30th Anniversary - Jack & Ken's Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

jampics2

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sierra Nevada is a brewery I take for granted. I really shouldn't, because it's easy to argue that craft movement wouldn't be where it is today without their trailblazing thirty years of producing better beers. But too often I pass by their offerings, either in favor of newer, "hipper" styles or just because I feel like I've explored their products as much as I can. But the 30th anniversary series has brought a revived level of excitement with their offerings, and this "black Barleywine " is perhaps the best beer they've released in years. It's certainly the most unique and cutting edge product I can remember coming out of Chico in recent times.

Removed from the fridge at around 50 degrees, the 750ml bottle's cork seemed stuck. After a small tug of war, it popped with a sound so loud I heard one of the kitties in my basement run down the steps in fear that someone was shooting guns upstairs. Into the snifter it goes; a hoppy aroma already fills the air - more on that later. But this beer is a thing of beauty in the glass. Just exceptional. A black, opaque body with no less than 3 fingers of fluffy tan head that sticks to the glass like it's a lifeline to avoid sinking into the depths of the darkness below. A small red halo on the edges makes this heavenly concoction that much more alluring. Just a perfect looking beer in every way.

Smell is luxurious and deep, but falls just a hair or three short of the best American Barleywines I've had. The hops are prominent and expressive, giving some hints of citrus and pine. No surprise there, but what is unique is the roasted malt that gives off hints of coffee and chocolate in lieu of the caramel and toffee that "non-black" Barleywines offer. I find the combination intriguing but I'm also wondering what makes this so different from the black IPA's or hoppy stout's I've had in the past. A touch of booze finishes the smell. Good but suffering from just a bit of a lack of identity.

The taste proves why this is classified as a Barleywine. It's shocking at first, but then really nice once the first harsh sip conditions my palate to expect an overload of flavor. There's a ton of hops dancing around my mouth, leaving their mark with grapefruit bitterness. If the hops are having a hoe-down, the dance floor is the malty base which is easily solid enough to be trampled upon with such ferocity. There are hints of chocolate and maybe even coffee, and their contribution feels expertly dialed in. This manages to avoid becoming burned or too roasted. Finally, a noticeable boozy kick gives a small sting as this slides down my throat. In a year, this will be brilliant when the hoppiness takes a step back and the alcohol becomes less noticeable. In a few years, this could be legendary. My advice, if you can, is to buy a case (or better yet a keg) and cellar it! For a young Barleywine, this shows so much promise.

Mouthfeel is medium-heavy bodied and the carbonation is creamy. The finish lingers with a mixture of booze and hops, and that keeps it from scoring higher, but there's no stickiness in my mouth, just a touch on my lips. Pretty good, just not quite exceptional.

This big, bad-ass beer is drinkable but the strong flavor and booziness makes it hard to imagine enjoying more than one in a setting, and it certainly makes this more of a sipper to enjoy with friends or over an hour or two. But this is certainly a unique, well-crafted, and wonderful beer. We're three beers into the Anniversary series and each one has been a hit (A- for the Stout, B+ for the Bock). But this beer reignites my passion for Sierra Nevada's products more than I thought possible. I won't be passing by their releases in the future if the passion that went into this beer continues.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 18:26:31 | More by jampics2

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-18-2013 05:45:29 | More by megamass

jkane101

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-18-2013 00:42:38 | More by jkane101

beergoot

Colorado

4.64/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Deep brown body topped with a very thick, creamy, tan-colored head. Roasted grains and cocoa scented smells with hints of vanilla and raisins; a subdued alcohol presence in the background. Taste and feel is rich and warm, infused with dark chocolate and malt flavors; alcohol heat pops up and combines with an intense hop bitterness to create a very nice complement to the malt sweetness. Medium-heavy mouthfeel with a deep smoothness on the tongue.

A great beer that comes across better than the sum of its parts. A powerhouse beer across the board with the malt components taking center stage with outstanding dark malt characteristics and does an excellent job of keeping the high ABV tamed and very approachable. An outstanding offering that, with fingers-crossed, may see the light of day again...!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:05:18 | More by beergoot

Compton25

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -22.1%

05-10-2013 03:31:53 | More by Compton25

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-09-2013 00:08:40 | More by cadaugherty

schaffer9252

New York

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-04-2013 17:31:28 | More by schaffer9252

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -4.1%

04-25-2013 01:50:06 | More by DrinkSlurm

chefduff2

New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

04-21-2013 16:28:23 | More by chefduff2

civicm87

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

04-21-2013 02:35:32 | More by civicm87

jreindl

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

04-20-2013 05:35:30 | More by jreindl

Strix

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured black with brown edges, frothy initial head that sticks around well.

Dark roasty malt, caramel, citrus hops in the nose.

Roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, toffee, melds into a medium-level cascade hop finish. Is this not a Black IPA? Black DIPA? It's got that flavor profile nailed and dialed. Super flavorful, complex, and delicious.

Smooth, fairly full mouthfeel.

