Santa Vs. Unicorn
Pipeworks Brewing Company

Santa Vs. UnicornSanta Vs. Unicorn
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Pipeworks Brewing Company
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
10%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 10.03%
Reviews:
47
Ratings:
261
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 08, 2019
Added:
Dec 15, 2012
Wants:
  43
Gots:
  47
Father Christmas, Head Beardo, St. Nicholas Cage, a man of many names he may be, yet he has but one true foe... This Holiday Season, the Unicorn is back bearing his mantle of rainbowed chaos, and this time, it’s seasonal bitches. An Imperial Red Ale, American Style Barleywine or Red Double IPA call it what you will, grab one and get your Jollies while the holiday fight is on...
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Unknown vintage; drank 6/14/14 @ Yuss Haus.

Dark orange rust murkiness.

Off-white head; thick lace.

Pine hops in the nose; hints of caramel.

Thick mouthfeel.

Caramel, citrus, pine & booze battle for supremacy; the result is a mess with no cohesion.

Not good.
Sep 08, 2019
Photo of PatrickCT
Reviewed by PatrickCT from Connecticut

3.77/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Thanks for the beer, Matt!

Rich copper body, cloudy but not turbid. Beige head disappears as I pour leaving a thick ring around the glass.
Caramel malts, grapefruit and pine hop aroma.
The taste is toasted malts, caramel and toffee. This barely wine has a good dose of hops. Citrus rind and and fresh pine.
Medium bodied. Lighter than I would have expected. Smooth over all but with an alcohol presence in the finish along with a good spicy bite from the hops. Highly carbonated for the style.

Winsome, like most Pipeworks.
Dec 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by hopkrid from Florida

Jul 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.59 by edthehead from Maryland

Jun 29, 2018
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle: Poured a copper color ale with a medium size off-white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of caramelized malt with some light green hoppy notes is quite enticing. Taste is a nice mix of caramelized malt notes with some light dry green hoppy notes, small residual sugar notes with a somewhat dry finish. Body is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. I prefer English style barleywine but this version is well balanced with hops and quite enjoyable.
May 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by Beerhemoth from Illinois

Jan 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by hoosier222002 from Illinois

Jan 07, 2018
Photo of michaelsmith11
Reviewed by michaelsmith11 from Illinois

4.02/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not sure what this is. I was expecting a barley wine but it's more like and ale. That's not to say it not good, just not what I expected. Way more hoppy than I expected with a medium mouth feel and a dry finish.
Dec 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.62 by PBRmeasap1980 from Indiana

Aug 17, 2017
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle into a tulip snifter. Bottled 11/18/16, had 2/14/17.

Pours a medium amber/garnet, mostly clear, with a one and a half inch foamy head and a good amount of foamy lacing. The smell is pine, resin, some grapefruit, floral hops, yeast, malt, toffee. The taste is more substantial. Grapefruit, pine, malt, caramel, light yeast. A little bready. A good amount of hop bitterness throughout, a sweet spot midway. The malt takes over when fully warmed. Smooth, good level of carbonation, a good, medium body, but a touch light for the style.

Very good flavor and good aroma. No dark fruits here, seemed more like a DIPA or amber/red than barleywine at times. Reaper kicks Santa's butt, if you compare. Worth a try, though. It's still pretty good.
Jun 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.27 by jvillefan from California

Jan 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by TheEpeeist from Maryland

Dec 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by kylemckinnis from Colorado

Dec 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by ONovoMexicano from New Mexico

Dec 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.45 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Dec 24, 2016
Photo of bnes09
Rated by bnes09 from Illinois

3.67/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A little too bitter and unbalanced.
Dec 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Winston3737 from Michigan

Dec 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by fosters9 from New York

Dec 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by mdaschaf from Indiana

Sep 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by jtransel from Illinois

Sep 10, 2016
Santa Vs. Unicorn from Pipeworks Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 261 ratings