The Vermonster - Rock Art Brewery

The VermonsterThe Vermonster

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BA SCORE
88
very good
-
347 Ratings
THE BROS
94
outstanding
-
read more »
rAvg: 3.91
pDev: 12.02%
Reviews: 222
Hads: 125

Ratings Help


Brewed by:
Rock Art Brewery visit their website
Vermont, United States

Style | ABV
American Barleywine |  10.00% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (211), on-tap (10), growler (1)

Notes:
We brewed The Vermonster with 110 pounds of malt per barrel and jacked up the pour into a wide mouth thin glass goblet.
View:  Beers  (28) |  Events  (0)

Reviews

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Photo of threeviews
threeviews

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass...

A-Pours a dark bronze, almost opaque with a white head that diminishes quickly. However the lacing is quite strong, perhaps due to the ABV...

S-Hops and caramel overwhelm but wood and dark fruits (cherries, plums) titivate my olfactory hues. I'm not sure, but if Rock Art is marketing this brew as a hoppy barleywine, then they have a corner on this market.

T-Hoppy barelywine with a bit of wood is how I would describe it. Dry finish to a brew that is to the taste as true to its nose...well done!

M-Moderate carbonation, with a somewhat dry finish...almost as if the brew has had some time in a wooden vessel...very nice and complex.

O-Although this is my first sampling from Rock Art, I am very impressed. A complex brew for sure, but one that fuses disparate styles (barleywine and DIPA) with excellent results.

For those who appreciate a challenge, check this one out...you won't be disappointed!

Cheers,
B

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 00:18:49 | More by threeviews
Photo of billab914
billab914

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a Shipyard pint glass. Deep mahogany in color with a thin, sticky white head barely covering the top of the beer. Decent head retention and very nice lacing as I drank it.

The aroma shows a lot of American style hoppiness to it with grapefruit and a little pineapple coming out. The sweeter, malty, caramel flavors are there as well and mix nicely with the citrusy hops. Very nice and flavorful aroma overall.

The taste has more of the hoppy, citrusy, juicy flavors to it up front. Midway and through the finish I get more of the malty, caramel like flavors to it. Grapefruit and pine come back in the finish as well. Not a ton of depth to the maltiness, but it mixes with the hoppiness pretty well.

The mouthfeel is about average for the style and carbonation is a little above average. Overall it was a very nice beer. It was definitely a very hop forward version of the style, but it worked well for it. Very flavorful and easy drinking for the style and a very good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 02:58:44 | More by billab914
Photo of MattyV
MattyV

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cola brown in colour, auburn highlights, dense creamy light beige head. Sweet, floral, slightly spicy aroma. Caramel, slightly roasty malts are big up front, yet still restrained, as spicy piney hops start to dominate and yield a pithy bitter finish. Full bodied and warming on the way down. Surprisingly balanced considering the quoted ABV. The hops sometimes come off as slightly overpowering and detracting from the beer's overall complexity. Still, an enjoyable take on a style I'm unfortunately not all that familiar with.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 04:42:00 | More by MattyV
Photo of Arenbeer
Arenbeer

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle thanks to my Mother

Into a tulip glass at fridge temp

No date on bottle but I've had it in the fridge for a year so it's at least that old.

A- Pours a dark brown with some really nice reddish hues. On top is a fluffy 2 finger off white head that sticks around and leaves decent retention on the side of the glass.

S- Even for being a year old it smells like a double IPA. Tons of earthy citrus hops with a sweet caramel malt background. Alcohol is hidden very well, doesn't come through even when it warms.

T- Just like the aroma. Bitter earthy hops up front with a nice touch of orange, citrus and resin. Behind that is some sweet caramel malts and a spiciness that I can't put my hands on but blends really nicely with the alcohol.

M- Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a nice strong bitter finish.

Overall if I didn't know this was a barley wine I would believe it to be a DIPA. The hops are insane on this one but definitely make it one hell of a beast. Solid brew from such a small brewery.

SkÅL!

