§ucaba (Abacus) - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.74/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2011 vintage opened on 5/24/13.

A-Pours a lovely ruby brown, low to moderate carbonation leaves a thin tan ring and a small pool of tan head in the middle of the glass.

S-Some nice boozy head overwhelms the nose with some dark figgy fruit underneath. A hint of marshmallow.

T-A perfect barleywine. Sweet and rich, moderate booziness and a nice hop underbite. Sweet raisins, marshmallow, alcohol. Terrific.

M-Medium bodied, rich but not wearying on the palate. Right on.

O-Outstanding, even better with a bit of age.

HV

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 00:02:15 | More by sholland119

Andrew61923

Connecticut

4.7/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

2012 vintage poured into my Sierra Nevada tulip. Toasting the graduates of 2013 with this one.

A: Pours a deep ruby red with a finger's worth of cream colored head that fades to a nice halo along the edges of the glass. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good start.

S: A lot going on with the nose. The barrel makes its presence known for sure with big hints (oxymoron?) of vanilla, toasted coconut, and caramel. A lot of sweetness, which makes sense given the style of the brew and the daunting ABV.

T: Wow. This is an amazing, and a big, beer. The bourbon that I picked up is a bit more subdued on the palate, but is still definitely there. Much of the same sweetness with a lot of vanilla and some more raisin coming through. I'm excited to see how this develops as it warms up.

M: There's no way this is 12.5%! Incredibly smooth and velvety on the tongue, the flavors last incredibly long and make me yearn for another sip. I think I'll have to indulge...

O: There's a reason this has such a strong reputation. It has the impressive ability to meld together a smooth drinkability with an amazingly complex taste, and is truly a unique drinking experience. I have a 2011 bottle sitting around too...I'll have to see how that's drinking soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 03:17:02 | More by Andrew61923

Justinsosmart

California

4.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap as part of a Firestone tap takeover. Pour is a dark chestnut brown. Very barrel-forward in the nose and in the beginning. Lots of vanilla is present. Mouthfeel is amazing, i can drink this all day. Warming towards the end, I would love to see this after a year.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2013 22:03:37 | More by Justinsosmart

dar482

New York

4.9/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

It comes in a rusty copper color.

The aroma is a nutty with sweet vanilla, mellow coconut. It has a familiar aroma to BCBS with its oak and vanilla. The sweetness is quite obvious with dark sugary malt with a heavy malt backbone.

The beer hits you with a sweet caramel and maple syrup flavor. Then the pop of fresh vanilla pods smack you and grows all over the mouth. There is a coconut, dark brown sugar. It keeps exploding and changing in flavors with every sip. The end has a big booze and smokey bourbon flavor. The beer is almost like sweet vanilla malty extract.

The body is medium/heavy with low carbonation. A surprising thing about this beer is the easy finish without a cloying sweetness.

The booziness eventually gets quite obvious and in your face. However, the complexity and flavor is almost unmatchable for any beer style. I generally would prefer hops in a barleywine, but this is world class.

However, having this aged from 2012 on tap at Brouwerij Lane, I prefer this fresh. With age, the booze mellows, but as does the big bold flavors. It becomes less complex and bold. Not that it is not still amazing, but I just prefer the wide range of flavors that the fresh one has.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2013 22:53:21 | More by dar482

LegalBrew87

California

4.46/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This beer is incredibly good.

A: murky brownish red with little to no head that fades quickly. Looks like a pretty standard BW.

S: huge bourbon and oak character but in a very non-boozy way. It's hard to get past the bourbon but there's also some vanilla, toffee sweetness and some fruitiness.

T: not nearly as much bourbon as the nose and I'm glad. Such a great tasting beer...smooth sweetness and typical BW flavors. If I had a complaint it would be that the beer smells much more complex than it tastes. Almost no alcohol is detectable outside of a slight warming sensation.

M: creamy mouthfeel with great carbonation.

O: I'm not a huge drinker of BWs but this is by far the best I've tasted. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 20:22:51 | More by LegalBrew87

magictacosinus

California

4.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

§ucaba, we meet at last... I have dreamt of this beer for eons, and indeed, finally tasting it has been a journey well waited. Poured into a tulip glass from a 22oz bottle. 2013 vintage. No bottling date, but I know this was released in February.

