Chicken Killer Barley Wine - Santa Fe Brewing Company

Phelps

Arizona

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at the Arizona Society of Homebrewers Oktoberfest, this barelwyine’s been aged at least a year. Poured into a shaker pint.

Murky maple-orange with highlights of gold. Half a finger of velvety tan head becomes a silky top layer. Murky, almost opaque.

Tons of overripe orange, toasted biscuits and caramel in the nose. What orange peel-y hops were once here have become soft whispers. Hint of honey-like oxidation in the background.

Chicken Killer is a malt monster, but the hops are bigger in the flavor. I get tons of toasted biscuit covered with orange marmalade and caramel, along with some herbal qualities — basil? Burnt sugar is here as well, blending with sticky alcohol. It begins sweet, but finishes impressively dry. Pretty damn complex after a year old maturity.

Moderate, pokey carbonation flashes then fades as the creamy medium body moves about. Good viscosity, not too thick. A bit of booze comes through the nose, but it's pretty well hidden overall.

I'd say aged is the best way to have this beer — if it were fresh, the malt wouldn't be big enough to combat the hops.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2011 21:07:00 | More by Phelps

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to the beerfly I found this brewpub and beer for my business trip. I happen to be a big fan of english style barleywines and this one was definitely in that vein! Kudos to the brewers for being this far west and resisting the urge to out hop the west coast brewers!

A - rich ruby red, draft carbonated head 1/2" which quickly dissipated. light lace on the glass.

S - rich wonderful malty smell. reminds me in some ways of having a youngs old nick in England at the brewery.

T - Very good. Lighter on the malt that the smell indicated. Well balanced with enough hops to keep this from being sweet, but not so much that it takes away from the wonderful malty / toffee flavor. at 10% ABV, it hides the alcohol very well.

M - Medium bodied brew. very smooth!

D - Easy to drink and deceptively strong. I enjoyed it enough that I am bringing a growler home to New Hampshire to share with friends.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2006 16:46:44 | More by barleywinebrewer

Wolfsdenbrew

New Mexico

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a deep copper, with a lasting tan head and moderate lacing.

The aroma is of sweet malts with little to know hop bouquet.

While barleywines are one of my favorite styles, this one was way too sweet with a huge alcohol burn. It did finish with a bitter hop bite but the hop flavor was lacking.

Medium-heavy body and lightly carbonated as it should be.

Just not a very good representation of the american barleywine style. My least favorite of the Santa Fe beers.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2006 10:55:41 | More by Wolfsdenbrew

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.56/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Real nice in the glass, auburn and clear, great head and substantial lacing.

Smell is primarily malt with some caramel and a little bit of spicy, earthy notes.

Flavor is pretty malty, with toffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and a little plum/sweet fruit. Hops are present but not especially notable.

Mouthfeel is thick and full, sweet on the finish, a bit slick, and definitely warming from ETOH.

It's a tasty barleywine, not my favorite but worth a try for barleywine lovers.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 23:42:39 | More by AlCaponeJunior

zeff80

Missouri

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Poured out a clear, burgundy color with a one-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left some sticky rings of lace.

S - It smelled malty with notes of toffee and caramel.

T - Very malty and sweet. Caramel and toffee flavors dominate with some spicy bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium to full bodied ale.

O - This isn't a bad barleywine, but its not a great one either. Good.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 02:25:41 | More by zeff80

beergoot

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Deep mahogany red body with a very thick, very creamy off-white head. Dark fruit, malty nose; slightly licorice, slightly sugary; hint of cinnamon and coriander. Smooth and delightful mouthfeel; silk and glass; semi-treacly and medium-heavy body. Flavors run from sweet, heavy, fruit-like notes to a slightly spicy and decently boozy combination that melds nicely with an interesting spicy bitterness midway through the finish.

A fine heavy yet intriguingly tasty malted beverage. Your palate gets treated to a variety of malt, hop, and boozy flavors that mix well together, always providing nuanced taste treats when allowed to coat the palate. Yes, a damn fine beer...

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:21:33 | More by beergoot

Rayek

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 2010 dated bottle into a Snifter.

A: The beers pours a very cloudy chestnut brown. An extremely dense head is slow to form, but has great retention and leaves good lace.