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 21:51:11 | More by Arenbeer
Photo of harrymel
harrymel

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blind #11 - bomber

I think this rounds out the beer for me - can’t find #12 (think my wife gave to my father in law - sonofabitch)

A: As soon as I crack this one I know this is gonna end well. Without pouring I’m going to guess either a Barleywine or an Old Ale - well aged and malty as fuck. Pours out a dirty brown ale with excellent clarity. Single finger of cream foam falls quickly to leave a spotty surface of the same. Can’t tell lacing because I keep swishing this one. (4)

S: Yummy! Caramel malts, crystalized sugars, figgy pudding, slightest hints of apple skins, maybe some wood. Some brown sugar and molasses provide a near BBQ hint at the very finish. I can’t seem to get enough of this into my face-holes. (4.5)

T: Oh yeah, this is good. I’m gonna go with American Style Barlewine at this point - heavy hops. The bittering hops are still very present. Still plenty of the above rolling over the palate, but add a bit of alcohol bite (unusual unless this is young in my experience...). I feel like theres oak on this - very woody. (4)

M: Medium to viscous with moderate to low carbonation. Leaves my palate slick like a loogie. Slightly warming with the ETOH. Nice. (4)

O: I’m really digging this beer, it seems to get better as it warms, and I’m all about a slow sipper. I feel like the hop intensity is barely too high for my preferences in a Barleywine (I’m an English style guy) but this is nonetheless is quality craft. (4)

Guess: Only thing I can equate to: OG BW by Stone - but probably not given the woodiness.
Reveal: The Vermonster by Rock Art Brewery - no wood - but excellent brew!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 10:56:57 | More by harrymel
Photo of Jimmys
Jimmys

Pennsylvania

2.45/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A: a solid brown. initial pour includes a large creamy tan head that has reasonable retention and great lacing.

S: nose is pretty sweet/hot. deep rich sugary fruits. plums, raisins. molasses in there for sure. maybe even some chocolate. there is some resiny hop aroma in there as well. each time i go to the glass it seems to be picking a side.

T: the first sip starts very hot. correction, all the sips start very hot. i wish i could find a bottling date on this sucker, but it must have been recent. a bunch of sweetness in there comes out after the booze. tastes like caramelized sugar. figs. ant get any hop flavor is this malt/booze bomb.

M: pretty smooth as far as mouthfeel is concerned. huge body.

D: i really dont know what to think of this one besides that it needs more time. too much heat really detracts from some other good flavors. not sure if i got a bad bottle or what cause other reviews are much more favorable. however, gotta go with what's in my glass.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 03:13:22 | More by Jimmys
Photo of stakem
stakem

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter, this brew appears a clear amber color with ruby and orange coloration around the edges. It forms a finger of silky tan head that holds across the top and laces with a webbing of patchy and spotty lace.

The smell of the brew is fruity with a combination of caramel malt, sugary sweetness, fruity and citrus hops. Some notes of grass and minerals emerge across the back. There is little to no indication of the 10% alcohol except for the fruity esters which really mesh well with the hops. As it warms, it starts to smell more like citrus zest and fresh grains.

The taste is toasty caramel malt with a big incorporation of alcohol that is fusel and solvent. Quite bold in the taste verse how subtle it was in the nose. There is a hop bitterness that is both herbal and somewhat mineral filled. There is a lasting aftertaste that includes a touch of sulfur and a grain aspect that is musty.

This is a medium bodies brew with a modest amount of carbonation. Bold fusel abv and modest bitterness compliment one another. For a barleywine, this is like a hybrid of the styles, smells sweet and English-like but is boldly filled with alcohol and bitterness like the american counter part. Not bad, it's worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 17:45:42 | More by stakem
Photo of FickleBeast
FickleBeast

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Pours a deep amber, almost brown color with two full fingers of pillowy foam. Copious lacing on the sides of the glass. Aroma is complex an potent. Definite floral hoppiness, deep malty sweetness, and a bit of booze detected in the nose.

First sip is a bit hot, followed by a kiss of plum-like sweetness, quickly overwhelmed by a powerful hop kick and punctuated with a long, bitter lingering aftertaste that kicks in well after the beer has been swallowed.... wow. There is a lot going on after just the first sip.

As I continue to drink, the bitterness really begins to wear on my palate. The bitterness is harsh, biting, and lingering. As it warms, there are some more raisin and toffee flavors that develop, but they are quickly washed away by the sharp bitterness. The booziness doesn't fade away either.

