Three Sheets Barleywine (Barrel Aged) - Ballast Point Brewing Company

jeff1973

California

5/5  rDev +22.2%

12-17-2011 03:46:24 | More by jeff1973

bca115

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

02-20-2013 07:09:20 | More by bca115

arfenhouse

California

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%

01-19-2013 03:57:03 | More by arfenhouse

CEDAMA

California

5/5  rDev +22.2%

10-01-2012 02:59:59 | More by CEDAMA

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

08-20-2012 02:57:12 | More by t0rin0

WillCarrera

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Ballast Point's Old Grove location. Poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a murky brown color, thin brown head, spotty lacing.

S- Very bourbon forward, lots of bourbon, wood, and a hint of vanilla, also getting some caramel and dark fruit.

T- Follows the nose, lots of bourbon and wood up front, follows with lots of sweet toffee, burnt caramel and dark fruit, quite sweet and boozy overall.

M- Full-bodied, smooth feel, moderate booziness and lingering sweetness.

O- A pretty good barleywine, I had a small pour and was satisfied, probably not my favorite offering from Ballast Point.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2012 02:54:49 | More by WillCarrera

djaeon

California

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%

06-17-2012 18:45:13 | More by djaeon

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tap at prezo

Pours a very light bubbly head covering, over a beer that is super dark, with bits of dark ruby mahogany colored light barely sneaking through.

Nose bursts with bourbon, nice sweet bourbon, light charred oak barrel with vanilla, then dark sweet malts, molasses, caramel, candy, hint of cocoa, candied plum and raisin, and touch of booze.

Taste starts with a bit of barrel, woody esters, light saw dust but none of those overpowering. Bourbon follows closely, as well as the vanilla. Bitter hops really make a presence with earthy hops and slight chewy spicy that bring a fair level of bitterness, like 75-80 ibu, level. Makes take more of a backseat surprisingly, but bring more candy sweetness, molasses, maple, caramel, toffee, etc. and more fruits with candied dates and raisins, and a slight candied walnut. Booze is there but hidden fairly well by the sweetness. Finish is quite bitter, drier and surprisingly not sticky or syrupy, lots of lingering spicy earthy hops, bit of bourbon and some barrel flavors, and a bit of candy and molasses.

Mouth is fuller bodied, decent carb, bit of warning but not tingly booze, not very syrupy either.

Overall pretty good. Out adds a nice bourbon and barrel flavor with some nice malty additions and sweeteners flavors, but stays drinkable and hides the booze well. My only gripe is that the spicy earthy hops cut through the beer a bit too much and the big bitterness clashes a bit with the bourbon and sweet malts. I bet aging this a year or two would be awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 18:25:20 | More by jlindros

Pahn

New York

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-02-2012 09:07:30 | More by Pahn

Soxfanmcgee

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

04-15-2012 01:41:53 | More by Soxfanmcgee

UCLABrewN84

California

3.8/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap for Churchill's Renaissance at Churchill's Pub & Grille in San Marcos, CA.

Pours a murky dark brown with a tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt and brown sugar. There is no barrel aged aromas coming off of this one. Taste is of malt, brown sugar, citrus zest, bourbon, and wood. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good barrel aged barleywine but it tastes better than it smells hands down.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2012 22:03:59 | More by UCLABrewN84

Gavage

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: dark brown in color with a few spotty bubbles, no real head here.

Smell: malt and fruit sweetness with some strong wood tones.

Taste: very sweet malt profile. Brown sugar, bourbon, and burnt oak. Bitterness is moderate and alcohol make this very boozy.

Mouthfeel: heavy in body. Smooth throughout.

Overall: this beer can last a while with the strong alcohol burn and woody flavors. A few ounces is all you need in a session.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 14:32:08 | More by Gavage

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.63/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Barrel Aged Three Sheets, tap at Pony Bar in NYC.

Appearance: Served in their 8-oz glass, Sheets comes with barely a line of head that dies soon. Thick soapy bubbles remain on top. Good lacing, low carbonation. The brew looks hazy and dark, like a homemade dark-fruit smoothie.

