Devil's Milk - DuClaw Brewing Company

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2011 bottle

A: Pours a hazy dirty brown water color with white dust on the top and a foamy head that quickly receded. Lacing left on edges of the glass.

S: Aroma of heavily caramelized sugars, dense with piney hop residue. Heavily floral with cotton candied burnt sugars. Very sweet off the bat.

T: A rich and strong tasting barrel aged barleywine. Oak barrel aging is present and the bourbon hints are very subtle. There are plenty of bittering hops mixed with burnt sugars, bittering hops in the back and floral flavor hops in the front. This is extremely sweet, which I usually enjoy in a barleywine. It is not overly hopped either to the point that the sweetness is overshadowed. Both of these are positives but the one area I am not a big fan of that this really has too much of is the burnt sugar ending. It is a mash of burnt sugars vs stale hops that were bittering hops and have gained a more earthy taste.

M: Medium body with a very light carbonation. About right for the style.

O: Overall a good barleywine. This is nothing unbelievable and the barrel aging has not done anything great to the complexity. It is a little deeper, but nothing transforming. Overall the barrel aging has added some oakiness and earthiness but maybe the barrel they chose wasnt as fresh as it could have been.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 21:27:06 | More by alpinebryant

AndrewMichael

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-23-2013 21:11:26 | More by AndrewMichael

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-20-2013 16:14:42 | More by InspectorBob

SPRichard

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-13-2013 21:21:05 | More by SPRichard

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.54/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: A finger's width of off-white head tops this copper colored beer. The head has an almost permanent retention with a lot of lacing.

S: Bready malts backbone holds of a lot of piney hops. Also some honeyed fruits, kind of peachy. Really a nice smelling brew.

T: Honey hits the tongue right off the bat, with caramel and followed by the taste of bread, and pine/grapefruit hops on the finish. The hops bring some bitterness, but not as much as is needed to balance the incredible sweetness up front.

M: Incredibly thick and viscous. Almost has the consistency of honey.

O: A tasty beer, but just a little much. Too much sweetness, too thick, too much alcohol. If they had toned it back a little it could have been a great beer, but I can barely drink a 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 23:00:27 | More by DaveBlack

lpayette

Vermont

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 19:40:34 | More by lpayette

whallgren

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 19:17:27 | More by whallgren

JakeDebus

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-10-2013 15:03:03 | More by JakeDebus

Magery

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-07-2013 19:11:53 | More by Magery

duceswild

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

04-16-2013 14:11:19 | More by duceswild

Hophead420

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

04-11-2013 06:07:31 | More by Hophead420

slay

Delaware

4/5  rDev +2.6%

03-25-2013 00:07:23 | More by slay

Hopscat

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

03-19-2013 20:03:09 | More by Hopscat

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

2012 vintage pours copper colored with a finger of pearl colored head. Good lacing & average head retention

S: Some breadyness, pears & figs, plus booze; started to open up as this warmed

T: Oaky dryness, boozey pears & a touch of figs & cherry up front. Big-time woody hops as this warms, much dryness as well, plus a touch of caramel & more pear. finishes very dry, woody with pear brandy notes & just a touch of grapefruit & pine at the very end

MF: Fairly chewy with low carbonation, alright balance

Seems more like an English barleywine, just doesn't hop forward enough. Drank fairly easy, but nothing to get excited about, Started to show more American aspects the last third of the bottle, but this was stored & served at 56 degrees, so it had to warm up a ton to really show what it was

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 03:06:16 | More by russpowell

lccrunchy

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +21.8%

03-18-2013 00:06:51 | More by lccrunchy

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +2.6%

03-17-2013 16:50:30 | More by DrunkinYogi

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%

03-07-2013 19:32:51 | More by orangesol

Wiedemann

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +28.2%

02-26-2013 17:22:13 | More by Wiedemann

oneeyedhoolie

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9%

02-25-2013 06:11:40 | More by oneeyedhoolie

jjd315

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

02-24-2013 18:23:34 | More by jjd315

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

02-24-2013 16:34:59 | More by Eriktheipaman

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +15.4%

02-24-2013 01:16:54 | More by Sludgeman

burdgod

Maryland

4.71/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

I had this served in a snifter.
A: copper colored, relatively tall, thick head that stuck around until I began drinking it.
S: Lots of fruit. I smell mostly apricot. smells beautiful.
T: Almost tastes like a fruit salad. I taste apricot, peach, and maybe even papaya. It's delicious. It's pretty sweet, but has just enough hops to cut the sweetness and prevent a nasty aftertaste. But not too much hops to where it's overly hoppy for a barleywine. Can hardly even taste that 10.6 abv.
M: Heavy body. Thick, almost syrupy. It could be a tiny bit thinner, but not bad.

Overall: This is probably the best barleywine I've ever had. I want more!

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 16:48:13 | More by burdgod

pquijal

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +9%

02-19-2013 21:59:39 | More by pquijal

RyanC

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -29.5%

02-17-2013 22:21:47 | More by RyanC