Oak-Aged Backburner (Imperial Barley Wine Style Ale) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Alesmith Horny Devil snifter.

A- pours a dark copper with a 2 finger light tan head. Nice thin leopard spotting of lacing around the glass.

S- oak/wood, citrus and some dark fruit.

T- sweet caramel, citrus, and wood. Has some hop bitterness.

M- medium body and carbonation. There's a hint of alcohol.

O- good Barleywine but not very complex. Wish this beer picked up some more flavors from the oak.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 00:37:19 | More by kawilliams81

seplo

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%

05-21-2013 01:53:36 | More by seplo

JohnSnowNW

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-15-2013 19:39:15 | More by JohnSnowNW

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-13-2013 22:35:16 | More by mikeincharleston

vrbulldog22

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

05-13-2013 18:57:02 | More by vrbulldog22

bluesplit63

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%

05-12-2013 11:17:09 | More by bluesplit63

Lynn

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-12-2013 10:35:12 | More by Lynn

assman79

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

05-06-2013 00:33:10 | More by assman79

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into snifter at tap and mallet Rochester ny. Pours a hazy burnt orange with nice lacing. Sweet malty syrup and an almost citrus hop aroma. Taste is somewhat mild toffe at first but finishes with a big toffee caramel hop flavor with a mild vanilla woody oak. Its easy to drink....really easy but hits hard. Its better as it warms. Nice barleywine.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2013 23:26:27 | More by DrinkSlurm

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%

04-22-2013 02:17:30 | More by KiMiRaiK

nesarebad

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

TIme to rev up the old review machine:

Oak Aged-Back Burner; 22 oz bottle; Bottled on 2/28/13; served at 42-45F in my new Firestone Walker Barrelworks Teku:

A - Poors a beautiful clear ruby with a tea brown tint, 1 finger head that clings to the glass as vibrant lacing.

S - The nose is not intense or over powering. There are hints of dark fruit, leather, smoke, and herbal tones from the dry hops. Not really getting any hint of the oak aging in the smell. I would say the smell is just somewhat flat.

T - Upfront, you call tell that there are some complex flavors coming together. Hops, not overly bitter but very fresh at this point. A nice malt balance. Slightly medicinal...and...not much oak.

M - Smooth, vibrant, very fresh. Not cloying or viscous, definitely a drinkable barley wine.

O - A well crafted American Barley Wine. Hits the mark with a nice hop bill that balances the sweetness of the malt. It is what you would expect. The kicker though, is you are not getting much of the oak in the flavor. Perhaps the oak is working in the background to balance out the often assertive flavors in the style. Would like to see how this one works out with age and will definitely consider getting more if it is available.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 03:47:45 | More by nesarebad

oldedog

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -0.7%

04-16-2013 23:01:41 | More by oldedog

Invictus

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

04-15-2013 22:17:10 | More by Invictus

Kelp

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -0.7%

04-15-2013 05:38:34 | More by Kelp

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.7%

04-15-2013 04:24:35 | More by BrownAleMale

IPAchris

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

04-12-2013 13:19:00 | More by IPAchris

Etan

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22oz into a wine glass.

A: Pours out an amber-brown with a small light beige head.

S: Brown sugar, molasses, light oxidation, leafy, overripe citrus. A bit sweet.

T: Brown bread, toffee, a little bit of pleasantly dry oak character, light clementine and hop bitterness.

M: Medium-bodied, light carbonation.

O: This is actually pretty nice. The oak tempers the sweetness a bit, and the hop character isn't astringent or overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 02:21:40 | More by Etan

MaseFace

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

03-31-2013 04:11:28 | More by MaseFace

swetsastonic

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%

03-30-2013 01:49:31 | More by swetsastonic

sneaks2210

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

03-27-2013 01:04:40 | More by sneaks2210

Mantooth

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

03-26-2013 22:21:15 | More by Mantooth

jsteele

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-25-2013 12:08:55 | More by jsteele

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, no date.

appears a deep brown with brilliant red highlights. nice thick off-white head. decent retention and lacing. rich boozy aroma. spicy, herbal, wood. earthy hops, complex. taste has a good balance of caramel malt, bitter hops, and slight alcohol burn. a bit syrupy, coats the tongue, mild carbonation, which works. nice beers to slowly sip and enjoy. opens up and is quite nice as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 05:14:57 | More by jmdrpi

alamode

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-16-2013 12:32:23 | More by alamode

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

03-10-2013 00:42:44 | More by CaptDavyJones