Barrel Aged Naked Evil - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A bottle shared with some friends.

A brown colored Barleywine with a mix between dark bronze, and deep amber. There is a off white head on top so that's a plus in this barrel aged beer. A nice sheet of lacing on the way down. The smell is bold and the barrel aging while big, does not distract from the other scents. There is the base beer with all those malts and things, plus some whiskey/bourbon scent along with a plethora of fruits. This is a fruity big ass barleywine. A candi scent from the Belgian yeast. A big basket of fruits. Plums, pears, apricots, and others mashed in as well. English and Belgian yeast varieties. Malts with some bread. Bourbon is on the light end but I can still taste it distinctly. There is some alcohol in this 11 percenter. A very smooth ride with some slight heat in the finish. I gotta say this does have a fruity aftertaste, unlike any barleywine that i've had. Could it be the barrel's, could it be this batch, could it be me, I don't know. It's sweet, but not a cloying mess. above medium in feel and a good amount of carb going for it. I myself would go for a 12ozer if they made it available.. A lot of alcohol and a big fruit base makes for a weird BA'ed beer that's top notch.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 11:09:28 | More by onix1agr

sweemzander

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bottle poured into a snifter. 2010 (white cap). Thanks for sharing Matt!

(A)- Pours a slightly hazed reddish amber color. Some minimal tan froth & lacing.

(S)- A really nice rich fig, toffee, and caramel sweetness. Really nice, almost creamy bourbon oak on the finish.

(T)- Really lovely blended sweetness and richness at the same time. Very sherry/tawny port -like with a subtle spicy fig oak with luscious fruit/caramel at the end.

(M)- A mellow but smooth as hell carbonation level, balance, and feel. So very rich, but what makes this really shine is while it is sweet, it is restrained and balanced superbly with the excellent dry oak nuances. Mouthfeel is just spot on.

(O)- Overall, just an excellent barleywine. Rich and smooth with an absolute dynamite balance and feel to it. It is clear this beer shines with the near 2 years of age this has on it. Never had fresh, but seeing it like this is clear that I would sit on fresh bottles considering what this was showing like after 2 years. Just excellent.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 21:39:17 | More by sweemzander

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 11/10/12

Cheers to Goblinmukey7 for sharing this beer

Appearance: Deep copper, a red orange in the light - Small, off-white head - fades quickly to a minimal cap, small ring, leaves some streaks of lacing

Smell: Rich malts, yet also light and sweet - chewy caramel and tons of toffee - sweet and lightly sugary, yet not as absurdly sweet as Hoppin' Frog's Sweet Evil - some fruits, fruity esters from the yeast - wood and whiskey barrels - some booze in the background

Taste: Sweet, boozy, yet almost balanced - malt extract, caramel malts, caramelized sugar, molasses, and lots of toffee - light fruits, light bananas and apples - lots of yeasty esters - whiskey and wood - sweet, reminiscent of a raw sugar packet, but not in a gross way

Mouthfeel: Borderline full body, somewhat slick and sticky, minimal carbonation, but it works

Overall: Naked times are good times

For an English Barleywine, this is good. On the sweet side, but it's dramatically more pleasant than Sweet Evil. It's a good sipper, but it's arguable whether it's worth the intense price point.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 07:22:32 | More by angrybabboon

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Clear red-hued caramel with some.light browns. No head. Tiny, miniscule white collar. No carbonation. Very still.

Smell: Caramel sweetness. Biscuity, breast, and sweet without being over the top. Mild hints of oak and vanilla smooth out the edges. Almost toffee sweetness in the back. Bread crust and sugary sweetness. Layers of cooked malts. Vaguely toasted. Caramel and English toffee. Some lingering spiciness.

Taste: Mellow whiskey sweetness. Some vanilla and oak. Layers of cooked malt sugars. English toffee, caramel, and raw.sugar, all minor. Some nice toasted elements. Sharp bite of alcohol. As the beer warms the sweetness kicks up. Bigger pushes of toffee and even some.brittle. Lots of cooked, overcooked malts. Layers of sweetness. Nice touch of bourbon on the back. Very much reminds me of candy.