Smell: Vinous, sour. Lick a wine barrel and you know. Cranberry-like punch, puckering! A bit of caramel and crème brulee at the end.

Taste: Liquid caramel upfront. Smoke, spoiled grapes (not raisins) and wine cooler. Very wine-y indeed! Dark fruit all around (prune), butterscotch/brown butter at the very end and some chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Way thin for a beer this big. Watery end, low body, average-to-low carbonation.

Overall: Good but not great. Unbalanced, too heavy on the wine barrel. I expected more… but at least it is quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 22:41:14 | More by DoubleSimcoe

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

on tap at tapestry in philly

Pours a clouded woody brown color with some slightly brighter cherry hues. Thin beige head dissolves, leaving a few spots of lacing on the glass.

A big smack of booze up front in the nose with heavy sweetness and heat. Brandy with vanilla and chocolate and a dash of caramel. Lighter hints of oak and dark malts.

Begins with a dose of bitter hops mixed with the strong brandy barrel character. Vanilla mixes with dark chocolate, caramel, and molasses. Syrupy and boozy with continuing warmth while drinking. Substantial backbone with continued sweetness and somewhat darker malt character. Finishes warm and long on the tongue.

Thicker medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and full on the tongue. I had pretty high hopes for this one but the brandy felt a little off the charts and seemed to muddle everything together with sweetness.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 22:37:21 | More by xnicknj

claspada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap @ Sunset Bar & Grill in Boston, MA.

Pours a deep clear amber, with a thin covering of creamy burnt tan foam. Retention stays fairly robust, leaving some thickish lacing back.

Aromas begin with a ton of barrel and oaky wood character. Going deeper reveals fruity esters, toffee, cocoa powder, sweeter smelling Bourbon notes and vanilla. Just a boat ton of flavors going on here in the nose and it is all very smooth overall.

The flavors begin with toffee, cocoa and dark fruits. Sweet Bourbon and burnt woody notes join the party as the finish is dry and lingers with malt, roast and more burnt flavors. The flavor profile is quite barrel forward and oaky. Much less complex compared to an Abacus; more toasty and bready and the base beer doesn't quite hold up to the strong barrel.

The mouthfeel is full bodied but posseses a great mellowness and ease from the aging that it has received, which really helps bring all of those big flavors in together. The big ABV is present but it is held in check, much more so than I initially thought. I could have probably sipped this down much faster than I did but the awesome flavors in this just begged to be savored more.

Overall this was a very good BA barleywine. It is quite potent and flavorful with intense yet restrained barrel flavors. After sampling numerous barreled beers last night at the EBF Night of the Barrels, it is hard to consider this an "elite" beer, but it was quite good. Since it is only available on draft it is definitely worth sampling if you come across it because you may never see it again, but don't break your back to find it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 00:26:16 | More by claspada

PhineasGage

Iowa

4.5/5  rDev +10%

01-27-2012 18:36:07 | More by PhineasGage

nanobrew

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

01-23-2012 21:24:20 | More by nanobrew

rbrefbeerman

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

11-17-2011 01:31:18 | More by rbrefbeerman

seanwhite

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

11-14-2011 17:11:25 | More by seanwhite

srandycarter

California

3.38/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Semi cloudy, ring head. Dark.

S- Sharp nose. Spicy quality, some cooked fruit in there too.

T - Very sharp, almost sour. Not what I had imagined and was a little disappointed.

M - Medium body and nice carb and balance.

D- Three Sheets standard was much better IMHO.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 18:11:49 | More by srandycarter

ehammond1

California

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Urge Gastropub
San Diego, CA

Dark auburn, nearly brown, with a thin khaki head that doesn't stay for long. Spotted lacing down the glass.

Huge bourbon, wood, and fruit aroma. The wood stands out with a deep earthy character, layered with vanilla and bourbon, and some sweet fruits like dates or figs.