Pours a deep, almost purple ruby, near opaque appearance when set close to the light, and a dark, ruby-red cloudy appearance when held against the light. The initial head on this thing was marvelous, rising completely in the tulip and lasting a good 10-15 minutes before settling down. A ring aggressively persists at the top, which is great given the high ABV. Extremely viscous - maybe the most viscous barleywine I've seen to date, and that's saying a lot. Lacing coats the glass in large droplets, which is astonishing. Bubbles and slight sediment abound inside this, give this a lively, jubilant appearance in midst of the intimidating, thickened look. A work of art.

At the aroma, you get whacked in the face immediately with sweetened, stinging booze, only to follow with a variety of complex and diverse flavors. Juicy brandy notes, vanilla from the bourbon, a touch of American oak, raisins, vinous, caramelized grapes, a buttery, woody finish, and a persistant sweetness that appears to last a good long while. There's an elevated hoppy profile here, to my surprise, often feeling floral, but the sweetened, syrupy malts are the stars here, only separating themselves from the high booze and woody, bourbon/brandy combo. Not necessarily my favorite thing to sniff on (very astringent and harsh at times), but still exquisite.

However, upon taking my first sip, I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat. This is absolutely delicious. At first, you get an initial touch of the brandy/bourbon flavors, coated with dried figs, plums, raisins, vanilla, honey, maybe a touch of coconut, combined with well integrated tannins from the oak. Then, as soon as the initial touch of sweetness and fruity complexity passes, you get a stinging yet exciting boozy sensation, combined with syrupy, toasty malts, a little bit of citrus and grassiness, and then a finish that is enormously buttery, thick, and silky - almost to the point where this feels like it's melting right in your mouth. It could be liked to a blood orange cream sorbet, but it's far more complex than that. Simply put, the vanilla, and brandy and bourbon combo combined with the syrupy toasted malts and fruity, resinous profile is unlike anything I've had before. No alcohol burn to speak of. Sticky, dry, slightly astringent, but definitely full bodied. Absolutely hedonistic and decadent to the highest degree. It's a sipper, no doubt, but it all goes down like a charm no matter how much it warms up.

Wow!! I knew people were head over heels in love with this thing, but now after having it I see why. This transcends the barleywine style as we know it, integrating the best of brandy, bourbon, and American white oak flavors, as well as incorporating a British malty goodness with a West Coast hop grassy profile at the finish. Undeniably complex, and I'm kicking myself for not buying a bottle or two extra to see how a vintage this great would end up tasting in a year or two. Not an everyday beer, but undeniably delicious. Can't wait to try Parabola and DDBA as well, and immerse myself with FW's incredible barrel program! This is pivotal for sure. Every fan of barleywines and barrel-aged beers must check it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:58:49 | More by magictacosinus

yamar68

Minnesota

4.66/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big old thanks to sleuthdog for hooking me up with a long-time want. 2013 vintage:

The body is a murky red brown, with a touch of visible beading... almost like a port. Above that, there's a boozy looking set of carb - half finger of beige head retains well, leaving behind both spotty lace and imposing looking alcohol legs.

Huge vanilla, oak, sweet bourbon, toffee, dark red fruits, licorice or molasses, brown sugar maybe... mushy cherries, more vanilla... smells fantastic.

Wow. So... yeah. Wow. All the complexities of the nose converge on the palate to form something entirely unique. Like a bourbon/vanilla/cherry sundae with a perfectly reserved sense of sweetness. There's a nice underlying biscuit flavor that provides a great base flavor for an otherwise rather extreme beer.

This is exceptional stuff. Far exceeded my expectations, as I haven't been wowed by a barleywine in many moons. Well done Firestone Walker. Well done indeed.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 01:05:13 | More by yamar68

4amepiphany

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Had on tap a few months ago at twisted spoke, and from a bomber last night. Not sure the year on tap, bottle is from 2013.

The Sucaba I had on tap was delicious. Very strong bourbon notes, vanilla.. appearance was a very dark black, but not opaque. Thin lacing of head, and smelled very similar to BCS which I had on the side. The taste is spectacular, probably my favorite barleywine, but I don't typically drink this style of beer. Out of a bottle, it is not so complex, a little thinner, but the flavor is there. It is also quite boozy in comparison to the tap. Makes me think the Sucaba on tap was from a year or more ago. Definitely excited to try the other bottles I have in the cellar.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2013 04:43:38 | More by 4amepiphany

jdhowe

California

4.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I've been sitting on this bottle for a couple months but have been looking for excuses to crack it open and finally manufactured one and invited friends over to help consume it this evening. I wanted to get an idea of how this beer is fresh so that subsequent tastings of it aged can be duly informed.