Mouthfeel: No carbonation on a smooth medium body. Some pushes toward full but it never reaches it.

Overall: Frog? Frog? Frooogggg!

Naked Evil is a far better codename than Sweet Evil. The depth missing from the base is present in this version. Loaded with depth, but ultimately too sweet. Better.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 07:10:16 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Auracom

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 2 bottle from MSCM. 8 oz. poured into a CBS snifter on November 2nd, 2012.

A - Very similar to Sucaba, but with less head. Clear, thin, medium mahogany coloring (like a deep bourbon). Virtually no head, but big alcohol legs.

S - Plentiful vanilla, caramel, lightly charred oak, spiced dark fruits. Not nearly as bready as I may have assumed, and I can't pull much of whatever Belgian quality is supposedly in here.

T Initial sweetness, mostly toffee. Aha, now that yeast strain shows up. Light cherry, blend with a bit of roasted almonds. Candied sugary sweetness continues through mid palate. Backend morphs into more oak barrel, with bourbon showing up a bit in there.

M - Medium bodied. Semi dry finish, with a bitter roasted aftertaste. Slight heat, barely noticeable given 11.3%.

T - Balance isn't bad considering the Belgian off twist, but it is maybe a tad overly-sweet if I really must be nitpicky. The bourbon barrel is beyond accessible, and its semi-sweetness is somewhat offset by a nicely dry finish. Not mesmerizing, but well done. Wouldn't mind sitting another bottle in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 17:23:13 | More by Auracom

Wardo

Illinois

2.03/5  rDev -52.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Been a "lurker" on this site for many years, never posted, but had to put this out there because this one isn't making sense. How does this beer rate Exceptional??

This beer is just so sweet, annoyingly cloying, and lacking of any barrel/bourbon characteristics that I just don't get where the high reviews are coming from.

I read the rules for posting, and I am supposed to post some positives. So here goes...a good afterdinner coridal beer, if you will. Small servings with a sweet desert would be very nice (the ladies will even like it, just don't tell them its a beer), age will do nothing but help this beer, will take care of "sweet tooth" fix, high ABV. Got me to post after years lurking on the site!!

I've got 5 more of these overpriced badboys in my cellar, hopefully, hopefully, after 2-3 years drinknig an entire beer will be a palatable experience. As it stands now, this one is tough to finish between two experienced drinkers with cellars of good beer. Half way through it, you just ask yourself "why am i doing this when we have all this other beer we could drink?".

As a barrel age barleywine drinker (my favorite style), i wouldn't take 10 of these for a King Henry, Abaucus/Sucaba, Kuhnhenns, Central Waters, etc... (all personal favorites, and sitting in my cellar). For the price, take your money elsewhere!

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:43:37 | More by Wardo

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.85/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass from a 22oz bottle.
Batch # 1 (White Cap)

Pours a very nice slightly hazy dark amber with some nice ruby red hues. There is a nice 0.5 inch head that forms with some dense bubbles and some medium sized ones. The head recedes down to a nice ring around the glass. (4.0)

Aroma starts with some ripe dark fruit notes. Very delicious. There is some red grape skin notes and some nice date notes. Fresh fruit sweetness is present mixed in with some more whiskey sweetness, with notes of vanilla and some molasses. There is some fresh oaky notes that underlain the whiskeys and fruit sweetness. There are some yeasty esters present int the nose that work very ell with the vanilla notes from the whiskey and the slight spicy oak notes. Very delicious and complex aroma. There is also some slight butterscotch notes mixed in with some nice boozy heat. (4.5)

Flavor is impressive!! Wow. Delicious rich ripe sweet dates and figs. Pure molasses and caramel notes envelope some nice oaky and vanilla notes. The dark fruit sweetness is amazing and rich. the middle of the beer highlights the barrel very well. Tons of molasses, toffee and caramel. Nice vanilla notes and some good whiskey sweetness. I can even perceive some coconut sweetness and even some banana (Belgian yeast) in there. Very good and well balanced. Not cloying at all. The mouthfeel is perfect also. Rich, oily and velvety. It coats every inch of my mouth and lingers for a bit. There is a nice slightly boozy finish. (5.0)(5.0)