The flavor is highly concentrated toward the bourbon and wood flavors, along with sweet toffee, some date sweetness, and a warm, alcoholic burn, though not nearly as much as I expected.

Thin to medium mouthfeel and incredibly drinkable for a barleywine this high in ABV.

A delicious barrel-aged barleywine and incredibly drinkable for the style. One of my favorite Ballast Point offerings to date.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 17:49:53 | More by ehammond1

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at TJ's. Served in a 7-oz sampler glass.

The body is a hazy deep mahogany highlighted by garnet hues when held up to the light. Thick lace adorns my glass as I sip.

The nose is amazingly complex. Dominated by a dark fig and date fruitiness up front, the aroma gives way to caramel and a comforting aroma of syrupy malt sweetness that we all love in our barleywines. Unfortunately, there were no barrel-inspired characteristics in the aroma. Once the deep brown liquid hits my palate, cherries and raisins, previously undetected, make their presence known. These really round out the fruity profile of the beer. Vanilla, some light bourbon notes, and an accompanying booziness finish out the flavor. The finish leaves sticky caramel sweetness behind.

Very smooth and warming, this is better suited for a November evening than a late-June afternoon. Still a bit green, the texture was a bit overbearing and the alcohol was still very warm. Even so, the great flavor and the fruitiness of this beer make it very desirable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2010 01:54:10 | More by NittanyBeerFan

SShelly

California

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at beachwood.

Comes out brackish dark brown with a 1" poofy white head that disapears quick.

Aroma is vanilla, dark malt and booze with a little bit of hops poking through.

Big vanilla in the mouth as it warms,lots of rich dark malt, a little bit of oxidation. Balanced by some nice bitterness. fairly boozy but not hot.

I really enjoyed about half of my glass, 8oz. later I had enjoyed it but was pretty much finished, if you see definetly try it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 02:12:50 | More by SShelly

OlieIPA

California

3.18/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed on tap at Beachwood this past night.

A: The first thing I noticed was the thick cream and toffee colored head that was then accompanied by ample amounts of lacing after a few sips. The body on the other hand was pretty much standard, consisting of black/brown hues for the most part.

S: Lots of wood upfront that was followed up with a nice mix of roast and sweet malt sugar. Faint hints of caramel and dark fruit are detectable, adding some complexity to the aroma.

T: Wood once again is the main theme, which I love to find in most barleywines. The roasty notes that were so well developed in the smell seem to take a turn for the worse when it comes to the palate. Instead of a subtle and well balanced roasted malt character, an overabundance of charcoal and burnt malts come through more than anything. I found myself having a hard time finishing the last half of my glass. On top of that, some of the brown/candied sugar qualities I tend to find within this style were hardly noticeable.

M: An overpowering dry quality that added more discomfort than pleasure; full-body with just about the right amount of carbonation.

D: It sounds like I'm trashing this beer, but I'm really trying not to. At best, this beer is average...and at worse, slightly below average. Just about the most "middle of the road" beer I have found for an American Barleywine. That's why I was able to finish my glass, even though half of the experience was subpar.

Overall: Like I said, a perfect example of an average BW. Some things I enjoyed immensely, and other things...not so much. I try it beer. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2010 18:02:35 | More by OlieIPA

Halcyondays

California

4.55/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours dark brown with a firm white head, excellent head retention with spots of lace.

S: Great malty nose, hint of wine and wood.

T: Dark malt Heaven off the bat. The barrels come in adding great notes of dark fruit/plum and caramel. I originally thought this was brandy barrel aged from the flavour and found out it was Syrah barrels so I was pretty close. Ballast Point is making great beers with these wine and brandy barrels, first Brandy Barrel Navigator, now this. Outstanding note of dark chocolate in the finish which I loved.

M: So smooth and easy to drink. Full-bodied, but silky.

D: I love it when CA brewers go back to the English style of barleywine. Barrel aged BW is where it's at for me right now. This is wonderful.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2010 03:55:08 | More by Halcyondays