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Samuel Adams Griffin's Bow
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- From:
- Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 11.5%
- Score:
- 80
- Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 17.9%
- Reviews:
- 235
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 27, 2017
- Added:
- Oct 28, 2011
- Wants:
- 21
- Gots:
- 73
From the aroma and notes of sweet honeysuckle, pineapple, and grapefruit, to richer hints of burnt sugar, and toffee, this intriguing brew is full of complex flavors. The distinct character of toasted oak adds depth and contrasts the light fruit sweetness. This unique take on a barley wine ale surprises with its smoothness and balance of fruit, hop citrus, and warmth.
Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Zeus
Malts: Two-Row Harrington, Metcalfe, Copeland Pale, Paul’s Caramalt
Aged on toasted oak
Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Zeus
Malts: Two-Row Harrington, Metcalfe, Copeland Pale, Paul’s Caramalt
Aged on toasted oak
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jondeelee:
Reviewed by jondeelee from Massachusetts
3.82/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.82/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Griffin's Bow opens with a nose that is equally hoppy and malty, aromas almost visibly spilling out of the bottle in runnels. On the malty side, the brew boasts huge amounts of sugars, with brown and Candi sugars fighting for dominance against a background of toasted bread crusts, molasses, and fig. The hops bring a good grapefruit, pine, and effervescent lemon counter, obviously present in large quantities themselves. The overall effect is not immediately reminiscent of a Barleywine, but it is heady and demands to be tasted.
On the tongue, the beer opens with a split-second rush of massive sugars, which are almost immediately afterward joined by a huge level of hop bitterness that almost threatens to take over the beer. The sugars bring the aforementioned brown and Candi sugar notes to the brew, and the hops add, again, grapefruit and pine notes. A large amount of black pepper infuses the brew, causing the tongue to tingle. There is, however, a slightly off-putting plant-like taste, the oak aging having added a distinct woody character that is slightly too reminiscent of sucking on twig pith, or biting into grape stems. As well, the alcohol--coming in at a huge 11.5% ABV--is not well-hidden by even the large sugars and hops, giving the beer a distinct tequila-like shooter whang. The aftertaste is a continuation of the tequila and wood flavors, as well as a long-lingering grapefruit and pine hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is a syrupy medium-high, and carbonation is medium to medium-high, adding to the burning sensation on the tongue and soft palate.
Overall, while the nose of Griffin's Bow promised an excellent and well-balanced brew, on the tongue the beer didn't live up to the promise, ending up simply too strong in alcohol and wood-aged flavors, and tasted more like an extra-sugary liquor shot than a beer. So strong are these flavors that a full bottle of the beer--1 pt. 6 fl. oz.--is going to be a little overwhelming for this reviewer, who is going to head downstairs immediately and look for a bland snack such as unbuttered popcorn to help cleanse the palate between sips. Giving the beer a little credit, however, I suspect that a good year or two of aging will help temper these wild flavors greatly, and will likely result in a far more palatable beverage.
Nov 26, 2011On the tongue, the beer opens with a split-second rush of massive sugars, which are almost immediately afterward joined by a huge level of hop bitterness that almost threatens to take over the beer. The sugars bring the aforementioned brown and Candi sugar notes to the brew, and the hops add, again, grapefruit and pine notes. A large amount of black pepper infuses the brew, causing the tongue to tingle. There is, however, a slightly off-putting plant-like taste, the oak aging having added a distinct woody character that is slightly too reminiscent of sucking on twig pith, or biting into grape stems. As well, the alcohol--coming in at a huge 11.5% ABV--is not well-hidden by even the large sugars and hops, giving the beer a distinct tequila-like shooter whang. The aftertaste is a continuation of the tequila and wood flavors, as well as a long-lingering grapefruit and pine hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is a syrupy medium-high, and carbonation is medium to medium-high, adding to the burning sensation on the tongue and soft palate.