Overall, this brew is amazing. Delicious barrel aged notes and delicious Barleywine notes mixed in with some nice slightly spicy yeast notes. The sweetness is perfect and not cloying. This rivals King Henry IMHO. (5.0)

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:25:56 | More by JoEBoBpr

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle--2012 vintage Batch 2. Poured from the bottle into a snifter.

Pours amber with deep ruby red accents capped with a one finger light beige head which dissipates very quickly, however leaves a bit of lacing. Deep rich aroma of oak, vanilla, booze, dark fruit, and toffee. Opens with a burst of plum, black cherry, fig, and rich accents of date, joined by vanilla and caramel. Finishes with toffee, booziness, and just a hint of whiskey. Full bodied with a syrupy mouthfeel that coats the inside of the mouth and low to moderate carbonation. This brew is amazingly complex. It certainly trends on the sweet side, but it never reaches the point of being cloying. A sipper that is worthy of being savored on cold evenings.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 04:32:11 | More by chanokokoro

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.88/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Brian for this bottle! Poured in to tulip.

A - Medium copper colour; translucent. A thin layer of dirty white head formed and receded to a nice ring around the glass.

S - Sweet whiskey and oak aromas up front that give way to vanilla, dark caramel, toffee and raisin notes. Not specifically getting the Belgian yeast in the nose. A great nose!

T - A big whiskey and oak profile up front with some lighter vanilla notes present from the barrel aging. The base beer adds rich caramel and toffee, spice and hints of raisin, plum and Belgian yeast. There is some warming alcohol that perfectly cuts through the sweetness and makes this a superbly balanced beer. Incredibly smooth for the ABV and considering the style.

M - Full body. Thick and chewy. Light carbonation.

O - One of the best barrel aged barleywines I have had. This was remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 13:14:37 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Vonerichs

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange copper body with a thin head.

Whiskey notes of oak and vanilla with a strong brown sugar sweetness. The Belgian yeast adds a nice aroma.

The whiskey in the flavor is mellow and enjoyable. There's not much heat. It is a little too sweet for my liking.

Mouthfeel is thick and almost syrupy, though the carbonation does cut it.

Over, a solid BA barley wine.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:28:30 | More by Vonerichs

ArrogantB

Colorado

2.25/5  rDev -47.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

So I pretty much confirmed my own stupidity by buying this beer. I told myself not to buy it last year because I know Hopping Frog beers are overpriced for the quality. After reading reviews and hearing the hype I wrestled with the $22 price tag before succumbing to my foolish nature. Ugh. Dark ruby red with absolutely no head, though it was not flat. Aroma of vanilla and whiskey, hint of fruit. The flavor was such a disgusting amount of sugar, cloying, no hints of whiskey, barrel, barleywine. This beer really sucks unless you like overpriced sugary pieces of shit. This is the absolute last bottle of Hopping Frog I will ever taste, pathetic.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 04:35:23 | More by ArrogantB

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a tulip; black cap

Thanks to Keanlacrosse for the share

The body is a ruby infused amber color, with a light beige cap. Some good sized sip marks on the glass. The nose is really sweet. Loads of candied sugar, cherries, plums, oak, bourbon, vanilla, sticky toffee, and soft leather. We had this at ambient room temp at the time of serving, so all of the flavors were pretty bold by this point. On the palate, fresh, vinous fruit were omnipresent, with the barrel aging notes playing a secondary role. Candied sugar, sticky toffee, and some leather notes poked their way through here and there. Full body, syrupy, but yet more on the smooth/creamy side than the thick/chewy side. Loads of flavor that took me aback initially. Very sweet all the way through. Some more prominent oak could go a long way in cutting through the sweetness. Overall though, this is a nice beer, just cloyingly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 14:39:54 | More by ColForbinBC

WankelEngine

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a pure and translucent ruby amber color. There is a foamy tan head of one finger that disappears fairly quickly.

