Clare's Right Hook - Haymarket Pub & Brewery

emerge077

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Haymarket, sampled during the Bronze and Bombs Haymarket riot documentary benefit.

Crystalline orange, thin layer of offwhite foam, a scant amount of lacing, but there was some initially. Fairly impressive for a 12.5% barrel aged barleywine.

Aromas of rich toffee, butterscotch, caramel sauce, cajeta.

Bold rich flavors of toffee, vanilla, caramel, cajeta. Faint oak that builds in the aftertaste, once the syrupy sweetness fades, its fairly dry. Burly, dense feel, low carbonation and syrupy. Tastes great, potent in small doses. Warm blanket of vanilla, toffee, and light bourbon traces. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 03:17:56 | More by emerge077

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

03-10-2013 18:44:10 | More by spycow

AleApostle

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.5%

10-24-2012 15:48:49 | More by AleApostle

TotallyHosed

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

01-31-2012 19:19:26 | More by TotallyHosed

sgoro

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -13.8%

01-22-2012 03:34:22 | More by sgoro

Pellinore1

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.5%

12-03-2011 02:47:08 | More by Pellinore1

Nitrogenx

Illinois

5/5  rDev +23.2%

12-02-2011 20:07:40 | More by Nitrogenx

beersis81

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.5%

12-02-2011 18:19:59 | More by beersis81

doucmehu

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.5%

12-02-2011 03:55:49 | More by doucmehu

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Haymarket

A- dark copper, faint white head with some lacing

S- bourbon, vanilla, and oak. Some sweet caramel

T- bourbon and vanilla very evident. Sweet caramel and toffee with some bitterness

M- full bodied, a bit of a dry finish

O- I really liked this beer. Not the best barrel aged barleywine but very solid first attempt by Pete

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2011 17:34:39 | More by kawilliams81

MasterSki

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Haymarket. 4oz taster glass.

A - Transparent caramel brown body - filled to the brim. There's a persistent white ring and patch of haze on-tap, but minimal lace left behind.

S - The smell is quintessential Woodford Reserve barrels and barleywine. Huge vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, brown sugar, hint of chocolate, oak, and whiskey. There's a touch of alcohol present, but nothing untoward for 12.5%.

T - The taste is a bit of a step back unfortunately. There's quite a bit of alcohol bite mingling with the oak and burnt sugars. Not enough sweetness, or perhaps its just overpowered. There's a nice Caramilk note mid-palate that I wish had stuck around longer. Alcohol-heavy finish.

M - Lower, but present, carbonation. Smooth medium body, dry tannic, finish, with surprisingly low stickiness. Perhaps a bit undersized for the ABV.

D - I think Haymarket needs to let these barrel-aged offerings mellow a bit before tapping (or bottling them) - I'm talking 3-6 months, and not years here. I know they're excited about their new barrel program, but I get the sense we're not seeing these beers at their peak. My 4oz taster went down pretty quickly, but I think I'd probably struggle with a full 12oz pour.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2011 03:57:11 | More by MasterSki

AgentZero

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A barleywine aged barrel aged in 8 year old Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrels.

A - Brownish yellow beer wirh a small white head that faded to a nice ring.

S - Holy bourbon Batman. Smells like a bourbon bomb. There's lots of bourbon, with some vanilla and barrel in there. It does get much better as it warms with some nice caramel coming through. Has a bit of butter.

T - Initially tastes of almost straight bourbon. As it warms it really tastes of bourbon, but thins out a little bit and brings some of the malt base to the forefront. A bit of caramel and vanilla, some wood. Tastes a little more hot as it warms.

M - Smooth, syrupy, moderate carbonation.

O - Needs some time to cool off, as it is really bourbon heavy. Some of the base beer came out more as it warmed, but then it just started to have a bad alcohol finish on both the nose and the tongue. It's okay, but I imagine their next effort will be better.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2011 18:45:06 | More by AgentZero