Overall, while the nose of Griffin's Bow promised an excellent and well-balanced brew, on the tongue the beer didn't live up to the promise, ending up simply too strong in alcohol and wood-aged flavors, and tasted more like an extra-sugary liquor shot than a beer. So strong are these flavors that a full bottle of the beer--1 pt. 6 fl. oz.--is going to be a little overwhelming for this reviewer, who is going to head downstairs immediately and look for a bland snack such as unbuttered popcorn to help cleanse the palate between sips. Giving the beer a little credit, however, I suspect that a good year or two of aging will help temper these wild flavors greatly, and will likely result in a far more palatable beverage.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by craigbelly from Iowa
3.43/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
To sweet, to syrupy, just to much going on hear. That all boils down to a beer that's just hard to finish. SA just doesn't seem to grasp the style or thought the hops would take it somewhere new.
Feb 06, 2017Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.32/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.32/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
An auburn and brown kind of color scheme, small 1/3" head, off white on the top. Average retention. Aroma of burnt sugar, alcohol, plums, a little more dark fruit bitterness than I would expect. Hops are definitely there too. Its like damn, where were these for the first 20 years you were making beers.
Taste, more alcohol, dark fruit bitterness, the hopping is nice here. More caramel, burnt dark sugar, toffee. Some dankness in the mouthfeel, citrus, this is pretty layered. Mild oak presence. Lotta malt, a little thick, boozy and syrupy at times. Its decent, but at its format and price I doubt I will return or age any of these.
Feb 02, 2017Taste, more alcohol, dark fruit bitterness, the hopping is nice here. More caramel, burnt dark sugar, toffee. Some dankness in the mouthfeel, citrus, this is pretty layered. Mild oak presence. Lotta malt, a little thick, boozy and syrupy at times. Its decent, but at its format and price I doubt I will return or age any of these.
Reviewed by barczar from Kentucky
3.54/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Batch 1, five years old, so rating set to current average.
Aroma is honey like, with notes of cardboard oxidation and a touch of dates and figs.
Flavor is sweet initially, with toffee notes becoming bready, oxidized, and moderately bitter in the finish. Still significant alcohol heat. Fairly banal.
Nov 16, 2016Aroma is honey like, with notes of cardboard oxidation and a touch of dates and figs.
Flavor is sweet initially, with toffee notes becoming bready, oxidized, and moderately bitter in the finish. Still significant alcohol heat. Fairly banal.
Reviewed by WickedBeer from Alabama
4.2/5 rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.2/5 rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The second of the re-releases by Samuel Adams during American Craft Beer Week, Griffin's Bow did not disappoint! This second brewing was a little bit lower in ABV, ringing in at 10% as opposed to 11.5%. Poured after aging about 4 months; small dissipating creamy head with very little lacing. Upon first opening I was a little disappointed at the smell coming straight from the bottle, as it was very similar to a slightly more potent Boston Lager. However, upon pouring into a 12oz snifter, all the fantastic aromas came out. Sharp notes of citrus and wine with underlying notes of burnt oak were clear, and I was surprised at how light-bodied this take on a barley wine was. Beautiful orange-amber color, seltzer-like carbonation. Extremely tasty beer, again with a slight but sharp citrus hop focus that sits on a toasted caramel aftertaste that lasts. Overall a very good beer, an interesting take on a barley wine. Samuel Adams was also spot on with pinpointing the experience, I was easily able to pinpoint all elements of this beer. 4 / 5!
Sep 14, 2016Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota
4/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had a fresh bottle and one aged a year. L: Pours brilliant amber under a 1” sudsy white foam collar that provides good lace.
S: alcohol, vanilla, oak, malt.
T: Malt loaf and toasty sugars – caramel to toffee, citrusy hops, some apricot. Malt driven with ample help from the hops.
F: Very creamy full bodied, medium low carbonation some warming
O: This is a good barley wine that gets even better after a year.
Jul 26, 2015S: alcohol, vanilla, oak, malt.
T: Malt loaf and toasty sugars – caramel to toffee, citrusy hops, some apricot. Malt driven with ample help from the hops.
F: Very creamy full bodied, medium low carbonation some warming
O: This is a good barley wine that gets even better after a year.
Samuel Adams Griffin's Bow from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating:
80 out of
100 with
665 ratings
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