2013 vintage, "fresh" 10 May 2013

A: Deep red, ruby, burgundy color, transparent through the glass to a light source. A light khaki head forms a thin layer and quickly dissipates to minor sticky lacing. I don't expect much head stability in a 12.5% abv beer like this.

S: Oh my damn. This is fantastic. Strong coconut, bourbon, vanilla, toffee notes immediately assault the nose. A sugary sweetness of candy is present... this beer is going to be indulgent. Blind this doesn't smell too far off from Parabola (some things are missing, of course, and others present), leaving me to suspect I'm picking up almost entirely barrel character over beer character, but I don't mind, because it's absolutely amazing. The alcohol is masked perfectly.

T: After the nose, the flavor comes on just a little weak in comparison, but holds the same character. The vanilla steps up to take the lead followed closely by bourbon and coconut and everything else behind, and only in the finish (and more on warming) do I get the barleywine character in the taste... otherwise this beer seems more like a vehicle for delivery of delicious barrel flavors. Alcohol warms the finish enough that you know this beer is high in alcohol content, and is a primary contributor to the "weaker" flavor in comparison to the nose... which isn't to say anything bad about the flavor, because it's also delicious.

M: Sucaba drinks smoothly with minimal carbonation. The mouthfeel is very appropriate to the style and pleasant for such a nice sipping beer.

O: I quite enjoyed this, despite typically not liking barleywines very much. The barrel aged character of this beer imparted wonderful flavors that balanced beautifully with the beer, although they did seem to take over the beer and mostly use it as a vehicle for barrel deliciousness delivery. I was glad that I was able to split this bottle 5 ways, because with that size of pour I am left excited to revisit another bottle in 6 months or a year. I definitely could not have enjoyed it as much had I finished a bottle by myself, even if the alcohol content was not an issue. Another great barrel-aged offering from Firestone Walker that I would advocate anyone trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 06:56:38 | More by jdhowe

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Huge props go out to wyatt13 for sending this bottle my way. Big time 'want.' Cracked this one on my birthday. Poured into a tulip glass.

Pour yields a much darker appearance than expected. Dark plum color. Lots of bubbles creeping up the glass edge slowly feeding the frothy beige cap. Rings of lace left after each wonderful sip.

Aromas of sweet oaky bourbon, vanilla, dark fruits, slight ethanol burn.

This beer is surprisingly creamy and smooth. Full mouth if there ever is one. This beer is meant to be sipped and enjoyed slowly. Yet, I couldn't help slowly gulping it as the flavors melded so well. The bourbon is present, imparting a mellow sweetness, but it holds back from really overtaking the base. Toasted vanilla beans, fig, plum, toffee finish. The alcohol is dangerously underplayed.

This beer was a treat. Sweeter than expected, but not overbearingly so. Loved this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 19:41:56 | More by Onenote81

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.96/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had the pleasure of having Firestone Walker's English-style Barleywine, Sucaba, at Lord Hobo in Cambridge, MA in late-March (yes, I have quite the backlog of reviews to do...they're coming along). It was incredible, to say the least. Read on to hear just HOW good.

Appearance (5/5): Sucaba pours a very dark brown with a small off-white/light khaki head. The head doesn't stay around too long, not that I would expect that from a beer of its strength. Pretty red highlights against the light; this is a good-looking barleywine, for sure.

Smell (5/5): This barleywine has a wonderful barrel character to it: I'm getting some vanilla and bourbony-boozy notes. One of the most noticeable aromas actually is toasted coconut, which you don't get too often in a beer. It's a fantastic note that I wish showed up more often in imperial stout. You can tell that this beer is sweet but has nicely rounded edges; it's not a sticky, sickly sweet mess.

Taste (5/5): Sucaba has serious barrel aged characteristics: I'm getting bourbon, vanilla, coconut, but no serious alcohol heat. That comes on after you've already swallowed and manifests itself, rather tamely, as a warming sensation in the chest. Leather, dark chocolate. Very very malty, but not syrupy or cloyingly sweet, which is incredible. Lingering bitterness and burnt sugar flavors finish this baby off. Incredible complexity. The best tasting barleywine that I have ever had.

Mouthfeel (5/5): Sucaba is smoothness incarnate. Not a jagged edge on this beer to be found, and it's disturbingly easy to drink–but DON'T drink this one quickly...let it warm and savor the changing character as the beer creeps toward room temperature. The body is appropriately full and the carbonation level is right where it should be–low, that is. This beer has the velvet touch. It's not aggressive even though it packs a ton of flavor.

