Insanity - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

Apellonious

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle - 4 pack

A - ruby red with brown undertones. Little to no head on the pour. Very thin lace.

S - dark fruit, fig, sugary malt. Slight waft of bourbon.

T - brown sugar, bourbon, dark fruits. Hints of banana and vanilla.

M - thick, moderately sticky, coats the back of the tongue and throat. Carbonation is light.

O - great offering. This is my first 'barrel aged' barleywine, so nothing really to compare it to, though reminds me of a Belgian ale, or maybe Ol Curmudgeon. Something good comes out of PA.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:34:14 | More by Apellonious

larryi86

Delaware

4.41/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle pouted into a snifter

A- A hazy ruby red with a two finger off-white head.

S- Toffee, bourbon, cherries, caramel malts, oak, some vanilla.

T- Raisins, toffee, bourbon, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, caramel malts, light hoppiness, well balanced.

M- Smooth, medium body, slightly chewy.

O- A great barrel aged barleywine. Between this and Sucaba I am changing how I feel about barleywines. This is not as good as Sucada, but it is a great easy to find and cheap replacement.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:43:16 | More by larryi86

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

4.69/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

12 oz. bottle poured into a NB snifter.

A - Pours a rich golden brown into the glass. A one-finger head of really tight ecru foam dissipates rather quickly to leave a sheen of very fine lace across the surface. Held to a full-spectrum light, the beer is a rich rosewood, with shades of apricot at the edges, and moderately opaque. A generous column of tiny bubbles rises from the bottom through the center. The beer also shows lots of legs along the sides of the glass as I drink it from the rich malt sugars.

S - Big, luscious, rich caramels accented by booze and notes of toffee. Lightly toasted malts and brown sugar bourbon. As it warms in the glass, notes of vanilla and orange rind appear against hints of stacked firewood. I could spend an hour just smelling this beer trying to pull all the nuances out of it.

T - Lots of caramel malts surrounded by bourbon. There's just enough bittering hops to strike some balance, but this is a boozy caramel malt bomb. As it warms, dark fruits appear in the background, like raisins and dates, and the oakiness from the barrel aging creeps into the back end.

M - Pretty fizzy and mouth-filling carbonation to start, but smooth on the way down. Moderate body with a rich, almost extravagant structure. Finish is on the sugary side, but not cloying on the tongue, and thinned from the ABV. Mouthfeel is well constructed for savoring this beer.

O - Wow. Now this is a big, rich, luscious beer. Absolutely delicious. Would make an excellent after dinner drink paired with a lighter-bodied cigar. Phenomenal caramel malts really shine without being sugary sweet as a result of the barrel aging, and the ABV, while certainly a noticeable component, isn't at all hot or overbearing. What a really amped-up barrel aged Imperial Scotch Ale would be like, and somewhat similar to a couple of my other barrel-aged favorites. This beer is a blue-ribbon winner and a must have when released, both for enjoying right away and laying down to see what some aging will do.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 08:23:34 | More by BuckeyeSlim

Jonada

New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle. No freshness date. Served in a wine glass.

Appearance: Pours a rusty brown color with one finger of an off white cream colored head. Body is murky looking and when held up to light there is quite a bit of visible sediment.

Smell: Big coconut and vanilla aromas along with caramel, toffee, brown sugar and candied dark fruits

Taste: Toffee, coconut, sweet bourbon, vanilla, oak, figs and some light roasted malt.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Mouthfeel is a little thinner than I was expecting. Alcohol is hidden well for 11%.

Overall: It doesn't get the hype that some others receive, but this is an excellent beer and a perfect example of what barrel aging can add to a beer. Pick up a bottle if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 04:32:19 | More by Jonada

zac16125

South Carolina

4.31/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a Teku glass
2013 vintage

A: Pours a dark mahogany with some reddish hues when held to light. 1 fingers width of light khaki colored head has decent retention before dissipating down. Leaves effectively no lacing, but some prominent alcohol legs.

S: Bourbon, dark fruits, oak, fig and dates, caramel/toffee, a touch of booze. Like alcohol soaked chocolate covered cherries. Great complexity. Really wonderful nose.

T: Initial sip is dark fruits, followed by bourbon, with semi-sweet chocolate on the finish. I also get oak, caramel/toffee, a non-specific bitterness,
The bourbon is not as prominent as I anticipated, but what is there is nice, and the oak from the barrel is significant. Very tasty beer here.

M/D: Medium bodied, somewhat syrupy but not thick. Carbonation low, but appropriate. Drinkability is excellent.

O: Overall, I loved this beer. I had Blithering Idiot a couple days ago, and this doesnt even resemble that beer. I would have never guessed it was the base beer. Insanity is much more complex, and just plain better. Really a great shelf English Barleywine. Unfortunately I missed the boat this year, and this was the last bottle available at the local bottle shop. Next year, I will be grabbing up a bunch of these for sure. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 23:57:41 | More by zac16125

dar482

New York

4.56/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

The color is a copper and with some ruby when you put it up to a light. There is a frothy half finger head. The lacing is absolutely gorgeous. It slides down the glass with little, little bubbles like glass. It rolls down and taste forever.