S: Quite fruity initially with plum and green grape aromas. Toffee, pine and very light citrus start to seep through as the nose lingers.

T: First off, let this beer warm up before drinking. It really lets all of the flavors through. For an extremely powerful beer, the alcohol is well masked and only adds a little warmth going down. Sharp toffee is the first flavor out of the gate. Bitterness is piney and not too strong. I imagine that after a few years in the bottle, the hops have faded somewhat. The toffee and pine flavors linger through the long finish.

M: Dense and soft, with a slight stickiness.

O: This is a nice Barleywine that aged nicely. Letting it warm is definitely the key to success.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 01:48:39 | More by Rayek

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared with a friend, served into two snifters.

A: Beautiful orange/red/brown clear color. Minimal head.
S: Sweet malts and fruity hops smells. Smell is delicious but not what I was expecting from a barleywine. Alcohol is well hidden.
T: Malty flavor with some nice bitterness. Lots of toffee and caramel flavors.
M: Very smooth and easy to drink for 10%. Nice carbonation.
O: really enjoyed this beer, it's definitely very tasty but it was overshadowed by the Leon we had right before it.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 23:38:58 | More by standardcherry

depechemode1983

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- The beer pours cloudy dark orange brown in color. The head is minimal and tan. Lacing is also minimal with just a few uneven splotches.

S- Right up front your hit with bitter pineapple carried on with sweet milky notes. You also get pine resin and a little bit of oak. The nose finishes bitter dry. For being 10% ABV the alcohol is surprisingly well hidden.

T- Malty upfront with just the right amount of pine bitterness. The malts come up through the middle even more with a caramel sweetness toning down the pine to subtle. The finish is sweet and malty with little alcohol warmth.

M- Smooth as hell. Carbonation is most excellent bubbly but not over the top. Goes down great.

O- Excellent interpretation of the style. Not overly complex but not overly dull. it had just the right amount of complexities to keep the nose, the taste and the mouth feel in check . Its very surprising how they got the alcohol so well hidden with a 10%ABV. Worthy of multiple purchases.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 23:15:25 | More by depechemode1983

cvm4

Mississippi

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a murky & cloudy amber with a light tan head.

S - Sweet & candied malts with a light smattering of figs and prunes. There is some alcohol present.

T - Starts off very sweet/candied that develops into toffee & caramel. The end finishes with dark fruits & a light amount of bitterness.

M - Lighter bodied with medium to high carbonation.

O - I'm liking this beer but just wish that the sweetness was dialed back a bit.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:31:17 | More by cvm4

homebrewhawk

Kansas

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. bottle served in a snifter. Poured a hazy, reddish gold with a finger of off white head. Caramelized sugar and hops in the aroma. Medium to full bodied. More caramelized sugar, fair amount of hop bitterness to balance sweetness. Easy drinking for 10% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:31:07 | More by homebrewhawk

DRyan

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark ruddy brown with an off-white head that dissipates quickly and leaves little lacing
S: Smells of malt and alcohol
T: The alcohol is present up front, this is a more bitter version than most barleywines, very malty but not too sweet, with a strong hoppy finish
M: thin and crisp, feels more like a pilsner than a barleywine
D: not as drinkable as some other barleywines, much less “refined”

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:45:22 | More by DRyan

angelmonster

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is at least 2 years old.

Pours a translucent amber with ruby highlights. Head is 1 inch and khaki colored. Head retention and lacing are pretty good.

Smell is of sweet Belgian candied sugar and dried figs/plums. Apricot jam is also detected, no hops and little alcohol is detected. This beer is all about malty sweetness.

Taste is of sweet toffee, bready malts, and dried fruits. Has similar flavors to a fruit cake and would probably pair nicely with one. Aftertaste is of some bitter hops and very light alcohol.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied but has nice amount of carbonation. Head didnt contribute much to texture, this barleywine is one of the lighter ones I've had.