Overall (5/5): Absolutely outstanding. Easily one of the best beers in the style. Take this one slow and appreciate true craftsmanship.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2013 20:36:46 | More by hagbergl

MrBoh

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Extremely high hopes here, the last 48hrs of waiting were ridiculous.

Poured into a sampling snifter...

A little head, pretty dark that dissipated quickly. Pretty dark, almost a soda color. Soda-y fizz. Enticing appearance, but wasn't "beer-y" enough for me to give a very high score.

Strong smell of wood, not astringent at all really. I get some kind of cheery scent also.

Strong wood flavor. Then I get a little wine-y character, followed by a black cherry, chocolate kind of taste. The oak taste brings both charred and fresh character. You know it's strong by tasting, but it presents it very well. A really strong smoke flavor starts to develop, replacing a lot of the fruitiness, chocolate has been gone. Not as strong as a smoked beer, but a lot even for a beer aged this long. It all works well together, which may be the best part (because it is the most important)

This is thick. Full freakin' bodied. Not a fizzy taste (luckily). A little bitter, and a little alcohol feel in the back of the throat.

To say the least, I'm excited to try aging one. Very original beer. A Fun try, one of the better BW's I've had.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 23:28:03 | More by MrBoh

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

4.89/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2013 Vintage purchased in January. Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours a murky, semi-opaque, dark ruby-brown, with a wispy half-finger beige head. Tiny dots of lacing, but mostly just slides back into the glass.

S - Powerful aroma of toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, pipe tobacco, red wine, sandlewood, dark chocolate, and the slightest hint of spruce. Complex.

T - Extremely robust flavors of toffee, vanilla, anise, leather, toasted oak chips, bourbon, mint, date and black cherry. Rich dark chocolate flavor develops as it warms. Absolutely amazing. 6 out of 5. Surprisingly smooth for such a young barley wine. Unlike some barrel aged beers, the wood deepens and enriches the flavor profile as opposed to overwhelming it.

M - Medium bodied, but with very low carbonation. Works well for the small sips one surely takes when drinking this. Alcohol has a stinging effect on the back of the throat.

O - Wow. A masterpiece, and may be the single best barleywine I have tasted. World class all the way, and worth every penny of the purchase price. Nothing else to say besides if you haven't had it, get it.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 05:01:22 | More by TempeBeerMan

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2013 vintage poured into a Teku...

A: Pours a deep ruby red/brown with about a half finger of light tan head. The foam settles fairly quickly, leaving a tiny ring of bubbles around the edges of the glass. There is some spotty lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is wonderful. I get a lot of vanilla, caramel, toffee, plums and black cherries. There is also an undeniable barrel aged booziness to the beer as well. It's prominent in the beer, but it's not overwhelming. Great balance.

T: The beer starts out sweet with a nice helping of caramel, light vanilla oak, and mild raisin. The beer transitions a into a good helping of bourbon heat, but it's never over the top. It's just right. The flavors mix as the beer moves to the back end and it finishes sweet and boozy. Love it.

M: Full bodied beer. It's syrupy and coating, a bit sticky, and finishes sweet with a great alcohol burn.

O: Excellent beer. This is one of the best English Barleywines that money can buy. Seriously love this beer. It makes me wish it was available all year long. So good.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 14:42:33 | More by trxxpaxxs

Veazus

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2013 25oz...I own multiple bottles for aging, but I find myself caving and opening a bottle whenever a friend questions barleywines or cites KBS as the best barrel-aged; this beer is far superior to most bourbon aged beers...the craftsmanship is ridiculous.

A - pours a ruby red; as you pour you can see the medium to thick body. A 1/4 inch head with perfect carbonation.

S - boozy with vanilla, with a yeast undertone throughout...the sweetness is apparent as well.

T - the booze is upfront, not pushy but not secondary. Vanilla hits immediately after the bourbon, followed by some dark fruit, with a constant sweetbread undertone. The bourbon lasts and is the first to the party and the last to leave; inhabiting the chest as it goes down and exiting the nose as a bourbon vapor should.

M - thicker than medium, but won't choke you. Perfect carbonation...slight fizz to the swallow; much more carbonation than people are citing.

Overall - its a 5. I dont feel this way lightly. Many beers are so close to great, but not quite there. The presentation begins the experience: the box packaging, the bottle size (12oz would be entirely too small), the label, and the ruby-red color...all build a respectful anticipation. Like awaiting a world series game 7.