S: Sweet malt aromas leap out of the glass. Huge dark fruit presence; fig, raisin, black cherry. Burnt brown sugar and toffee. Very sweet overall, with some coconut to complement the sugary malt. I pick up only mild oak notes along with some alcohol presence.

T: An incredibly sweet beer. Brown sugar, toffee, caramel, vanilla and butter scotch. Some fruits but less than the nose; just some raisin and perhaps dates. The barrel aging is somewhat more apparent than I picked up from the aroma, with a good bit of oak and a touch of smoke. Some subtle bourbon notes complement a mild alcohol heat, which just manages to cut through the sugar and makes it a little more palatable to drink.

M: Thick and syrupy, but not in a bad way. Leaves my lips feeling sticky with sugar. Not much carbonation and alcohol heat is pleasant.

O: A pretty good beer, but a little too sweet. I'm hoping a year or two in the cellar will calm this one down a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 06:34:17 | More by WankelEngine

robboyd

Indiana

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Been looking forward to this one. Cracked it because the Bears were losing to the Packers. Appearance is a deep amber, almost red. No head to speak of. Smells wonderful, banana peal, cognac, port wine, sweet malt. The taste is outstanding for the style. I'm not a huge BW fan but this is great. The wood notes are there but subtle. I do get a small amount of banana and vanilla. Reminds me of bananas foster, honestly, the flavors of brandy, banana, and caramel are all there to me. It's slightly boozy but the sweetness compliments it well. Mouthfeel is heavy but it is drinkable. I didn't think I'd be able to finish the bottle solo after my first couple swigs but I'm down to the last 3-4 ounces and it's still drinking fine. My favorite barley wine to date.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 03:30:20 | More by robboyd

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

White cap into Duvel tulip.

A - It gets up to about a finger of head. Foam is average light beige. The body is a deep amber that one would look for in a beer. Maybe some orange in the color as well. Light lacing.

S - Starts off a little plain, but then comes on strong with bourbon, vanilla, and candied sugar. Extremely sweet, only the slightest alcohol. Only the slightest vegital notes that seem way up high.

T - Still very sweet - maybe a bit too much. Wonderful bourbon and vanilla. There is the slightest hint of sourness, but it adds to the complexity and is really wonderful.

M - It leaves the tongue very nicely and feels good. Some butteriness, good carbonation and body is fairly thick. A little alcohol burn on the way down.

O - It's in my wheelhouse, but just a bit too sweet. The sourness helps nicely with this though.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 20:52:06 | More by RuckusDu

waltonc

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a fairly light amber color without much head. Smells like bourbon, vanilla, toffee, and a shitload of alcohol. Taste is far from nuanced or subtle. My mou is blasted with hot alcohol, way too much sugar, and some bourbon, vanilla and toffee. If King Henry represents the ultimate in big, yet smooth, refined and complex BA barleywines, I put this at the opposite end of the spectrum. Just a slap over the head with a bourbon-soaked plank of sugar cane. I also get a note of Dimetapp (or is it robitussIn?). Body is nice for the style - fairly thick and decent carbonation. Overall, I am disappointed by is beer. Super expensive for the quality. Not recommended for those who demand a lot from an expensive BA barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 03:13:38 | More by waltonc

davey101

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber into a tulip glass at cellar temperature. Batch 2 - Black Cap.

A - Pours a clear burnt amber/light red body. Fluffy light khaki head forms and settles down to a thin cap. Excellent lacing and retention on the sides of the glass.

S - Chewy toffee, burnt caramel, candied figs and plums, vanilla and light coconut. Almost comes off like a coconut strong sunscreen...but in a pleasant way. Very sweet and intense aroma with a noticeable alcohol warmth and a faint oak bourbon barrel presence.