I really wanted to like this beer more that I did. It looks and smells great. There are a lot of complex flavors going on, but they just don't balance each other. Maybe this would benefit from some age, but I just feel like there are much better Barleywines out there right now.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 02:23:14 | More by FickleBeast
Photo of emmasdad
emmasdad

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Ratman for bringing this one over last Saturday night; I had been wanting to try it for some time now. Not sure how old this one was, but I know it had been aged for awhile. Poured a nice dark amber color with a smallish white head. Aromas of raisins, caramel, toffee and dark fruits. Medium to full bodied, with flavors of dark fruit, caramel and toffee.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 01:21:07 | More by emmasdad
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.4/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Calls itself a dipa, and while I was looking at the dark brown color and taking the beer in, I was thinking this was more like a barleywine in every way. Glad to see it is classified as such on this website.

The aroma was bready, doughy. The regular barleywine of theirs seemed to have a higher degree of chocolate to it than most, that was not present here so much, just a massive malt bill (110lbs per barrel!) that soaked up pretty much a lot of the abv and hops, balance achieved. Couldn't really pick up any hop mouthfeel out of this, no citrus, pine etc. . . just a bit of bitterness, that was tempered. Big on toffee, low on carbonation (not to the degree is was problematic though). No idea how fresh or old this was, picked up at Sun Devil liquors where you need to bring some carbon dating equipment judging solely by the dust on the beer.

Decent price, but probably wouldn't purchase again without some knowledge as to the age of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 17:22:21 | More by Beerandraiderfan
Photo of chumba526
chumba526

Oregon

4.8/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to JPWV for this great beer.

It appears deep brown with a thin light tan head.

It smells of citrusy hops and grassy hops. I get a strong toffee malt flavor with coffee overtones. I also get a mild brown bread malt.

I initially get a mild caramel and toffee like malt flavor. The sweet malt flavor is balanced with a bit of a dark bread like malty flavor. There is a strong citrus like hop flavor. I also get a very slight pine like hop flavor as well. The beer ends with a substantial amount of bitterness.

There is a moderate low carbonation and there is a somewhat thick mouthfeel to this barleywine.

Overall this is the best barleywine I have had. It showcases both dry and sweet aspects of malts. I t also showcases pine like, citrus like, grassy and bitter elements of hops. This is a very balanced and complex beer. I wish I could find this beer locally.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 04:11:46 | More by chumba526
Photo of projectflam86
projectflam86

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this through a trade with aapp. Cheers!

A- Pours a dark amber color with a thick foam head. Great lacing left behind.

S- Bright and fruity with plenty of hop aroma in the nose. A touch of caramel and oak as well.

T- Very bitter initially with a huge presence of alcohol in the finish. Dark fruits, lemon, pine, oak, raisins, brown sugar, and caramel all come through as the beer warms. Quite hoppy and worthy of its "American" barleywine designation.

M- Full bodied with plenty of carbonation.

O- Overall this is a very solid barleywine. It would be interesting to see what some age does to this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 00:11:52 | More by projectflam86
Photo of Fluke828
Fluke828

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Cigar CIty Snifter.
A-> Pours a super dark color that only when held up to light does it resemble a deep, burnt copper/amber color. Head is not quite two fingers with an off-white color and solid lacing.

S-> Smells immediately of dark fruits and very sweet caramel malts. A bit of heat is detected in the nose but is paired with orange rind, floral fruityness coming through from the hops. A wonderful bouquet of balance.

T-> Caramel hits in the face with the malts initially but is checked by the floral and pine form the hops almost immediately. Dark fruits take over the palate towards the middle and it finishes with a bit of booze and a hop bite.

M-> Very full body with the bitterness and alcohol warmth taking center stage with decent carbonation.

O-> I reallyloved the taste right off the bat however once it warmed this became a bit of a struggle to finish. As others have said it took me well over an hour to finish by myself. Not a detracting factor per se, but I will be sharing this with several others in the future. Overall a pretty solid b-wine.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 01:38:45 | More by Fluke828
Photo of Pellinore1
Pellinore1

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to brees6221 for sending this one.

Pours a very deep amber, producing about a finger of light tan head. This slowly fades, leaving a thin cap of lacing.

The aroma has a nice balance of floral hops and caramel malt, and just a tiny whiff of booziness.

The flavor opens with a nice hop bite, then makes room for some sweet caramel and fruity malt. The finish dries out a bit, with hop bitterness and a touch of alcohol warmth.

Medium bodied, with only just enough carbonation, the mouthfeel is fine.

This is a very nice barleywine, overall, with a good balance of hops and malt in both the smell and the taste. It makes me want to check out the rest of Rock Art's lineup.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 01:37:50 | More by Pellinore1
Photo of Buggies
Buggies

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aromas of floral hops and pine. Nice chocolate and roasted malts too. Tastes good. Loads of malt character. Roasted grains and chocolate. Floral and citrus from the hops. Nice bitter bite to it. Alcohol is very warming.