Once you begin to taste the beer you fully realize the skill in creating this old ale. It's layered perfectly, begging for a drinker to revisit and pick out it's characteristics...Sucaba begs you to share, showing people what passion and craftsmanship, when married, will produce.

This beer is exquisite.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 07:30:46 | More by Veazus

n2185

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

3 year vertical of 2013, 2012, and 2011 bottles.

A:
2013: pours dark brown with a finger of beige head thades into a bubbly ring with a little lacing.
2012: about the same.
2011: also about the same.

S:
2013: lots of caramel, vanilla, dates, citrus, oak, vanilla, oak, and bourbon dominate along with sweet breads.
2012: lots more vanilla and caramel in the nose here. Oak and smooth rum-like aromas follow with slight dark fruit notes as well.
2011: loads of vanilla and caramel with oak, Port-like aromas and sweet rum.

T:
2013: similar to the aroma, tons of vanilla and caramel with dates, oak and bourbon following suit. The finish is sweet and hearty with surprisingly little alcohol burn.
2012: vanilla and caramel dominate here as well with oak and bourbon being a bit more subdued. Sweet breads and slight alcohol warmth bring up the finish.
2011: loads of sticky sweet caramel and vanilla with oak, Port, and rum flavors. The finish sticky sweet with almost no alcohol burn.

M:
2013: medium-thick body with lowish carbonation, this beer is sticky sweet, but not overly so.
2012: medium-thick body with low carbonation, this beer is a bit less watery and more sticky than the 2013.
2011: medium-thick body with low carbonation, this beer is sticky sweet and coats the mouth.

O:
2013: delicious and tastes great. Super smooth for a fresh bbal barleywine.
2012: still delicious. The 2012 is sweeter and smoother than the 2013. Still very enjoyable.
2011: still quite tasty, though bordering on too sweet.

Overall, I'd say between 0-1 years is best for this beer. It gets a bit sweet with two years.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 00:52:09 | More by n2185

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Deepak for breaking out a batch #1 at a recent tasting.

Deep darker amber pour, with a small beige head that retained as a thin ringlet. Nice sugary nose, toffee and brown sugar, raisins, bourbon, and surprisingly, quite a bit of the wood/barrel profile remained even after aging for a couple years. The aroma was reflected in the taste, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, hint of vanilla, bourbon barrel, raisins, herbal and earthy hops in the distance. Chewy mouthfeel, full body. A great barleywine overall. I have a few bottles of other vintages that I'm looking forward to sampling soon.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 10:21:29 | More by Rifugium

WesM63

Ohio

4.76/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2012 poured into a tulip style glass

A: Pours a deep, dark, murky brown with a tiny 1/4" head. Little to no retention or lacing.

S: Tons of barrel (oak, vanilla) and some lingering malts.

T: Wow. Bang on the nose. Plenty of barrel followed by a big hit of malt sweetness finished by some caramel/toffee sweetness.

M: Full body, minor carbonation. The smallest hit of burn trickles down the throat into the stomach.

O: This is outstanding. Remember this review is based on a beer that is pushing 6-8months old. Huge drinkable, layered barrel aged barley wine. Drink one fresh, save one for later. Trust me, it's worth it.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 03:53:59 | More by WesM63

smerrell

Pennsylvania

4.86/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2013 barrel aged Sucaba

A: deep cola-like appearance
S: port wine, dried fruit, notes of hot alcohol
T: raisin, almost root-beer like. The alcohol isn't nearly as hot as you might expect from a 12.5% bottle
M: a lot of carbonation helps to keep it from being too cloying

O: I have been looking forward to trying this one, and I'm glad I did. It is sweet, but not disappointingly sweet. A great example of American Barley Wine; it kept me coming back for more. Firestone Walker does not disappoint

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 23:25:40 | More by smerrell

TheSixthRing

California

3.78/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

2013 release

Appearance - Pours a deep, dark ruby rust with an off-white, finger width head. Fair retention, leaving a broken layer of microbubbles to cover the surface. Lacing is spotty at best, with little stick.

Smell - Strong, boozy bourbon notes; vanilla and oak. Mild chocolate.

Taste - Follows the nose. Strong oaky bourbon character, with lesser notes of vanilla and chocolate. Heat from the alcohol is naked and aggressive, hitting near the finish.

Mouthfeel - Full body with low carbonation. Near syrupy. Goes down smooth before the heat kicks in with a bone dry finish.