T - Sweet caramel and toffee, candied figs and raisins, coconut, vanilla, and light oak on the finish. Boozy warmth with zero burn or alcohol flavor. Just super sweet bourbon soaked fig goodness with that english style BW toffee bite.

M - Medium bodied, syrupy and coating. High level of carbonation makes it very drinkable.

O - A bit of a different beer than Abacus and King Henry. This one takes the sweetness up a notch, almost on the verge of cloying. The whiskey notes are barely noticeable actually, just some faint oak tannins and boozy warmth. Love the coconut element. This beer just falls short of greatness.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 01:51:01 | More by davey101

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into tulip - batch 1 (sorry, i forget who sent this but thank you)

Pours a hazed burnt copper and golden color with a thin white head bubbling on top. Dissolves into a cloud of slick retention with a collar leaving spots of lacing behind.

Plenty of barrel character in the nose - oak, leather, vanilla, bourbon and sweetness. Warm and rich with caramel, burnt sugar and toasted bread. Soft hops with a boozy kick to the senses.

Warm and sweet up front with caramel, brown sugar and bourbon. Light hop presence, definitely faded with age, but a piny kick still persists. Bread crust, honey and burnt sugar with a notion of Belgian yeast. The soft funkiness from the yeast disspiates within the oak, vanilla and leather. Boozy and warm in the finish with a smooth sweetness.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, creamy and full on the tongue with a lingering stickiness. I really enjoyed the integration of English barleywine, Belgian yeast and bourbon barrel - a unique beer that blends a number elements. I'd definitely like more of this, but at the $25-30 tag, I don't know if I'll buy another.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 00:39:24 | More by xnicknj

Psychmusic

Rhode Island

3.08/5  rDev -28%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Saw this in my favorite bottle shop and couldn't stop myself from buying it despite the $25 price tag. I'm a big barleywine fan, and this is one I've desperately wanted to try for a while.

A: Nice hazelnut/orangish color. No head to speak of, even the small amount of fizz around the sides of the glass quickly dissipated.

S: Caramel, coconut, marshmallow and some dried fruit smell. Everything in the nose should've been a warning for how sweet this would be. Some alcohol as would be expected given the ABV.

T: Sickeningly sweet. Overwhelmingly sweet. I had planned on splitting this bottle two ways but after a few sips realized how unreasonable that would be. Felt nauseous from how sweet it was after 4-5 oz.

There is some complexity here. Coconut and butterscotch are apparent. It's just so hard to concentrate on subtleties of flavor when there's such a sweet smack in the head right off the bat.

M: Thick and syrupy. The edges of my glass were so sticky you'd think I was drinking maple syrup. The mouth feel is not good, but not absolutely terrible. Very small sips aren't entirely unpleasant.

O: This is a huge disappointment to me. I wanted to love this beer, and I certainly paid more money for it than I'm comfortable with. I think this could benefit from some more nuanced blending. There was literally no bitterness at all, and I thought that was a serious flaw. There are definitely much better BA Barleywines out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 21:23:55 | More by Psychmusic

cfrances33

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch 2 bottle enjoyed on 8/18/12, served in a Hoppin Frog tulip.

Pour: Clear amber with a small off white head. No lacing, but this beer has serious legs.

Smell: Bourbon, caramel, raisons, fig newtons.

Taste: Chewy fig newtons (im not even kidding). Boozy caramel sweetness. Some raisons. Really, really sweet, erring on the side of too sweet even. Better as it warmed.

Mouthfeel: Pretty easy going down. Super sticky. Not much alcohol presence, but definitely a little. Sweetness is painfully cloying.

Overall: I liked this, but was a little disappointed. For the price, and the taste, I will always prefer Sucaba. This was just WAY too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 01:06:44 | More by cfrances33

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle opened on 8.17.12.

A - Pours a medium carmel brown with a one inch light cream foamy head with good retention.

S - Lots of carmel and dark fruit, the some mild booze and wood.

T - Very sweet carmel, whiskey, oak, ripe fruit and vanilla.

D - Good carbonation, phew! Lighter body, maybe on the thin side.

