Old Nuptial Barleywine - Bourbon Barrel Aged - COAST Brewing Company

biggsbowler

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks hopscotch for sharing this bottle - I don't know what idiot at the wedding passed up on this beer because it was amazing. There is so much great bourbon in the nose that I couldn't stop sniffing it. It had a nice dark, caramel color to it with a medium body. Its been 2 years since it was made, but it tasted very smooth. If the label didn't say 11%, I wouldn't believe it. This beer is only getting better.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 17:56:52 | More by biggsbowler

Mississipping

Mississippi

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

06-03-2013 07:50:28 | More by Mississipping

JISurfer

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

05-24-2013 03:30:55 | More by JISurfer

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +8.9%

03-31-2013 21:54:53 | More by mikeincharleston

MADPolo

Florida

4/5  rDev -8.3%

03-10-2013 18:37:25 | More by MADPolo

KevSal

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

02-16-2013 06:15:16 | More by KevSal

CheapBeerBuzz

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

02-11-2013 02:50:55 | More by CheapBeerBuzz

StayWhatYouAre2

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%

02-09-2013 04:21:30 | More by StayWhatYouAre2

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Leave it to Ffej to bring a 2-liter growler of barrel aged sticky rare barleywine to a sour tasting. A hell of a palate cleansor that I was never expecting to have a chance to try. The brew pours a clear maroon color with an off-white cap. It leaves some spotty lace sticking to the glass and a swirl revives a creamy tan cap back to the surface that fades. Some lighter yellow clarity is seen around the edges.

The smell is sweet reminescent of burnt sugar. Plenty of barrel character emerging smelling of vanilla and caramel to toffee. There is even some toasted coconut thrown in there as well. As I smell this more, a mild oxidative touch like carboard comes out and once noticed plays a pretty significant role in the brew's character. After it warms up a bit, it has a dry raisony fruit aspect coupled with a grainy malt aspect and fruity alcohol.

The taste includes that same charcter of burnt sugar that was suggested so strongly in the nose. Barrel character cones forward immediately like toffee, caramel, vanilla and toasted coconut just like the aromatics suggested. A mild oxidative touch is present that helps to almost dry this brew out with a hint of something along the lines of wet paper, cardboard or dusty grain. Some raisony alcohol blends with other dark fruit quality towards the finish.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. Overall a pretty nice offering with a welcomed warmth of alcohol. This drank pretty easy for 11%. I am not sure what the deal was with this growler. If it was an aged keg or possibly spent more time in barrels than the bottled version? Having never had this before, I think it was pretty awesone but maybe spent a little too long in barrels as it picked up quite a bit of oxidation for not being that old. Regardless, I would most certainly have this again if the opportunity presented itself. Thanks again Ffej!

Serving type: growler

01-25-2013 16:01:31 | More by stakem

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%

01-12-2013 06:57:53 | More by spycow

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%

01-06-2013 17:16:59 | More by orangesol

McNuts

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

12-18-2012 20:51:33 | More by McNuts

zac16125

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

growler into a snifter
2011 version, from a barrel thats been aging at the brewery since then, and was tapped today

A: Pours a reddish amber, that is crystal clear when held to a light, and has no head. This one looks strong. Almost no carbonation is seen, which makes it look like a darker straight bourbon or some other kind of spirit. Leaves no lacing.

S: The aroma, my god! Im pretty sure this is what heaven smells like. Bourbon, booze, candied sugar, brown sugar, molasses. Its incredibly sweet, balanced perfectly by a huge boozy presence. And the aroma is so strong, you dont even have to hold it up to your nose. Just set it on the table, have a seat, and the aromas will engross you. Phenomenal.

T: Follows the nose in that it is really sweet and really boozy. Brown sugar, burnt sugar, hints of cocoa on the finish, some dark fruits in the form of cherry and raisin, and of course a big, no, a huge bourbon character. Tasty from the get go, but even better as it warms to room temp. Awesome.

M/D: Smooth, carbonation is very low, which I like and feel is appropriate for the style. As far as the ABV, well this one is no doubt boozy (as a BA BW should be in my opinion), but it is in no way hot. Drinkability is surprisingly high.

O: Overall, wow. What a beer. This is neck and neck with MOAS and Sucaba as my favorite BW. Absolutely delicious. A must try for fans of the style. I hope COAST brews this one again.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2012 01:29:08 | More by zac16125

md655321

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

08-11-2012 02:10:15 | More by md655321

aasher

Indiana

4.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Courtesy of thagr81us on my wedding night. Thanks immensely Calton!