Overall not bad. I was hoping for just a little more in the way of hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 00:53:08 | More by Buggies
Photo of Cascade77
Cascade77

Vermont

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bomber at Pearl Street Beverage.

Dark brown in color with a thick tan head. Some light comes through but not much. The head sticks around for a while.

Smells of pine, citrus and a bit of almost roasty malt. Some candy sugar maybe. Tons of hops but a bit of caramel.

Booze is almost the first thing that strikes. Very hot. Strong, almost harsh hops give way to ever so small ammount of medium to dark malt. A touch of dried fruit. Finish is bitter. Very.

Good carbonation, decent body. Very full tasting.

I liked it but it took over an hour to get through the bottle. Will need to be shared next time.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 17:33:58 | More by Cascade77
Photo of xnicknj
xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into large snifter glass

Pours a caramel brown with burnt orange hues, layer of beige head fades into some faint film with light lacing.

Very rich in the nose with caramel, burnt brown sugar, toffee and a bit of molasses with a pine hop bite.

Nice smack of pine hops with resin. Sticky thick caramel malts, roasted warmth with toffee. Brown sugar and some lighter raisin and dark fruit sweetness. More hop bitterness and a wave of boozy warmth in the finish.

Thick body, lighter carbonation, sticky and syrupy on the palate. Warm, heavy drinking but still pretty tasty from top to bottom, although this is definitely a bottle best split with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 06:37:10 | More by xnicknj
Photo of alpinebryant
alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark caramel color with a dosing of tiny white bubbles around the edges.

Taste of a heavy caramel with a strong bitterness profile. There is a lot of long boil hop flavors mixed in here and i would love to put a number of these away for a few years to see what happens. Strong dark fruit flavor and belgian candy sugar like flavors coming out. Tiny astringent profile at the finish but I wouldnt hesitate to say it is less astringent than Bigfoot tastes which is a major compliment as I am a huge fan of Bigfoot. Slight grass taste with fig and and healthy malt bill.

Very well done American Barleywine. Medium body and a medium carbonation. I remember reading a few reviews about a year ago on this one and it beat what my expectations were for it. Nicely done Rock art.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 00:06:16 | More by alpinebryant
Photo of capra12
capra12

New York

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed solo served out of a short pint glass.

Appearance: Pours deep dark amber with 2 finger of frothy head that dissipates nicely leaving great lacing. The cascade from the pour is quite remarkable almost like a thick Irish stout.

Smell: I got a ton of clean dark malts with earthy hops that come and go, a hint of alcohol on the tail end.

Taste: Opens with a ton of caramel and roasted malts, hints of toffee and burned caramel come and go from the open to middle. There is a hop profile that fades from the brief appearance in the middle to the end as hop bitterness takes of the sip to mask the previously strong malt profile. There is a pleasant hop bitterness left on the palate, which lets through a sticky malt profile.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, and leaves the palate a bit sticky.

Drinkability: For the style I would have this again in a year to see how it evolves. I recommend this to those seeking an american barleywine that features the malt backbone and hop bitterness which are crucial to the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 02:14:50 | More by capra12
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The Vermonster, bottled version, purchased in Lambertville, NJ, and enjoyed in Hell's Kitchen, NYC.

Appearance: Served in a Sierra snifter, pours a super dark and hazy chai-tea-like color, very muddy and mysterious. Perfect one-finger head with lots of pretty bubbles on top. Head fizzles fairly soon, but bubbles remain. Lacing is pretty remarkable and carbonation is somewhat surprisingly low.

Smell: Floral and sweet, but very subdued, almost disappointing. Dark fruit, caramel, sticky pudding dessert. Booze at the end. Classic barleywine, not too exciting.

Taste: Hops all around, bitter and dry finish. Sugars, tastes like a creme caramel (flan) dessert. Very boozy and warming at the end. Some oxidation, "old" feeling, in a good way.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium body, full flavor. Heavy, sweet, sticky. Creamy. I feel like I'm *eating* this, not drinking it!

Drinkability: Alright, not great. A total sipper. Very hot when it warms up. Not amazingly exciting, but enjoyable nonetheless.