O - Sweet carmel, toffee, dark fruit, slight booze finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 06:30:42 | More by HuskyinPDX

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer is orange / copper hued with a small, white head. The aroma brings malt, booze, citrus. The flavor is bold, wth a huge malt presence. Slightly sweet, with a touch of tangy citrus. A bit of sweet toffee and butterscotch as well. Medium bodied. Overall, pretty tasty, albeit best in small doses. On the verge of being awesome.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 02:12:55 | More by Huhzubendah

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I couldn’t believe it when I found this at a bottle shop; I had no idea this one was even being released this time of the year, and never even expected to see a bottle when it finally was. Needless to say, I’m happy to have a bottle.

A: Lovely burnt orange body with a smooth tan head that never gets to anything more than a thin film of smooth fizz. Sandy lacing ends up forming spots all around the glass. Looks thick.

S: A nose that’s intense and layered, with an emphasis on dark sugar: mild fig, date, raisin and a sugary jam-like scent are all evident, mixed in with the core scents of brown sugar and rich cinnamon butter. Lots of big bread aromas – mainly dark toast and rye crust – set a thick foundation with oak barrel undertones. And right on top is a bold whiskey tone, just a layer of powerful, peppery, brandy-like booze. Incredibly intriguing, and satisfying as hell.

T: When you sip a big beer, sometimes there’s moments where the palate falters and it sort of plateaus – this isn’t one of them. A smoothing sugariness of honey, molasses, maple, and rich caramel comes first; these malts run deep. Smooth and sweet, there’s oak-heavy bourbon, prune, date, and raisin up front, with sugarplum, vanilla, and bubblegum in the not-so-distant background. Some Belgian esters are there, though mild and fleeting, giving it a light, vinous character at times. This palate isn’t cloying at all, but its sweetness is dense and complex. Finishes with a weightless marshmallow taste; mild-to-moderate aftertaste, which is staggering for a beer with this kind of gravity.

M: A bit of heat, a bit of thickness; you really couldn’t ask for anything more. It’s never too full to handle, but has a very solid body to it.

O: This reminds me a lot of Curmudgeon’s Better Half from Founders, just much, much more drinkable and satisfying. Funny thing is, though, it’s a totally different style – this barleywine is malty and boozy enough to pass as an old ale. Bold, but not too big, and with loads of intricate taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 04:20:26 | More by BarryMFBurton

tut2528

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pour a brownish orange with ruby tints, almost no head formation, no lacing, minimal carbonation.

S: a sweet mess. I get huge, banana bread notes with some bourbon and vanilla. Not really much going on other than previously mentioned.

T: big ass sweet toffee and bourbon dominate the palate. Secondary notes include a caramel/maple, slight burnt sugar, vanilla, Belgian yeast, some banana bread notes, alcohol and again I get some bubble gum. Quite complex, but don’t find the brew all that balanced. But still enjoyable.

M: very full bodied, leaves a burnt sugar film along the front of the teeth… its like syrup

O: this is a decent brew but there is simply no comparison to some of the more hyped up barleywines like KH, Sucaba and DDBA. I find this more more along the lines of Avery Samael’s (big brew, very sweet). A bomber is a massive amount to put down, so I definitely recommend sharing this one. If you like big sweet beers, then this one will be enjoyable, I personally wish that sweetness was turned down a notch. But as the brew warms, it definitely gets more enjoyable as more flavors start to make their presence known.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 15:03:41 | More by tut2528

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a 8 oz snifter.

A- pours a dark copper with nearly no head except a thin tan ring around the glass.

S- big fruity esters from the Belgian yeast. Some bourbon, oak and vanilla.

T- sweet caramel and dark fruits, prunes, bourbon, and some oak.

M- medium body and low carbonation. Syrupy and slick feel.

O- very tasty Barleywine. Only had a few ounces of last years batch and really enjoyed it but not familiar enough to compare. The Belgian yeast gives it a nice fruity character.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 01:42:38 | More by kawilliams81