actually 14% ABV; maybe the earlier batches were 10.75%. They serve it as a 6 oz. pour which was the perfect amount of this one.

a - Pours a somewhat clear amber-orange color with a tiny bit of white head and low carbonation evident.

s - Smells of white wine, oak, citrus, grapes, vanilla, and some fruity malts. Tons of white wine here; very nice.

t - Tastes of white wine, vanilla, honey, smooth oak, fruity malts, green grapes, earthy notes, light citrus. More vanilla and some honey here, so SUPER smooth. Little better than the nose.

m - Medium body and no real carbonation. Body is super smooth and easy to drink thanks to the honey and vanilla.

o - Overall a really good beer. A sipper for sure, and I can see the comparisons some people have made to Utopias, as it is definitely a "have only a few ounces of" dessert beer. If you're a white wine fan you should definitely seek it out, and I'd certainly have it again if I saw it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2012 20:19:43 | More by mdfb79