Premeditated Murder Barleywine - New England Brewing Co.

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This was a very unexpected share from DaveHack. Thank you sir!

This poured out as a slightly hazy amber color with a cream colored head on top. The retention is minimal with a very light lacing. The smell of the beer has a big malt profile with plenty of hops on the nose as well. The taste of the beer is sweet up front, with a really healthy hop bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel was heavy, nicely carbonated and oily. Overall this beer was good, glad I got to try it!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:17:21 | More by Knapp85

DRBiser

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-12-2013 14:55:48 | More by DRBiser

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy and almost antiquated-looking. Looks of a lightly reddish, chestnut brown with some light passing through. Head is well-managed at a cropped half-an-inch--even in this tulip glass. Holds its own pretty well, for now. The lacing might have impressed me more if the glass I used were completely dry upon the pour. 4

Roasted grain with a toffee delight. Dry raisin and muffled notes of dried berry, dark caramel, and trail mix bag. Peeking out is the booze with an almost hidden backdrop of piney and earthy hops. Maybe a touch of vanilla. Very malty, still, in the nose; all things considered. 3.75

Drinks with smacks of pine hop bitterness, dry toffee, crisped rice, and raisin. Very boozy, in fact. Lots of warmth in the swallow, alongside more crushing bitterness. The bitterness keeps it crispy. A few sugars still remain. Some nuttiness, too. Reminds me of flaky baklava crust. Earthy in the middle with more hops pushing forward. Cleans up a bit after the vibrant finish. Medium body isn't too much to handle, nor too little to work with. The carbonation is great; sips want to gush out on the tongue in this barleywine. Aside from the heat, the feel is pretty darn good. 4, 4

A barleywine that I can enjoy, but it's definitely a sipper. Proceed slowly and you'll be smiling all the way to the bottom of the glass. 4

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:06:09 | More by thecheapies

CHADMC3

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a murky copper to amber body beneath the thick, off white head which leaves a sticky, dense lacing grabbing the glass throughout the beer.

Very diverse aromas featuring both intense hops and more moderate malts. Hops offer some combination of earthy, spicy, and a touch fruity while the malts are nutty or toffee, maybe even maple or molasses.

The flavor is even more pronounced and aggressive with biting earthy hops with sweet toffee or molasses malt similar to the aroma. Other hints of sweet nuts and dark fruit qualities as well.

Offers a thicker, chewy body and generous carbonation with an oily, yet semi fruity sweet finish.

Tons of flavor and character in this brew with a massive palate and generous hops oils to coat the palate.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 02:07:56 | More by CHADMC3

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Jon for this one. Had side-by-side with Attempted RedRum. 16oz. bottle into a Cigar City snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a creamy, thick 1 finger light cream head with moderate to low retention. Beer is a cloudy, dark mahogany. Very very heavy. Lacing is thick and layered with good stick. A big beer for sure.

Nose is booze, sap hop bitterness, some nuttiness, and a light molasses sweet presence. Not the most aromatic. Pretty pedestrian.

Opens booze, brown sugar, sap hop bitterness, and caramel. Toffee notes mix with more big, bold hop characteristics in the middle. Some maple, more caramel, toffee, and molasses come through. Big malt body fights an even bigger, astringent hop bitterness. End is sweet booze, molasses, some nuttiness, and more caramel and toffee. Aftertaste of astringent sap hoppiness mixed with a bold malt presence. Solid but a bit too bitter for my taste.

Full bodied with low carbonation. Thick and oily in the mouth and goes down smooth and viscous. Messy, boozy finish with a sticky, filmy aftertaste. Real solid for the style.

A solid beer from the look and feel of things but the taste is a bit off. I like my barleywines to have a big malt presence... which this does. But it also carries a huge sap hop bitterness to offset things. I could see this improving with age as the hops start to fall off.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 03:06:45 | More by SpeedwayJim

Casterbridge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-05-2013 05:11:53 | More by Casterbridge

MasterSki

Illinois

3.39/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle shared by theTomG. Thanks man! Served in a Half Acre taster pint glass.

