Old Conundrum - Heaven Hill Rye Barrel-Aged
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

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From:
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
11%
Score:
89
Avg:
4.03 | pDev: 12.66%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
19
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 07, 2015
Added:
Dec 09, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by westcoastbeerlvr:
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Rated by westcoastbeerlvr from California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

Jan 09, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by Gobzilla from California

Mar 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GraduatedCashew from California

Aug 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by CRJMellor from Arkansas

Jul 09, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by yourefragile from District of Columbia

Jan 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by gueuzegossage from California

Jun 16, 2012
Photo of cpetrone84
Reviewed by cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
pour is a rustic orange with a tight tan head. The nose has the overly sweet note I get often from brandy aged beers. Almost like a sweet magic marker but I don't believe it to be acetone. Light chocolate notes and sweet muddled malts. Cherry and berry notes in back add some pleasantry. The taste is similar but the marker isn't really present. Still a touch sweet brandy on a sweet beer with berries and light chocolate undertones. The body is very drinkable, full but not heavy and a nice Assertivve carb. There is some alcohol heat in the finish but not overwhelming by any stretch. Not horrible but overly sweet and brandy isn't my favorite barrel aging apparatus as I find it makes the beer cloying.
Apr 10, 2012
 
Rated: 4.75 by PaulStoneAnchor from California

Mar 16, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by furthurgone from California

Jan 05, 2012
Photo of HopHead84
Reviewed by HopHead84 from California

4.32/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12/9/2011

On tap at FiftyFifty. I was bummed to miss the party last night and even more disappointed that I missed the Iced Eclipse, but when I sat down at the FiftyFifty bar in Truckee, California, and learned that Old Conundrum - Heaven Hill Rye was on tap, all my sorrows disappeared into the mists of Truckee.

A: Dark brown with a crimson hue and a small, fleeting beige bubbly head.

S: Dark toffee with nutty and earthy notes. Caramel is evident, and I detect notes of date and fig. There's a pronounced brown sugar sweetness melding with robust rye whiskey notes. Vanilla is faint and there's just a little booze in the nose. The aroma reminds me a bit of Alpine's Great.

T: I'm greeted by an upper low bitterness that accompanies earth, a light spiciness, and a little alcohol. Whiskey is forceful yet not artless or overpowering, and the barrel imparts wood and light vanilla notes. Dark toffee meets brown sugar and nutty notes. There's light oxidation in the whiskey toffee finish.

M: Upper medium body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is silky and sticky, with lots of alcohol warming.

Overall: A fine barrel aged barleywine. I'd love to have this again. Truckee, you and I shall meet again.
Dec 15, 2011
 
Rated: 3 by leschkie from California

Dec 14, 2011
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Reviewed by dsgolovin from California

4.32/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a light amber with little head.

Smelled of sweet malt and distilled spirits.

Taste was well balanced between barrel and malts and sugar.

Light mouthfeel, not much carbonation.

My first beer at the 50/50 Eclipse release and quite a good one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not too boozy, not too sweet.
Dec 13, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by rudeboy916 from California

Dec 12, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by KevSal from California

Dec 12, 2011
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

3.48/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Eclipse release party 2011. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a cloudy dark honey-iced tea color with a wispy, thin, off-white head.
S: Caramel, toffee, light booze and a touch of spicy barrel. Warm and inviting but not great.
T: I get rye, booze, caramel and a touch of tobacco. Sweet and spicy overall with vanilla and honey coming through in the aftertaste.
M: Frothy carbonation, decent amount of booze, medium-thick body, and a tingly mouthfeel.
O: A bit one dimensional and disappointing. I did not need a second pour of this one.
Dec 12, 2011
 
Rated: 3 by ipa247 from California

Dec 10, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by jh1982 from Nevada

Dec 09, 2011
Photo of largadeer
Reviewed by largadeer from California

4.35/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Draft at FiftyFifty. Hazy amber body with a tall lasting head that leaves behind webs of lacing. Mellow rye whiskey aroma. Heavy on caramel, nuttiness, sherry-like oxidation. Palate had a good mix of rich caramel malt, oxidation and barrel. Nutty, spicy flavors lend depth. Some nice earthiness, dry in the finish. I love a good barrel aged barleywine, and this one delivers.
Dec 09, 2011
Old Conundrum - Heaven Hill Rye Barrel-Aged from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 19 ratings