At times these reminded me of quality DIPA's, or aged ones like Burton Baton. But it is not as hoppy as the 100 IBU's would have you think. And as a barleywine... it is good, but nothing earth-shattering for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 22:12:37 | More by DoubleSimcoe
Photo of CliffBrake
CliffBrake

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty deep reddish-amber color with excellent clarity. Very modest head that leaves a light lacing.

Roasted malts dominate the nose with sweet biscuit and a touch of anise. As it warms, alchohol overtakes these more delicate aromas.

A somewhat complex taste with caramel, a touch of molasses and quite a bit of piney hops.

Mouthfeel is round and juicy at first, tending toward astringent toward the finish. A bit different than many barleywines. At times it seems more like a black IPA or an old ale. An intriquing beer worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 02:29:31 | More by CliffBrake
Photo of seedsofchaos
seedsofchaos

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received this from a "Pint Pals" (think pen pals with beer) beer trade that I'm involved in. With this beer I've found that I'm a lot more inclined to enjoy an English Barleywine over American Barleywine. Regardless...

Vermonster is an infamous beer. This creature pours an almost perfect tea brown with a highly carbonated off-white head that borders on being able to claim yellow. Head is quick settling and fully composed of large carbonation bubbles. Not much lacing to speak of. This barleywine definitely leans towards the dark side. Aroma is, without a doubt, malt forward. The bouquet bursts with sweetness and dark malts swirling around with wine-like qualities, delicate fruity esters, earthy scents and floral hops. A nuance here and there of cider or acidic fruits but nothing overwhelming.

A bit of a bitter bomb for a barleywine, it is aggressively hopped like only Americans would do with this style. In my opinion, it takes a bit away from the beer as it draws away from delicate flavors such as tobacco and fresh baked sweets. Instead, one is given a healthy helping of sweet malts and bitterness that seem to make up the bulk of the taste. Mouthfeel is full and rich and this brew is quite drinkable.

All in all, a solid barleywine. I think that as far as my tastes go in barleywines that a few years on this bottle could tone down that hop bitterness quite significantly. I find American barleywines lacking in the tobacco-esque / light smoke flavors that I pick up on in English barleywines and enjoy so much. I don't know that I'd drink a bomber of Vermonster by myself ever and at 10% it's not exactly sessionable. Good to drink with a buddy and definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 13:06:20 | More by seedsofchaos
Photo of BeerCon5
BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy bright copper color with 1 finger of fluffy eggshell white colored head that dissipates slowly to a thin layer of lacing that remains throughout the beer.

The scent is of citrus, orange peel, floral hops, lots of fruit, a little alcohol.

The taste is of piney and floral hops, orange peel, fruit, some notes of toasty caramel malt, and apparent alcohol.

Full bodied, crisp with a pretty dry finish, moderate to high carbonation.

This was a very good barleywine, lots of complex flavor. Surprisingly very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 14:36:42 | More by BeerCon5
Photo of seeswo
seeswo

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown color with a large tan head. Smells of hops and a bit of Ethel alcohol. What is this beer again (I rechecked the bottle)? Tastes more like a dipa with characteristics of a barleywine than a hop-forward american barleywine to me. Not to belabor the point, but other hop forward american barleywines have often been clearly barleywines - this, not so much. If you told me it was a funky dipa, I would be in. Stronger than expected carbonation as a barleywine carries all the way through. As a dipa, this is expected and enjoyed, as does the big hop and malt characteristics. Either way, the taste is good, not great. Its definitely not the most drinkable beer as a dipa or an american barleywine - its a bit like throwing the kitchen sink into the style. There is little in the way of subtlety or balance in there, just lots.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 05:18:19 | More by seeswo
Photo of gford217
gford217

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Conor.

Pours a murky orangish brown with a small tight beige head that recedes to a small collar and swirl of bubbles in the middle. There is very little lacing.

Floral pine hops are the first thing I notice in the nose with some sweet light fruits, red apples maybe. There is a toffee character and plenty of caramel malts and brown sugar.

The taste also starts with the bitter floral and citrus hops, with a combination of pine and grapefruit leading the way. The backbone is all about the caramel malts and dark fruits with some roasty notes. The finish is bitter, almost abrasive, and dry.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with good carbonation and pretty astringent for a barleywine with the hops jumping to the front.

Anyone looking for a hop-forward, astringent barleywine should look no further as this one is all about the pine and grapefruit with the malts playing a supporting role at most.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 04:21:35 | More by gford217
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The Vermonster from Rock Art Brewery
88 out of 100 based on 347 user ratings.