This one pours a medium bodied, sticky coca cola brown in color with a slight beige lacing around the glass. The nose is full of sweet molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, sweet bourbon, and oak. It's nice and very complex and very well integrated. It's smooth. The flavors are on point. They fully follow the nose and then some. It's just so Damn smooth and the alcohol isn't present at all. This is a great BA barleywine. It's less agressive than King Henry but far smoother. This is world class! Thanks Calton.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 02:56:06 | More by aasher

siege06nd

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

IrishColonial you absolutely rock. This has been a long-time want, one I never thought I'd get to try. Thanks for sharing.

A. Pours a very deep, dark ruby brown. A thick finger and a half of cream colored head gradually sifts down to a half finger but lingers nicely. Very good lacing. Excellent looking barleywine here.

S. Hmmm...complicated. Initially, the nose was really off-putting, with an undercurrent that reminded me quite a bit of some kind of cupboard spice or herb. As my nose adjusted, though, I was able to appreciate the complexity. Sweet, ripe dark fruit, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and a little bit of bourbon. Also a huge punch of burnt brown sugar. It's the end of the smell where things get slightly weird...I think it's the earthy hops that I'm smelling, but it brings the bouquet to an abrupt halt and reminds me of some kinda bitter herb...zesty, sweet, and earthy and bitter.

T. Ripe dark fruit, toasted malt, caramel, bourbon, and then some bitter, grassy hops. Pretty good vanilla presence as well. Drinks more similarly to an English barleywine, which is a-ok by me. But man, those grassy hops are weird. At least I think it's them. Follows the nose with this odd, spicy, bitterness that doesn't play nicely with the other flavors. It's like a mix of chili and onion powder, just really strange. It's like tobacco gone completely wrong. This is a very complex flavor profile that hits the right nose, but it's got a fuel-like flavor on the finish that really hurts it.

M. Solid...decently carbed and relatively creamy.

O. Just nowhere near worth the hype. I don't believe this is a bad bottle as I'm not detecting any signs of infection. I just think the barrel has done some weird things to this, and given this a very off-herbal grassiness, maybe from the wood. In fact, I've detected a similar quality in Kuhnhenn BB4D, so this could just be a barrel quality I find undesirable. That said, I'm not loving this. Thrilled to have tried it and, while it's solid, it's got some very weird notes in the flavor profile that, for me, take it down quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 17:45:16 | More by siege06nd

ahatcher78

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +8.9%

05-04-2012 01:26:26 | More by ahatcher78

GehenHerzog

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

01-29-2012 02:14:05 | More by GehenHerzog

marine1975

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -19.7%

01-29-2012 02:04:46 | More by marine1975

whitekiboko

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -8.3%

12-27-2011 00:42:37 | More by whitekiboko

CarolinaKev

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

12-11-2011 03:54:16 | More by CarolinaKev

WillyMac

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +14.7%

11-21-2011 15:30:43 | More by WillyMac

westcoastbeerlvr

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%

11-15-2011 01:04:37 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle, thanks James. Pours a very very deep red with a ring of head around the edges. Nose is really nice, chewy malt, brown sugar, spicy oak, lots of dark fruit and a well integrated bourbon. Mouth opens with all brown sugar and segues into a very sweet, hot mid palate and finish which begins to bring out some bitter elements. All in all the flavor profile is characterized by hot alcohol that's medicinal at times and is quite harsh. At first this really reminds me of Hellshire I. Melted caramel and raisins provide some nice tones but struggle to offset the fuel-type qualities of this. Overrated.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 00:15:39 | More by JAXSON

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to AgentZero for this share!

A - Dark amber-brown, eggshell colored head. Very little lacing.

S - Solid vanilla bourbon nose. Lots of burnt sugars emanating from the glass as well. Also hints of yeast and biscuits are definitely there.

T - Very sweet rich caramel, vanilla. This is incredibly sweet and I'd peg it as an English barleywine, but the rich vanilla is probably from the barrel.

M - Medium bodied, solid carbonation, maybe leaning towards the high side.

O - Complex, well-made barleywine that I'd love to try again. Almost too sweet, but that's my style.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 23:06:25 | More by ChrisPro