Overall this beer aged nicely, very smooth, sweet barleywine. Price was also good, cheap quality beer. Nothing in the top 10 for its style but solid enough that I would order one again.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 21:41:46 | More by angelmonster

ChadQuest

Illinois

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The color of the body has a strong reddish hue with an off white ring around the rosie. Well played Chad.
The aroma is sugary, kinda like those Farley's Fruit Slices candy i used to eat at my grandma's house. Anything that reminds me of Easter at grandma's house twenty years ago HAS to be a spot on description. This is like those candy, but you are only eating orange ones.
The flavors lay in the middle region that could be claimed by either barleywine style and no one would grab their pitchforks. There is enough cascade going on to say "Merica!", but there is enough unfermented sugars and sweet backbone that it is not very bitter and you could mention the English. It has a notable brown sugar texture with a subtle rye like spce, and grated citrus rind lending the matching mild bitterness. There is a notion of alcohol, but nothing to put in bold typeface and warn yo mama about.

Another barleywine slayed.

I <3 barleywines.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 04:32:58 | More by ChadQuest

sitarist

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a nice ruby color. Short khaki colored head that falls quickly to a dusting. Just a couple spots of lacing.

Smells like rubber, plastic, and vinyl! Not a bad aroma, but its plastic!

Its flavor is much more pleasant than the nose. Pecans, toffee, orange marmalade, and an earthy funk.

Medium, sticky body, with too much carbonation.

Just an o.k. beer. Its easy to drink, and packs a punch, but it lacks the depth a good Barley Wine should have.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 04:11:12 | More by sitarist

DCon

Missouri

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Received a 1 Pt. 6 Fl. Oz. bottle of this in a trade w/ amcmaho1 & shared w/ friends @ 4 Hands Brewing Co. Poured from the Baby Blue/Yellow Labeled bottle w/ a Dog wearing a Sombrero & shooting off guns (old western style) into a 12oz- 4 Hands Brewing Co Snifter Glass. Has no freshness date on the bottle but know its a 2011 from the brewery when amcmaho1 visited.

Aroma- Hot boozy, sharp, and very rough on the nose... Definitely needed to have this one sit a bit longer or?

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that has average retention. The darkest amber colored body you can get while also being viscous and leaves suds behind.

Flavor- Hits the mouth with tons of malt and sweetness but where is the complexity? Very light bitterness at the finish and almost no hops included in the flavor.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Light-Medium Carbonation, Smooth, and has a malty, bold finish on the palate.

Overall Impression- More like a traditional English Barleywine, this one missed the style a bit. More hop should have been included and should not have been so hot/sharp. Still enjoyed nonetheless and would love to pick up another bottle of this and sit on it.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 19:24:59 | More by DCon

foss69lh

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is a difficult brew to rate, as if considered as an ale, it is excellent, but as a barley wine, not at all. The body is medium full for an ale, but only medium bodied for a barley wine. Additionally, it is far too dry in style to be considered traditional or typical of these styles of brews, and too hoppy, though I have noticed that there seem to be many other breweries passing off similar styles as barley wine these days. Thus I would rate this an A- as an ale, but only a C as a barley wine... maybe not even that, as I consider its style atypical.

A notice to all the micro brews pursuing and passing off this style of brewing as barley wine: a traditional barley wine should be well over 10% ABV -- I've had as high as 18.6 -- and the name implies both the body weight and taste -- comparable in weight to a full-bodied red wine, with a winey mouthfeel and taste defined most by barley, not hops, with an impression of sweetness from the grain. Without these basic characteristics, you're making a full-bodied ale, but not a barley wine, regardless of whether or not barley was used in the brewing.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 21:19:39 | More by foss69lh

DmanGTR

New York

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Amanda for this treat!

Poured maple brown, slight murkiness with scant head. A couple minutes later and it looked quite still, although it did have a very smooth carbonation. Lots of sweetness here. Caramel, brown sugar, and a hint of figs. Very light bitterness in the finish and the sweetness definitely carries further. Quite smooth and delicious. Overall, it's a good American barleywine. I would have appreciated a touch more bitterness, as the sweetness is quite prominent. It did indeed make for a great post-exam celebration. :)

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 05:14:31 | More by DmanGTR

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Acquired from mthomas84 via SS '11 so a big THANK YOU goes out to him.
Poured in to a pint glass
Consumed 2/13

A: This beer pours a light brown, amber color with a one finger of khaki head. Head recedes at a decent pace. Sticky lacing left on the glass.

S: Nose is caramel, toffee, alcohol, and a hint of citrus.