Overall - The more barrel-aged beers I try, the more I realize I'm just not that into them. I'm not a fan of hard liquor, because I don't much like the taste, and I don't like that drying 'alcohol burn' sensation. I can understand why this beer has a 100 score on here; it's phenomenally crafted. Clean, well-attuned layers of flavor. At the end of the day, though, it's just not my bag. Too much alcohol burn for me to truly enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:22:28 | More by TheSixthRing

sjones5045

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Aged 1 year. Pours darkish brown with decent head. Maybe the best smelling beer of all time. A bit of malty bourbon that reall complements the barley wine notes. Kind of a syrup smell too. This is as smooth as smooth gets for a bourbon aged barley wine. Best in class in the bourbon barrel aged beers. This lives up to the hype and would definitely seek this out. Can't say enough positives about the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:43:48 | More by sjones5045

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Thanx SammyJaxxx:

2013 bottle

Into a chalice:

A: dark brown (almost black) with light red highlights around the edges, one finger white foamy head slowly concaves and clings to the sides of the chalice, some light clingy lacing spider webs a bit but falls eventually

S: bourbon up front - very powerful throughout my 2 hour sipping period, some charred oak, vanilla, black licorice, light tobacco, light chocolate, and light raisins

T: mainly sweet and sticky through the previously mentioned flavors, light caramel coming out, sweet sticky aftertaste with a sweet dry finish

M: medium to heavy, not sessionable - this is one to be sipped as I did over 2 hours as the alcohol is felt pretty well, adequate carbonation, slightly creamy

O: though I wish I could've aged this a bit longer, I'm tryin' to clear my cellar as I've movin' soon, and I probably had this one a bit too early as the alcohol was probably felt a bit too much. I say that was my fault so I won't knock off points for that. I will continue to say that this is still very complex and well done

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 17:33:39 | More by kangarooAdam59

WolfsbaneBloom

Illinois

4.74/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2013 bottle

Appearance: Pours a deep, rich brown (almost black) with ruby highlights. Not a lot of foam on this one. Less than a finger of tan head.

Smell: Where to start?! An intoxicating aroma of bourbon, charred oak, vanilla, black licorice, light tobacco, and subtle hints of Montmorency cherries, red wine, coconut, and raisins. A heavenly experience for the olfactory lobes.

Taste: Follows the nose fairly closely. If I were to sum up the flavor with just three words, they would be "bourbon", "oak", and "vanilla". But there's also a little bit of baking chocolate and some caramel as well as fleeting hints of the aromas mentioned above. At 12.5% its not surprising that there's a good deal of alcohol heat, making this a slow sipper.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy bodied with fairly low carbonation. Goes down smooth with a little kick in the finish.

Overall, this was a stunning and wonderfully complex barrel-aged English-style barleywine. I've had quality beer from Firestone Walker in the past but this is on a whole other level of greatness.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 21:26:18 | More by WolfsbaneBloom

Immortale25

Florida

4.59/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Due South Brewing Co. snifter. Box says 2013.

A- Pours a semi-opaque dark brown color with a 1/2 inch tan head that retains slightly before becoming a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a small streak of surface foam. Slippery lacing leaves a broken ring behind on the glass.

S- Chocolate, caramel and cookie dough dominate the nose very pleasantly. Booze is present but distant except when deep sniffs are taken.

T- Malt is teetering between toasty and roasty with a firm but non-intrusive alcohol flavor. The hops provide just enough bitterness to balance the caramel-like sweetness of the malt. Quite smooth for the ABV. There's a slight smoke flavor but it commingles with the sweetness enough to make for a hickory/honey/maple barbecue sauce note. Hard to pin down but enjoyable. Man, is this complex. Becomes more boozy as it warms.

M- Not as full as expected given the color but that's not a bad thing. The alcohol brings a bit of a sting but is subdued enough to be overlooked. Medium-low carbonation.

O- Not the first FW beer to leave me pretty much speechless and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:15:52 | More by Immortale25

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.54/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 vintage served to me with a deep ruby body and a ring of bubbly off-white/khaki head.

The nose is full of rich caramel, toffee, vanilla, wood, and bourbon.

This tastes exquisite. Caramel ,toffee, vanilla, coconut, bourbon/alcohol peeks through a bit as well as a touch of chocolate and cherry fruitiness. Damn.

Subtle bubbly carbonation with a nice smooth medium bodied mouthfeel.

Easily the best barleywine I have had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 02:35:13 | More by MattSweatshirt