The aroma is wonderful for a barleywine. Reminds me a bit of Sucaba. It has big caramel, brown sugar, and roasted malt. It smells sweet and sticky like honey. It definitely has an earthy resin character, but also that oak woodiness.

It starts off with big vanilla, dark fruit sweetness, and then a sticky warm caramel rum flavor.

The mouthfeel is immediately noticeable, so wonderfully creamy. The highlight of the beer.

The finish is pretty clean without too much lingering sweetness or alcohol bite. This beer is super amazing at hiding its 11.1% ABV. Drinking it more, the alcohol does sort of creep up on you, but in a kind bourbon sipping way.

Comparison is clearly going to be to Sucaba. I prefer that because of its wild complexity of flavors. This surely has the mouthfeel and a lot of wonderful characteristics. World class.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 04:01:35 | More by dar482

tut2528

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

bottled on 03/2012... big thanks to AtlCarl for this tone

A: copper in appearance.. creates about 1/2 fingers worth of head formation that dissipated quickly. there is a slight film that hugs the edges of the glass but nothing really remains in the middle. alcohol legs are noticed as well, but at 11.10% it is to be expected.

S: the caramel/toffee explodes out of the glass with deep brown sugar, alcohol, subtle dark fruits, and even a some sugar candy/bubble gum. i'm not picking up any oak qualities to this.

T: big alcohol notes right up front, with a blast of caramel sweetness. big sugar candy notes come through here again (just like the nose), subtle dark fruits, and a slight vanilla touch in during the finish to further sweeten this beer. but the alcohol is the main player here.

M: syrupy and sticks to the palate nicely. the alcohol is extremely warming on the cheeks. the palate is left with not only the warming alcohol touch, but also a nice amount of caramel sweetness that makes an effort to tame it down.

O: not sure how this is fresh, but after a year, this bitch still has some heat to her in my opinion. and as i was drinking this I kept thinking this thinking this was a Barleywine-Quad hybrid. such a unique brew and very grateful to have been given the change to try this one out. Definitely a must try, Thanks again to Atl Carl for sending this one out!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:49:48 | More by tut2528

MacQ32

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a muddied, slightly amber, lighter brown with a finger of tan colored head, after about 2 minutes only a thin layer covers the entire surface and crawls around the entire perimeter of the glass.

S - Bourbon, sweet vanilla, and oak definitely dominate. Some dark fruit (cherry?) and molasses like malts are present as well.

T - Initial oaky bourbon and alcohol astringency transition into darker fruits and sweet delicious vanilla notes. After which the alcohol reappears with a bit of a twang.

M - Very very minimal carbonation. smooth and enjoyable to drink. Definitely a bit sticky at the back end.

O - Super oaky and bourbony, rich vanilla and dark fruits act as supporting characters. Super well balanced, fantastic brew (a bit of a sipper for sure). Very robust, tasty bourbon barley wine

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 01:20:45 | More by MacQ32

CloudStrife

New York

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled 02/18/13.

A: Pours ruby with a half finger off white head. A slight haze and just a bit of visible carbonation. Spots of lacing

S: Bourbon and oak are the first things I notice. A sweet malt backing, dark fruits give it a really rich tone.

T: Quite a tasty blend going on here. Bourbon is fairly dominate throughout. Really blends nicely with the strong malt base. Booze gives you a solid kick at the end. Finishes with a sweetness and bourbon.

M: Full body with low carbonation. A little hot but easily to adjust to its level. A tad sticky at the end with all the sweetness.

Overall this is a great bourbon barrel beer. A solid barleywine went into those barrels and it really shows. Would recommend to anyone in a second.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 22:36:47 | More by CloudStrife

harrymel

Washington

2.65/5  rDev -36.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

Bottled Jan, 2013
Thanks William!
Brown cherry ale with near excellent clarity and a shredded sheet of tan foam. Smells like artificial cherry juice, sweet nougat, some alcohol, a little oak and vanilla with light malt, some bread - meh. Quite sweet with a cloying aftermath of cherry again. Some more alcohol and a touch of oak and vanilla. Medium over thin with moderate carb and a cloying finish - really sweet for a long time: makes me want salty chips. I'm glad to have tried this, but glad not to have actually worked for it.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 07:16:02 | More by harrymel

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.49/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

this was really good. From a bottle that was a little too cold, into a tulip glass. Certainly a classic looking pour. It was a lovely copper haze, with a soft slow head and surprisingly little leasing, even though one could see how sticky it was on the glass.

The aroma was somewhat of a disappointment. Even 15 minutes later when the 5 ounces in my glass had warmed 10°, the aroma was pretty complex, a little fruity, heavy sweet sugar and sulfur and cream.

