Small Batch Series No. 3: English Style Barleywine - Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

starkmarvelo

Texas

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ranger Creek Small Batch #3

A- Pour a hazy reddish brown with a huge 3-4 finger off white chunky head. Looks great.

S- interestingly enough, this smells like a sour beer. Getting a lot of sour funk, barnyard, and fruit.

T- so, not sour at all. No funk. A slight touch of red fruit up front followed by good amounts of toffee and caramel. The finish is very biscuity and has a big buttered popcorn flavor. It's not off putting, but still not expected.

M- this is a full, creamy, buttery beer with a good amount of carbonation. Sticky and coats the tongue well.

O- not a bad beer. This is my least favorite of the three Small Batches. The buttery flavor is slightly out of place. The smell doesn't match the flavor in the least. I did notice that the warmer the beer gets, the more fruit flavors come out and the buttered popcorn fades away a bit. It's a very malty Barleywine. Good for cold weather.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:09:57 | More by starkmarvelo

WritersBlock

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%

05-18-2013 06:40:37 | More by WritersBlock

Cvescalante

Texas

1.5/5  rDev -58.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

This one was definitely infected. I have high hopes for Ranger Creek. The potential for their barrel aging program seems to be incredible for them, and I hope to see them do well in the future... But as for this beer, it went straight down the drain.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:39:23 | More by Cvescalante

videofrog

Texas

2.65/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 2.75

Poured a 12oz waxed bottle into a Duvel tulip. Handwritten bottle date of 10-9-12. Stored at 50 degrees in my wine fridge since Christmas. Rumors of infection for Small Batches 3 & 4. Let's see if I tempted fate by sitting on this for six months.

A: Dark, cloudy orange with a towering off-white 4-finger head. Head takes a long time to settle as it finally settles into a thin rim leaving sticky lacing lines down the glass.

S: Sour and sour. Uh-oh. Brett funk and barrel come through as it warms up. Not much else.

T: Vinous sour note is up front. Earthy/spicy hops muted, but there. Oak and funk in the dry finish. Slight alcohol bitterness that warms as you sip.

M: Thick with the carb a little high for an English Barleywine.

O: Was hoping for the best, but it looks like I ended up with an infected bottle. Too bad, because I think an uninfected bottle would more than likely be a hell of a beer. Totally missed the malt complexities due to infection. I missed SB 1 and had SB 2 on draught multiple times. I still have Small Batches 4 & 5 awaiting.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:26:32 | More by videofrog

TOP

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

05-12-2013 01:02:25 | More by TOP

kevindp9

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

05-11-2013 21:05:35 | More by kevindp9

jl28r1

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

05-10-2013 00:51:48 | More by jl28r1

rph97

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

05-09-2013 22:26:21 | More by rph97

UCLABrewN84

California

4.01/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to womencantsail for sharing this one at GRG1313’s tasting.

Bottled 10/8/12.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a thick cap on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour and tart with fruit, acidic, and woody aromas. Taste is much the same with a Brett-like flavor on the finish. There is a medium amount of woody bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is funky and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:21:40 | More by UCLABrewN84

jheezee

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-23-2013 01:21:37 | More by jheezee

SavvyStudent

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-21-2013 19:08:01 | More by SavvyStudent

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

04-18-2013 19:32:03 | More by browniewithnuts

ryancl

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-06-2013 03:00:07 | More by ryancl

ExaltedNecrosis

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%

03-31-2013 00:40:48 | More by ExaltedNecrosis

ChrisKuhns

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-25-2013 02:41:23 | More by ChrisKuhns

BJasny

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-08-2013 03:49:37 | More by BJasny

duff247

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%

02-25-2013 00:37:07 | More by duff247

drummermattie02

Texas

2/5  rDev -44.4%

02-20-2013 16:45:57 | More by drummermattie02

wtkphoto

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

02-13-2013 17:26:23 | More by wtkphoto

zonker17

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

02-13-2013 01:20:34 | More by zonker17

Azzy

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +25%

02-07-2013 06:19:35 | More by Azzy

bccocx

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%

01-30-2013 21:40:47 | More by bccocx

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a cork and cage bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours dark orange / amber in color with a small off white head that fades and leaves very nice lacing.

S - I was expecting the typical malty notes of an English barleywine, but that's not what you pick up on the nose at all. Funky, sour, barrel aged notes followed by a little bit of sweetness.

T - Wow! Strong sour / lacto taste up front followed by a sweet finish. You get some really nice barrel aged characteristics in there too from the oak as well as some barnyard funk. The ABV is almost completely hidden too. I had to go back and make sure this was really a 10% ABV beer.

M - The mouthfeel is very light and crisp for a barleywine with vine champagne-like carbonation.

O - I absolutely loved this beer, but it was nothing like what I was expecting. If you don't like sour / funky beers and you are looking for a traditional barleywine, this is not for you. I would really like to see what this beer tastes like after aging for a bit too.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 21:21:12 | More by cnbrown313

ThirdEyePA

Texas

1/5  rDev -72.2%

01-27-2013 17:44:37 | More by ThirdEyePA

cfh64

Texas

1/5  rDev -72.2%

01-26-2013 21:19:20 | More by cfh64