Barleywine Style Ale - Green Flash Brewing Co.

wampahoofus

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I let this bottle sit in my basement for almost three years. It was a vintage 2008.

The beer poured cloudy dark amber-brown with a creamy white head with a decent amount of retention and lacing.

The beer has lots of aroma. I smell brown sugar, toffee, and an assertive amount of hops.

The malts have broken down into a sweet, rich brown-sugar sweetness. The flavor is rich and smooth with vanilla, toffee and quite a bit of hops. I am surprised by the level of hops considering the age.

The beer is thick and rich on the palette. The flavor is assertive and rich.

This was worth the time for the aging. I will look for this and cellar a 5 or 6 of these. I highly recommend that you add this to your cellar!

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 20:28:34 | More by wampahoofus

William85

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

This is a well-balanced barleywine; and whereas balance in a barleywine ale is often achieved by sacrificing hoppiness, it seems like Green Flash has sought to emphasize the hop profile and malt profile in roughly equal proportions, without diminishing either.

Although I feel that hop-dominated barleywines work better (though these apparently come too close to DIPAs for some tastes), the sacrifice nothing approach taken here results in an interesting taste/mouthfeel -- an unmistakable smoothness/sweetness is *distinctly* present right next to a downright spicy hop presence in every sip.

Personally, I'll be sticking with Bigfoot and Old Ruffian as my go-to barleywines, but this one is definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 17:40:20 | More by William85

SamJory

United Kingdom (England)

4.65/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

650 ml bomber, 2010 vintage poured into a snifter.

Pours a dark ruby, fairly opaque with an off-white head.

On the nose I immediately get the caramel malt and rich fruity esters along with some hops in there too.

On the palate the fruity esters, caramel malt and hops hit you first, which gives way to a vinous warmth. The aging has given this beer such a beautiful balance - not overly sweet with malt and not overly bitter and more like a double IPA like some other American barleywines. The taste is incredibly smooth, rounded with some piney bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is full, and the finish lasts and lasts. I had this beer a few months ago when it came in from the warehouse from work, and now it's come back it's even better. A very special experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 17:57:07 | More by SamJory

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-13-2013 13:14:28 | More by BeerCon5

LtColFrankSlade

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

05-13-2013 03:43:39 | More by LtColFrankSlade

Lynn

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

05-12-2013 21:27:36 | More by Lynn

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark copper with a large, slowly fading head.
Hoppy aroma, but with a fair bit of malt noticeable underneath. Grapefruit, resinous hops, spicy notes, caramel, bready malt.
Pretty hoppy aggressive flavours. Very sharp pine and grapefruit with accompanying massive bitterness alongside some bready malt. Thick syrupy body.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:52:13 | More by CrazyDavros

Liquoric3

Germany

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

05-02-2013 20:50:58 | More by Liquoric3

beersvh23

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-21-2013 01:39:44 | More by beersvh23

Gagnonsux

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-18-2013 23:56:16 | More by Gagnonsux

Ak555667

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-18-2013 14:34:28 | More by Ak555667

Duff27

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-16-2013 23:28:50 | More by Duff27

samEBC

Belgium

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-15-2013 18:36:23 | More by samEBC

Zuidman

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-15-2013 02:43:34 | More by Zuidman

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-13-2013 16:41:11 | More by DrunkinYogi

hef

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-13-2013 15:32:06 | More by hef

arfenhouse

California

4.24/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2013 vintage.

A: Dark amber with off white head. Good retention and lacing.

S: Good amount of caramel malt. Spicy hops, floral hops, and pine. Orange peel.

T: Sweet caramel and pine combo upfront. Sweet and very slight bitter grain. A touch of spicy hops mixed with orange peel. Finishes with a bit of bitter pine.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Wet finish.

O: My favorite barleywine so far. Good amount of sweetness and bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 06:10:53 | More by arfenhouse

yottachem

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%

04-11-2013 20:58:09 | More by yottachem

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle into snifter, 2011 vintage. Pours very hazy dark reddish brown color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big orange rind, grapefruit, orange zest, pine, caramel, toast, floral, grass, molasses, dark bread, light roast, and floral earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of malt and hop notes. Taste of big orange zest, grapefruit, pine, caramel, molasses, toast, floral, grass, brown sugar, brown bread, light roast, and floral earthiness. Fair amount of pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus zest, caramel, toast, molasses, pine resin, brown sugar, brown bread, light roast, and floral earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible balance and complexity of hop and malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barleywine! Great balance and complexity of malt and hop flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 05:14:46 | More by superspak

MikeCactusGordon

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

04-08-2013 17:21:19 | More by MikeCactusGordon

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.76/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Real nice looking, auburn and clear in the glass with a great, rock-steady head that leaves sticky lacing.

Aroma is caramel malt, a little fruitiness, and some hoppiness. Slightly subdued on the aroma.

Flavor is pretty bold and malt-forward, plenty of caramel malt and dark fruits, some citrus, a good amount of hops bite.

Slightly slick and plenty bitter, the bitterness follows through on the finish big time. A little less viscous than typical barleywines. Carbonation is smooth and about right for the style.

Overall it's a nice, smooth barleywine that meets my expectations for Green Flash's usual high standards.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 17:48:10 | More by AlCaponeJunior

beercanman

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

04-02-2013 09:15:44 | More by beercanman

virinow

New York

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-31-2013 22:31:48 | More by virinow

2beerdogs

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-30-2013 04:08:51 | More by 2beerdogs

aranton

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-26-2013 22:07:17 | More by aranton