Hellshire I - Oakshire Brewing

jrallen34

Illinois

2.88/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

HUGE thanks to Nate for this... medium brown with light tan head, not much to looking at... nose is typical ba bw, mostly malty, caramel with lots of bourbon on the finish... the taste just really isn’t that good, TONS of oak, alcohol, bitter chemical finish, just really not that good... I probably wouldn’t have this again unless its free, don’t give up much for this at all

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 15:15:31 | More by jrallen34

DJButters

California

4/5  rDev +18.7%

05-22-2013 03:16:30 | More by DJButters

mdaschaf

Washington

3/5  rDev -11%

04-28-2013 23:33:49 | More by mdaschaf

meatyard

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +3.9%

04-01-2013 13:06:20 | More by meatyard

Gonzoillini

Illinois

3/5  rDev -11%

02-09-2013 03:10:10 | More by Gonzoillini

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev +18.7%

01-27-2013 05:12:58 | More by Gobzilla

IpeeA

Missouri

2.75/5  rDev -18.4%

01-21-2013 03:35:22 | More by IpeeA

westcoastbeerlvr

California

2/5  rDev -40.7%

01-09-2013 00:43:14 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

teddyarrowhead

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev +11.3%

12-16-2012 05:11:49 | More by teddyarrowhead

t0rin0

California

2.75/5  rDev -18.4%

12-03-2012 03:22:59 | More by t0rin0

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle poured into tulip

Pours a lightly hazed brilliant copper gold color with a thin layering of beige head. Retains with a cloud of film and some spotty lacing.

Bitter pine hops in the nose with oaky vanilla and bourbon. Some oxidized notes with heavy booze warmth. Bread crust, caramel and burnt sugar.

Despite the age, piny hops still persist with sticky resin and bitterness. Charred oak, oxidation, slick vanilla and bourbon. Warm and sweet with bread crust and caramel. Thick malt backbone with some slight metallic notes and some roasted undertones. Finishes bitter, boozy and slightly harsh.

Fuller body, decent carbonation, dry, chewy and lingering on the tongue. This isn't quite as off as some people made it out to be, but this is definitely not a top-tier barleywine by any stretch of the imagination.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 01:00:06 | More by xnicknj

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

pour is a murky dirty copper brown with a tight beige head and fair amount of lace. The nose is actually a rough, notes of bourbon and some cardboard. Rather malty, chocolate and toffee and some stale hop, very messy. Taste is heavy malt, roast and chocolate, notes of bourbon but light. Almost no heat, very little balance. Full bodied, a touch chalky, light carbonation. The malts are overpowering and unpleasant.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 13:56:28 | More by cpetrone84

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - maybe a finger of light tan head. Some yellow in it. Body is a dark amber with some clarity. Light lacing.

S - sweet barleywine deliciousness. Caramel, licorice, and only slight bitterness. Beautifly done. Some alcohol on the nose.

T - a lot more hop flavors but really a nice cross between American and English. Good vanilla, bourbon, and caramel. Well done.

M - A nicely carbonated beer with medium body. Does not distract.

O - A much better beer than the ranking. Nice and sweet with balance from the hops. A great beer where the bourbon is there but doesn't dominate.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 20:00:11 | More by RuckusDu

lurpy1

Minnesota

2.33/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Sample at a tasting. Take with a grain of salt because it was such a 4 oz pour only, but based on findings, no way I would have been compelled to drink a pint.

Screw how the beer looks, the big failing were the metallic notes. Barrel is present, obvious, and yummy, but in the nose and on the tongue, the barrel is battered by a fork-in-the-mouth sensation. Oxidized, distracting, hard to get rid of. Mouthfeel is fine, heck, better than fine maybe, but the long-lasting metal aftertaste runs interference there as well.

Waste of good bourbon.Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 14:22:17 | More by lurpy1

vkv822

Oregon

2.58/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22oz : snifter

Clear amber red, with medium-thin foamy off white head.

Quite boozy, oaky, vanilla bourbon.

Again, lots of boozy, bourbon.

Medium body, low, fizzy carbonation.

While fairly one-dimensional and forgetful for the style, I didn't pick up any unpleasant characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 08:30:21 | More by vkv822

Sean9689

Illinois

2.38/5  rDev -29.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle at Alex's Birthday Bash @ Pipeworks.

A - Pours a reddish/brown color, off-white head.

S - Weird vegetal notes, oxidization or some sort, booze, light dark fruity sweetness. Just smells "odd".

T - Harsh booze, super-oak'd, vegetal notes...tastes old and oxidized. Not your average taste for a BA barleywine, that's for sure.

M - Medium body, good carbonation, harsh dry finish.

O - Not a really good beer, at all. Was hoping for more from the creator of Wooden Hell, but this is about as far as you can get from that.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 15:45:36 | More by Sean9689

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +11.3%

06-06-2012 02:04:38 | More by JAHMUR

sweemzander

Illinois

2.28/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz. bottle poured into a snifter. Thanks to Jason for the bottle!

(A)- Pours a murky reddish caramel color. Some white bubbles.

(S)- Booze soaked raisin and caramel with a strange cardboard bit in there.

(T)- Similar to the smell. Some booze soaked caramel with a strange cardboard thing.

(M)- A good carbonation level. The balance is ok, but is definitely a little strange overall; both in taste and feel.

(D)- Its not off, but just a little strange. Disjointed and just a little bizarre. Maybe it needs more time to balance and smooth out?

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 17:44:47 | More by sweemzander

antoines15

Indiana

3/5  rDev -11%

05-01-2012 01:30:47 | More by antoines15

BraatenBrew

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +26.1%

04-11-2012 02:43:37 | More by BraatenBrew

BdubleEdubleRUN

California

3.5/5  rDev +3.9%

03-19-2012 20:34:38 | More by BdubleEdubleRUN

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +3.9%

03-13-2012 07:08:11 | More by ygtbsm94

nmann08

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +26.1%

03-12-2012 01:37:45 | More by nmann08

jsilva

Massachusetts

1/5  rDev -70.3%

02-19-2012 03:11:32 | More by jsilva

litheum94

California

3.9/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed 1/15/12.

Murky, auburn body. Small brown head that dissipates quickly.

Caramel and vanilla toffee. Oaky with some tropical fruit.

Flavors of caramel and vanilla with some root beer tones. Super bourbon burn, comes on warming and biting. Tart green apples pop up on the finish.

A pretty good barley wine, and I honestly don't get all the flak this beer is getting. Not the most amazing beer in the world, but I was not disappointed at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 23:01:40 | More by litheum94