Subzero - Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

JamesS

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a great burnished copper to brown with great lacing, though little head. Huge deep sweet malty scent with slight tobacco aromas. Excellent flavor with a thick malt sweetness, nice caramel tones, some toffee and smokiness. Goes down great for a 9.8% brew. Fantastic strong ale.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant And Brewery, 10 West Washington, Indianapolis

02-17-2011 21:33:26 | More by JamesS

DrunkMcDermott

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tasted at RB's Sub Zero Barleywine party. Releases a nice malty smell in the taster, with a trace of foam still clinging. Sips like a syrup, with a pleasant note of fruitiness, oranges mostly. After the 3rd or 4th taster I get a few licorice notes, too. No harsh alcohol as with some "young" barley wines. Only problem is it's in a category where there are some awesome brews, so it suffers only in comparison.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1 W Grand Ave, Chicago

05-05-2004 01:36:24 | More by DrunkMcDermott

silenius

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this at the Chicago Rock Bottom with dinner (meatloaf).

The beer came in a smallish snifter and had a nice thick tan billowy head. The beer is a red tinged brown that is transparent.

The nose on this barley wine is huge. Tremendously floral hops dominate with some sweet smelling toffee, vanilla, and cinnamon in the background. The alcohol is also noticeable at 11.5%.

The taste is a medium thick slipperiness that is all about sweetness and hops. Sweet port-like notes, hops, and sweet malt slide down easily.

For me, one beer this huge is enough for the evening. It is easy to drink one, but more than that and my palate gets too worn out from a huge beer like this. I'll be back for it next week during the Real Ale Fest.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1 W Grand Ave, Chicago

02-28-2004 01:37:59 | More by silenius

drewbage

California

4.7/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled during the AHA Banquet at the Rock Bottom - Chicago

This is the brewer's Bourbon barrel aged Barleywine.

Oh my.. this is a ruby brown beer with a deep haze and virtually no head.

Aroma is spicy with cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Vanilla oak mingles with a slight sour malt edge.

The flavor is pure liquid brown sugar and caramel melting across the tonque. Vanilla oak accentuates the caramel effects of the malt.

Finish is thick and warm with the cutting power of alcohol running through to the finish and your throat.

Outstanding!

Serving type: on-tap
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1 W Grand Ave, Chicago

06-26-2003 01:16:15 | More by drewbage