T: Taste is fruity alcohol up front. Lots of raising and plum tastes that mingle with a cloying caramel, toffee, brown sugar sweetness. Finish has a very mild, after thought of citrus hops.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, crisp at first with a chewy sticky finish.

O: Goes down ok, somewhat tasty, not too filling, big kick, ok representation of style. This may have needed some more age on it.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 00:13:51 | More by Jayli

obrike

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bought a bomber at Specs in Round Rock for around 7 bucks.

Poured a murky brown...hints of orange...with a soft fluffy head that did not last. Liked the silky white ring that remained on top for the duration though.

Got a ton of sweet caramel malt in the initial whiff. Booze gets stronger as it warms...stings the nostrils a bit.

Man, a malt bomb! Very sweet, sugary biscuits, orange marmalade...and a splash of hops...A unique aftertaste throws off the taste a bit for me though, a little astringent...not sure if it's the booze coming through or something else.

Beer is a bit hot. Not as smooth as other American Barleywines I've had, but certainly still a decent effort. A big boozy slow sipper.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 01:01:47 | More by obrike

ZenAgnostic

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 pint 6 oz bottle poured into a Duvel snifter. No date.

Appearance - Medium brown, cloudy to the point of near total opacity. Tan pancake batter head with fine lacking that slides off momentarily; decent to good retention.

Smell - Vinous. Oaky. Sweet like fresh fruit. Apple cider. Smooth and inoffensive.

Taste - Leather. Yeasty. Relatively dry apple cider. Hides its alcohol well.

Mouthfeel - Slight alcoholic bite. Mildly solvent. Astringency is pretty minimal.

Overall Drinkability - Very smooth. Nt very complex, but very drinkable for the style. Deceptive alcohol. Not very

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 19:43:13 | More by ZenAgnostic

EricCioe

Montana

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to schmittymack for sending this one up.

This pours deep amber with a nice, really pretty looking two finger head that left some lace on the way down, something I don't expect in a barleywine. On the nose there is a siginificant presence of caramel malt with something like rum-soaked dates providing the badass bottom note, and a definite hop presence that intermingles with the sweetness. One reviewer said candied oranges and that sounds just about right. In the mouth it's more of the same, with perhaps a bit more bitterness than anticipated. The body is medium, a little lighter than I would have expected, with a long finish with a touch of the heat I like in a big beer.

Overall, this is a nice brew and I was glad to get a couple bottles. I wouldn't have sought it out but for my pal Jon, a former Santa Fe resident living up here who said this was his favorite brew. I gave him one of the two bottles I had, and we shared the other one over Thanksgiving dinner turducken. A good beer enhanced by a good time.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 03:51:15 | More by EricCioe

UCLABrewN84

California

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to holden303 for sending me this one as part of the N00B BIF 6!

Pours a slightly murky honey orange with a 1 inch puffy light tan head that settles to a thin cap. A foamy curtain of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, toffee, and lots of citrus zest. Taste is of malt, brown sugar, and somewhat strong citrus zest flavors. A slight apricot flavor on the aftertaste. There is a medium amount of bitterness that lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a higher level of carbonation with a crisp and bubbly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good barleywine but it's a bit out of balance for my tastes. I wish there was more malty sweetness to go along with the hoppy flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 00:27:30 | More by UCLABrewN84

lackenhauser

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bronze color though somewhat murky. Not a lot of head though some decent lacing. Malty and caramel aroma right upfront. A very faint whiff of smoke-probably more perceived then actually there. Toffee and buttery flavor. Mildly astringent hop bite. A hair out of balance with the hops. Mildly boozey though not overly so and not in a detrimental way. Sticky and gummy mouthfeel. The upfront sweetness quickly becomes dry. Enjoyable all in. Have wanted to try this for ages. A touch rough in spots but a damn nice US barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 00:48:23 | More by lackenhauser

DavidST

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter.

This pours a nice murky brown color with a decent off white head which quickly dissipates. The smells are of malt and alcohol. The feel is good and somewhat thick. The taste is a little disappointing, I get plenty of the malts, but low bitterness and hops to offset it (i'm too used to the over hopped American barley wines which this isn't) and there is plenty of alcohol heat not well hidden at all.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 19:41:52 | More by DavidST