Best beer I've had so far this year, hands down. Has aged wonderfully. This was fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 04:50:58 | More by Strix

blackie

Virginia

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

cellared bottle consumed awhile back

a: poured into a tulip glass, el barleywine negro is essentially black in color - some brown hues show in the edges, topped with a persistent, healthy ring of carbonation

s: the nose features deep roasted malts and dark pine needle hops at the forefront, digging a little deeper brings out burnt toffee, dark cocoa dusted espresso, charred earth and wood, and booze marinated tree fruits, like the nose here - assertive and highly aromatic, but the roast and pine are a little dominant for my preference - there's some real complexity in there, but it takes work to find

m: carbonation a lighter moderate, bubbly, with a medium-full body

t: deep flavors of dark roasted barley and strong pine hops with bittersweet chocolate and burnt toffee underneath, powerful pine needle hops with loads of acid pushing through after the swallow - the acid more than balancing - it's dominant, with a searing bitterness and deep charred flavors lingering long

o: an interesting take on the style that's not totally unlike all the black (d)ipa's out there these days, some features of the roast/hop combination I enjoy and some I don't, and it's so assertive as to be problematic to drinkability, but as an early winter slow-sipper, it does just fine

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:05:17 | More by blackie

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours dark as night and thick, with only hints of light getting through the edges. Big, creamy, frothy head forms from the volatile pour out of the corked and caged bottle. Great retention and lacing period, let alone for a beer that's been in the bottle for almost three years.

S- Large booze and hop profile is dominant on the nose. Dark malts are next, with mostly burnt flavors coming through. Booze is strong and persistent throughout.

T- Almost exactly like the scent. Starts with a big bang of hops bitterness paired with burnt malt flavors. Combination gives a taste similar to a black IPA. The hops bitterness returns and dominates with the boozey burn throughout. Really complex with the intermingling of citrusy hops and bitter dark malts.

M- Smooth and creamy with low carbonation. Thick and boozey weight makes it a sipper. Really a warming beer with the alcohol level.

Overall, a very complex beer. Probably mellowed out with the time in the bottle. The alcohol heat is still fairly present, but blends with the other flavors better now. I think this one could be great another year or two in the bottle still.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 02:12:04 | More by boilermakerbrew

mrebeka

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

03-24-2013 15:37:16 | More by mrebeka

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

03-11-2013 21:00:35 | More by DaPan

Prost76

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

03-10-2013 00:07:04 | More by Prost76

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

03-02-2013 18:47:16 | More by AlexFields

leprakhan

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

02-27-2013 09:38:33 | More by leprakhan

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter. Corked and caged. Thanks, Cliff, for sharing.

A: Blackish brown (cola colored) with a tan half finger head that slowly recedes. Great lacing.

S: Big malts, raisins. Smoky, woody.

T: Sweet, smooth, robust. Terrifically malty. Toffee and dark fruits. Cocoa comes through. A fine sipper.

M: Medium to heavy with great carbonation. Thick, chewy. Just lovely.

O: We served this just under room temperature, which brought out all the flavors. The aging brought this one to full taste fruition.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 16:56:03 | More by brewskifan55

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

02-23-2013 15:57:28 | More by Kelp

Screper

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

02-23-2013 15:36:17 | More by Screper

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4/5  rDev -4.1%

02-23-2013 00:51:18 | More by KiMiRaiK

JVan

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

02-19-2013 14:43:26 | More by JVan

Nugganooch

California

4.41/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked & caged bottle – aged approx. 3 years.
Consumed on 02/08/13 – with my Sierra Nevada Leuttich balloon glass (naturally)

A: Pours a dark cola brown body that collects to more of a black walnut once in the glass. Completely opaque and topped with a dense taupe color head that is stubborn as all get out. Succumbs to some large Swiss cheese size holes but never fully recedes leaving thick cakey remnants upon the glass. Quite the looker.

S: Smells of deep rich toffees with fig and sweet plum sauce. A bit of underlying chocolate and molasses round out the nose quite nicely. Getting some light pine and spiced citrus mixed in as well. Pretty nice aromas with a good influence of caramelized dark pit fruit.

T: Taste is just a delicious ensemble of flavors, laden with dark toffees and sugared dates. Almost like a fig pudding or plum jam with some nice roast character in there. Treacle and a good dose of chocolates. A tame nutty bread note meets with a bit of alcohol spice mid way. I get black cherry and grape with some light sherry-like qualities. The hops still have some life to them with a moderate bitterness that brings damp pines and earthy bark like flavors to the brew. There is some fleeting citrus as well with a faint smoky charcoal hit towards the backend. Overall balance is damn fine and oh so smooth. This is surprisingly good.

M: Silky smooth feel with some moderate weight but no substantial chew. In fact, a touch on the thinner side which actually makes this barley wine much more manageable in my opinion . Finishes on the dryer side with a nice frothy consistency with ome light lingering bitterness and a touch of warming alcohol.

D: Drinking fantastic at 3 years. The flavors have melded quite nicely. In fact, I don’t get the sense this one will develop much beyond what it is today. Which is a great balanced brew rich with caramels, dark fruits, and chocolate. Big fan of the Black Barley Wine. The addition of darker roasts to a big burly wine seems to work well here and especially after a few years of mellowing. Would love to see more of this style blender.

Great stuff!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 20:15:27 | More by Nugganooch