J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Calvados Cask) - J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd

BeerNemesis

New York

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale (Calvados Cask) | 275 ml. | 11.5% ABV | 2009 vintage

Brewer: J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
Style: English Barleywine
Glass: snifter

Appearance:
Very similar to the Harvest Ale (Sherry Cask)—it has a deep golden color somewhere between the intensity of a fading sunset and the somber brown of brandy.

Aroma:
Barley, honey, raisins, Calvados (apple liqueur) molasses, toffee, fruity esters, and a slightly less prominent floral hoppy tinge then its sherry-matured cousin.

Taste:
Harvest Ale (Calvados Cask) has a richness and complexity on par with Harvest Ale Sherry Cask. Fermented barley and raw honey, sticky caramel, and plump raisins, and ripe tropical fruits on the finish are all their. The main difference stems from the fact that the Calvados gives it a slightly sour, fermented apple background. It's very nice, and carries into the finish (though I think I prefer the sherry). Trying Calvados Cask has also made me realize the pervasive smokiness of this Barleywine that really comes through on the finish. The halva-flavored finish I tasted with Sherry Cask comes through as somehow more chocolatey with Calvados.

Mouthfeel:
Smooth, creamy, smoky, and languid. It's a bit more acidified than its Sherry Cask cousin.

Harmony:
Close to perfection, though I feel J.W. Lees Harvest ale is better suited maturing in Sherry Casks than Calvados Casks. The reason being that the sweetness and complexity of sherry better compliments the thick fruitiness of the Barleywine. To my palate, the Calvados has too much of a bitter/sour influence.

Would I get it again?:
Yes, certainly. I am thinking of buying all four of the J.W. Lees Harvest ales matured in casks to try side by side.

Bottled: 2009
Served: July 17, 2011

Price = $11.99 at Whole Foods NYC

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 19:05:45 | More by BeerNemesis

Shaggy9356

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

06-15-2013 21:35:41 | More by Shaggy9356

BillHilly

Washington

4/5  rDev -1.7%

06-15-2013 01:57:17 | More by BillHilly

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

06-14-2013 00:05:04 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

Zaphog

Michigan

4/5  rDev -1.7%

06-09-2013 01:30:40 | More by Zaphog

Greywulfken

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 bottling

A: murky brown ale, no head, in a large snifter - sediment slips in quickly, so be careful if you want to avoid - doesn't impact flavor, but looks a little unappealing

S: apples, caramel, toffee

T: caramel apples, some suggestion of spice; very sweet

M: smooth, slight stickiness, no bitterness, no carbonation

O: worth the buy, but not as stunning as I'd hoped - very sweet, very slick, apple predominant on the nose an on the palate - invisible alcohol content

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 16:09:12 | More by Greywulfken

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -26.3%

05-28-2013 14:43:02 | More by ShanePB

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A 2011 Vintage on tap.

A - Pours a murky amber orange color with a light but heavy looking dark cream colored head.

S - Apples, cinnamon, tart, brandy, slight sugary aroma, brown sugar, light toffee/caramel, and the high ABV is pretty well hidden in the aroma. However, this beer smells nothing like a Barleywine and really takes on the character of the barrel it was aged in (with a vengeance).

T - Apples, pears, apricots, light butterscotch, brandy, figs, raisons, toffee, light oak, and some vanilla.

M - Silky smooth with no carbonation and lightly sticky.

O - I would enjoy it more if it were called something else, resembles the cask it was aged in ather than a barley. However, in it's favor, it's insanely complex.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 00:39:04 | More by jzeilinger

nick_asian

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

05-19-2013 07:14:09 | More by nick_asian

ystazi

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-15-2013 02:04:43 | More by ystazi

MystikCelt

New York

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

04-30-2013 05:32:07 | More by MystikCelt

BrownNut

Florida

3.79/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

It's flat despite my most aggressive pour ever. Smells and tastes pretty woody and sort of reminiscent of port. It tastes malty and is fine but is missing something, is missing life or soul or body or complexity. The residual warmth at the end is welcome but doesn't save it.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 04:25:03 | More by BrownNut

muchloveforhops3

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

04-16-2013 03:16:13 | More by muchloveforhops3

bcostner1

Tennessee

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

04-14-2013 21:13:42 | More by bcostner1

Bakker

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%

04-11-2013 02:07:47 | More by Bakker

Pecan

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-08-2013 22:59:28 | More by Pecan

cfh64

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.7%

03-25-2013 01:05:33 | More by cfh64

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

03-24-2013 20:50:23 | More by Sparky44

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

03-24-2013 11:15:46 | More by RedneckBeerz

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.7%

03-10-2013 23:52:26 | More by tobelerone

reverbking

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

03-05-2013 06:32:55 | More by reverbking

impending

California

3.5/5  rDev -14%

03-05-2013 06:30:44 | More by impending

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

02-28-2013 19:17:22 | More by Seaba

pathman

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

02-16-2013 19:59:52 | More by pathman

MadScientist

New York

4.31/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: A medium amber with a deep orange hue and good clarity. The are only a few bubbles that quickly fade leaving a swirl of tiny, hardly there bubbles floating around the beer.

S: There is that rich malt of a barley wine with a sharp oak and brandy aroma. There is a light bit of an aroma that reminds me of a hard cider. The alcohol is soft and some what floral. There is a light bit of the rasin aroma in a Barleywine but not as much as most usually have.

T: Malty and sweet with a moderate oak flavor that bring a fair amount of vanilla and a touch of cinnamon flavors. The calvados becomes a bit more evident in the finish as the malt goes away leaving the alcohol warmth to mingle with the apple-brandy notes. There isn't much in the the way of hops flavors and just a light hops bitterness. The balance is strong towards the malt sweetness and the finish is sweet as well.

M: Medium-full bodied with moderately-light carbonation. moderate creaminess and moderately-strong alcohol warmth.

O: A strong Barleywine with a lot of sweetness that is checked by the alcohol more than the hops.
Brewed in 2007

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:06:59 | More by MadScientist