A - White foam settles to a thin collar, spotty lace, and a few wispy patches on top. Hazed orange body with a brownish tinge to it.

S - Smells like grape juice. Well, perhaps vinous raisins mixed with other dark fruits, caramel, a bit of red licorice and cotton candy, bread, and some obvious alcohol. Not my favorite balance of flavors for the style, and a bit boozy, but solid enough.

T - The taste is a bit less sweet and more bready, with lightly burnt sugars, some citrus and earthy hops, and moderate-to-low bitterness. Finish is strange and oddly unpleasant.

M - Medium body, with a surprisingly toasty and dry texture. Lower carbonation, conspiring with the flaccid body to make this a tad watery. Not much alcohol warmth, which is appreciated.

D - Not really what I want in a barleywine. I really dislike the hop character and the corresponding bitterness and alcohol combo in the finish. American barleywines tend to be hit and miss for me, and this is a definite miss, particularly at the awkward phase where the hop aroma has faded, but the bitterness hasn't. Perhaps this will be good in 12-18 months.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 16:00:01 | More by MasterSki

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.1%

04-15-2013 12:57:06 | More by ColForbinBC

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

04-11-2013 01:34:42 | More by Atomicskis5

Kooz

New York

2.85/5  rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer was a disappointment. Poured an opaque brown with slight head that dissipated quickly. Smelled like alcohol--unpleasant, but only slightly. Tasted bitter--this beer is over-hopped. This bitterness continues and bites at the tongue long after sipping. Also, the beer is watery and has very little body. Overall, the bitterness is too much and the beer doesn't recover from it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 02:01:58 | More by Kooz

braugon

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

03-26-2013 20:09:07 | More by braugon

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

03-24-2013 22:50:09 | More by InebriatedJoker

bigedct

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

03-23-2013 23:24:44 | More by bigedct

Pahn

New York

4/5  rDev -3.1%

03-21-2013 03:17:16 | More by Pahn

jaxon53

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served at just about cellar temperature, in my Old Guardian glass, from a 500ml bottle. Awesome label!

Appearance: Premeditated Murder pours out a somewhat murky, ruby brown color. A vigorous pour brought on two fingers of creamy, off-white head. Head hangs there nicely, leaving behind thick gods of lace.

Smell: Boozy, but in a really good way. Some dried dark fruit stands out in front. Light cigar tobbacco enters my nose. Hints of yeast and earth. A slight hoppiness shines through in the end.

Taste: Pretty intense flavor here. No shortage of booze in this brew. Just how a barleywine should be. Definitely a huge malt back bone to sweeten things up. Bits of plum and raisin are noticed. Just a touch of toffee or caramel. A short hoppiness comes in near the end, followed by another big boozy blast.

Mouthfeel: Pretty much full bodied mouthfeel that coats the palate nicely. Seems to be just right for the style.

Overall: Great job NEBCO! Would like to see what this does with some age on it, I just couldn't let it sit in the cellar though ...

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 17:46:57 | More by jaxon53

Trevdawg

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

03-19-2013 15:09:00 | More by Trevdawg

endlesnumberdays

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +9%

03-14-2013 15:56:49 | More by endlesnumberdays

EricTheRed

New York

4/5  rDev -3.1%

03-08-2013 03:41:17 | More by EricTheRed

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.11/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is mildly hazy and copper hued with a small off white head. The aroma offers malt, light butterscotch, caramels, toffee. The flavor follows suit. Sweetness is pretty tame and abv is well hidden. Easy drinking with a smooth feel. Moderate carbonation. Tasty. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 20:04:08 | More by Huhzubendah

garfscores

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +9%

03-03-2013 22:49:52 | More by garfscores

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

03-01-2013 16:31:41 | More by mendvicdog

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

02-27-2013 14:49:23 | More by Beerontwowheels

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.1%

02-27-2013 06:31:53 | More by marlinsfan4

duceswild

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.1%

02-27-2013 06:03:54 | More by duceswild

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.1%

02-27-2013 01:22:50 | More by oline73