Sleepin' With Shaggy - Green Flash Brewing Co.

ehammond1

California

3.08/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

Bottle (2013)

Thanks for the gift, cocoapuph!

Very dark brown body with a huge, quickly forming, and incredibly persistent head of light brown bubbles. Over-carbonated, especially for the style. This started to gush some upon opening. Once the head settles down, what's left is a very pretty barrel-aged barleywine, but before then it's largely just a glass of bubbles. I'll split the difference and call it average.

A flawed aroma, though there are some sweet, somewhat charred caramel candy notes peeking through which is nice. Lots and lots of oak character. Unfortunately, there's also some herbal qualities I don't particularly care for (juniper is actually really accurate--nice call Subpoena!), and the booze is quite present, especially on bigger whiffs. Some strengths, but definite weaknesses.

The flavor is just slightly better than the aroma, but it suffers from similar failings. Juniper, booze, lots of oak, and earthy and sweet brandy combine. There's elements of charred caramel candies as well. The flavor don't integrate particularly well, but they're not bad either.

The true failing of this beer. Very high carbonation, especially upon the first few sips seems akin to Pop Rocks or something similar. Aggressive carbonation, as in, they seem to be attacking my mouth. The mouthfeel gets better after swirling out a lot of the carbonation, but I shouldn't have to do that.

Overall, very disappointing, but not bad in the true sense of the word.

This gets better the more it warms and once the carbonation is knocked down to nearly zero (where it belongs).

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:59:47 | More by ehammond1

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-21-2013 13:25:34 | More by mendvicdog

duceswild

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-21-2013 04:56:18 | More by duceswild

mcdonald422

California

5/5  rDev +26.3%

05-21-2013 03:25:34 | More by mcdonald422

coz

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%

05-19-2013 05:41:28 | More by coz

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-14-2013 03:19:52 | More by t0rin0

Dirtinabottle

New York

4/5  rDev +1%

05-10-2013 03:47:07 | More by Dirtinabottle

brycevolk

Ohio

3/5  rDev -24.2%

05-06-2013 14:48:26 | More by brycevolk

drummermattie02

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -36.9%

05-05-2013 18:58:29 | More by drummermattie02

angrygrimace

California

4.84/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours nice and deep red. Little bit of yeast sediment left in the bottle.

The beer smells a bit boozy, but at the same time sweet and nutty, a bit like candied pecans. But the taste is not boozy at all; in fact, this is the smoothest Barleywine I've ever had.

The taste is strongly of nuts (which is weird since its a Brandy Barrel aged beer), particularly liquid pecans as suggested by the smell, but the finish is oaky and very, very reminiscent of Walnuts. It just tastes fantastic. This is an amazing beer that's completely underrated, particularly in comparison to its brother beer Silva Stout. This beer is better than Silva Stout. Mouthfeel is great, super smooth for its ABV.

Great beer. Hard to get, but seek it out if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 07:46:54 | More by angrygrimace

FLBeerGuy

Florida

4/5  rDev +1%

04-28-2013 22:33:02 | More by FLBeerGuy

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-28-2013 19:40:03 | More by iL0VEbeer

nrs207

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

04-28-2013 01:45:06 | More by nrs207

comfortablynumb1

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

04-27-2013 00:43:15 | More by comfortablynumb1

bradfordjohnson

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-22-2013 22:44:11 | More by bradfordjohnson

AlexChillton

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-22-2013 22:05:41 | More by AlexChillton

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1%

04-19-2013 02:58:47 | More by stereosforgeeks

mhenson42

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

04-16-2013 17:43:51 | More by mhenson42

BColton1

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-13-2013 11:48:40 | More by BColton1

st9647v3

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-13-2013 02:56:50 | More by st9647v3

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -24.2%

04-11-2013 00:50:38 | More by Atomicskis5

thegerm87

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

04-10-2013 02:59:08 | More by thegerm87

unclejazz

New York

4.16/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Had this at a bottle share a while back, but now sitting down and having a bottle proper.

A-solid 2 finger cream colored head on a deep mahogany body. Not too much lacing.

S-oak, lots and lots of oak. There is some fig and molasses followed some bready malt.

T-oak leads off and that is followed by fig and brandy. I get some hop resin in the back end. This reminds me a bit of BB4D, but quite a bit more oak and less sweetness.

M-really great. Between the hop bitterness and the heavy mouthfeel there is a great balance. Strong carbonation throughout

O-very solid overall, different but good. Nice to see the hops in this American Barleywine.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 01:21:19 | More by unclejazz

portia99

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz bottle received as a great extra in a recent trade with grandmeaulnes. Big thanks for this one! Poured into a Brooklyn snifter.

A - Pours a dark brown color with a touch of muddiness. A huge two finger pillow of dense dark tan foam shows excellent staying power and leaving lots of sheet-like lacing on the glass.

S - Powerful aromatics here. Figs and raisins up front blended with molasses and black licorice, burnt sugar, wood, brandy booziness.

T - Molasses and brown sugar, a touch buttery, burnt sugar, a bit of char, lingering figs, noticeable brandy, tobacco, woody oak, medium hop bitterness, traces of orangey citrus in the background.

M - Medium full body with a rather aggressive carbonation for the style. Carbonation is very tingly and a touch foamy in the mouth. Noticeable, but fairly well controlled alcohol warmth with just a bit of a burn on the back of the throat after the swallow. I think a lower carbonation level would be more appropriate here, but just a minor complaint...just seems like there is a bit too much going on with the high carbonation level.

O - Very good BA barleywine. Haven't had many brandy barrel aged beers to compare to, but this is quite good on its own. Complex flavors, not overly sweet and well done barreling. Quite smooth and goes down a bit easier than your typical sipper beer (which this still easily qualifies for).

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 20:59:10 | More by portia99

LambicKing

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

03-31-2013 02:43:54 | More by LambicKing