Griffin's Bow - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Griffin's BowGriffin's Bow

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BA SCORE
80
good
-
530 Ratings
THE BROS
68
poor
-
read more »
rAvg: 3.52
pDev: 19.03%
Reviews: 218
Hads: 312

Ratings Help


Brewed by:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) visit their website
Massachusetts, United States

Style | ABV
American Barleywine |  11.50% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (215), on-tap (3)

Notes:
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
View:  Beers  (99) |  Events  (0)

Reviews

Sort by:  Latest | High | Low | Top Reviewers | Read the Alström Bros Beer Reviews and Beer Ratings of Griffin's Bow Alström Bros  | Show Hads:
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Reviews by rlee1390:
Photo of rlee1390
rlee1390

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Clear yellow orange with a one finger head.

S-Lots of malt, little oak and some hop citrus notes.

T-Way to malty, not much oak, there is some bitterness in the finish and alcohol is present.

M-Medium bodied, a little flat and once again alcohol is present.

O-Like a malt bomb gone bad with some hops thrown in the "balance" it out. The hops were not balanced, alcohol was a little over the top and not in a good way (WWS comes to mind for a good way). Not sure if aging would help this baby out.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 14:23:18 | More by rlee1390
More User Reviews:
Photo of Iamstryker
Iamstryker

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

05-16-2013 22:17:19 | More by Iamstryker
Photo of Dave7500kl
Dave7500kl

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +20.7%

05-15-2013 00:38:28 | More by Dave7500kl
Photo of drummermattie02
drummermattie02

Texas

4/5  rDev +13.6%

05-14-2013 17:04:02 | More by drummermattie02
Photo of carterbt
carterbt

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

05-14-2013 03:14:55 | More by carterbt
Photo of BeerLover99
BeerLover99

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -29%

05-12-2013 21:12:33 | More by BeerLover99
Photo of Spiderbeerman
Spiderbeerman

New York

4.94/5  rDev +40.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My brother-in-law had a bottle at a party he was hosting. I usually don't go for barley wine and like a product with a little less alcohol content but Griffin's Bow was a pleasant surprise. It was smooth and didn't taste like it was strong. I would certainly buy this myself and will enjoy every drop!.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:58:38 | More by Spiderbeerman
Photo of McBraniel
McBraniel

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -21.9%

05-02-2013 03:43:35 | More by McBraniel
Photo of rhoadsrage
rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter)
Batch #2
A- This beer pours a slightly dense woody brown body with a bubbly sticky head of light beige that hung on the glass after each sip. There was a slow motion carbonation pushing to the surface.

S- The green grassy hops have a cream aroma to follow with some fresh raw oak aroma and a slightly sweet malt aroma that grows and grows as it opens.

T- The green grapefruit hops blend with a creamy rich malt flavor that has some buttery character that turns a bit more coconut like as it opens. There is a raw oak finish with some caramel malt sweetness and a sweet flower taste with honey hints. The gentle grassy bitterness of hops lingers cutting the malt flavor very nicely.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a gentle prick of fizz and no real alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer has lots of nice complexity that is a bit subtle but really grows as does the richness of malt flavor. The green fresh oak blends really nicely with the hops and pale malt flavor. Very good sipper.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 16:25:23 | More by rhoadsrage
Photo of FliryVorru
FliryVorru

Alabama

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

04-29-2013 17:53:13 | More by FliryVorru
Photo of cowboy83
cowboy83

New York

4.25/5  rDev +20.7%

04-26-2013 15:29:02 | More by cowboy83
Photo of poisonpythons
poisonpythons

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

04-26-2013 00:39:22 | More by poisonpythons
Photo of JHurley
JHurley

Alabama

2.75/5  rDev -21.9%

04-21-2013 02:19:02 | More by JHurley
Photo of Beer4Mike
Beer4Mike

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -29%

04-18-2013 21:42:01 | More by Beer4Mike
Photo of 086InferiorWisdom
086InferiorWisdom

New York

4.25/5  rDev +20.7%

04-14-2013 00:56:06 | More by 086InferiorWisdom
Photo of AlkaholTester
AlkaholTester

Nevada

3/5  rDev -14.8%

04-12-2013 07:41:38 | More by AlkaholTester
Photo of David1492
David1492

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

04-09-2013 20:32:57 | More by David1492
Photo of Resuin
Resuin

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

04-04-2013 23:48:17 | More by Resuin
Photo of Skarod
Skarod

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%

04-03-2013 08:09:16 | More by Skarod
Photo of jahbulon
jahbulon

New York

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

04-01-2013 06:57:19 | More by jahbulon
Photo of Broden
Broden

California

4.5/5  rDev +27.8%

04-01-2013 04:52:17 | More by Broden
Photo of lauries444
lauries444

New Jersey

1.75/5  rDev -50.3%

03-30-2013 00:03:31 | More by lauries444
Photo of zestd
zestd

Idaho

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

03-29-2013 22:30:40 | More by zestd
Photo of lovindahops
lovindahops

New York

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

03-29-2013 19:42:47 | More by lovindahops
Photo of Bubbalito
Bubbalito

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Pour = Hazy syrupy bright copper. It has a viscous appearance when you swirl it around. There was a good 2 finger head that died out almost immediately
Smell = I am getting vanilla, pineapple, mango, burnt sugar; with hints of toffee and caramel in the background. It smells like pineapple maple syrup in all the best ways imaginable.
Taste = Exactly like the nose. I get pineapple soaked in vanilla syrup. Super syrupy but fruity at the same time, you get a little tartness on the back of the mouth. A little bit of alcohol as it goes down the throat. This bad boy is 11% ABV and it is hidden very well, if it wasn’t for the warming feeling as it goes down, you would never know.
Overall = This is the very first batch of this beer, I bought it back in late 2011 and have been sitting on it waiting for all the goodness to marinate. I have to say it was worth the wait. I might have to go out and buy another bottle and drink it in 2015!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 22:21:40 | More by Bubbalito
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Griffin's Bow from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
80 out of 100 based on 530 user ratings.