In the mouth, Insanity does live up to its name, in at least its overall uncertainty -- it didn't seem to know if it wanted to be a landlord's refined butter or movie megaplex "butter flavor".

this review might unfairly be comparing to Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine, which I'm drinking side-by-side with the Weyerbacher. The CW body was bigger and its flavor was more pride-worthy (dare I say 'majestic'?)

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 05:07:17 | More by martyl1000

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.39/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from tap into tulip at south park tavern in Dayton. Pours a murky orange with sticky white lacing. Lots of caramel aromas...toffee and vanilla.
Taste is where this shines...wow. huuuge caramel flavor. Its basically like a worthers in liquid alcohol form. Lots of sweetness and vanilla flavors as well. Some woody notes finish. Really just sooo smooth. Wow. This is a fantastic English barleywine. One of the best I ever had.
Right now there is a woman sitting 2 seats down from me talking to herself (weird) ..she must have had one of these.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2013 22:59:24 | More by DrinkSlurm

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled 1/22/13 and poured into a tulip. Moderately hazy dark amber with a slight amount of sediment floating around, and about a fingers worth of cream colored soapy head that fades quickly to a ring.

Big bourbon notes intermingle with caramel malt, toffee, rum-soaked raisin, fig, some faint earthy, slightly spicy hops and some booze.

The bold bourbon in the nose definitely carries over to the taste, but doesn't overpower notes of toasted oak, caramel malt, sweet dark fruits, a little sweet tobacco, toffee, and hints of earthy hops and vanilla in the finish.

Medium to full bodied with delicate carbonation. Slightly slick, and coats the mouth with flavors. A fair amount of heat in the finish.

One of my favorite bourbon barrel aged barleywines for sure, and it doesn't hurt not living far from the brewery, which makes access to it pretty easy for me as opposed to some of the other, more popular ones. Rich bourbon presence that is powerful but not dominating, over a spectacular English barleywine base and a body almost as nice as Mila Kunis. Could use 6 months or so to mellow the booze out a bit, but still superb fresh. Get on this.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:12:05 | More by cjoc83

riemster

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Hoppin Frog snifter.

A- cloudy dark amber color, very small white head that fades quickly

S- brown sugar, dark fruits, bourbon, caramel

T- sweet due to the style, brown sugar and bourbon are noticed the most, raisin, mild wood, other dark fruit flavor blended well, and a touch of vanilla

M- medium bodied, little sticky and syrupy, medium carbonation

O- Great English Barleywine. Amazing flavor, very pleasant and not too sweet. Booze is not overpowering and provides just enough warmth. This will be forever my go-to English Barleywine. I will have to go buy more to keep around for a year or so because I can't keep my hands off of what I got.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 01:00:13 | More by riemster

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

2.71/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

Poured into a pint glass.

A - Poured a slightly cloudy reddish brown. Half-finger of head that quickly disipated to a thin layer. Little to no lacing. Average carbonation.

S - Dark fruits. Yeasty. Sweetness.

T - Raisins marinated in alcohol. Very malty. Sweet. Some vanilla.

MF - Smooth with some alchol burn in the finish.

O - Supposedly the English Barleywine style is more balanced. Not the case with this beer. While some beers are too hoppy, the lack of some more dominant hop flavor puts this beer too far to the malty, dark fruit side of the scale. Not a beer I will drink again.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:00:48 | More by Sludgeman

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Weyerbacher Insanity

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a CBS snifter. This was served at cellar temperature.

A) This appears to be a burnished brandy in color. It started with a two finger off white head. This slowly settled to a wispy dusting. This has some legs, and some lacing.

S) This is a delightfully sweet malty smelling beverage. Brown sugar, perhaps just a little maple syrup, or vanilla. Fruity, primarily dark fruits. A very deep pull will reveal just a hint of alcohol.

T) The taste is very similar to the nose on this beer. The one thing that is definitely more notable with the flavor, is the aspect of the barrel aging. There's a very nice mellow oak presence. The alcohol is noted, but not overbearing. A very nice aftertaste awaits you.

M) Full body and lightly carbonated. This goes down smooth. A very nice sipper, where the alcohol provides a soft warmth, not an uncomfortable burn. Very well done.

O) This was a treat. Liquid man candy poured out of a bottle. A fine way to relax on a Friday after you were certainly overcharged for a lawnmower tuneup. Screw those guys. Thank you Weyerbacher. Glad to recommend this beer....

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:14:25 | More by RoamingGnome

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The dates on the bottleneck are smudged but I'm assuming it was bottled in 032012 and "best by" 032013. But that's a guess. The years are totally illegible.

A: Beautiful ruby-orange hue with a big, fluffy, bubbly, off-white head with shades of yellow. A bit of lace and not much retention.

S: Nice notes of bourbon, wood, buttery booze, poached fruits, and...booze.

T: Bourbon, wood, and sweet roasted malt show up first. As it warms, so much more bourbon, wood, and sweet malt come out. Very consistent and very easy to drink. Booze only complements rather than overwhelms.

M: Super smooth, warming, and pretty sweet/boozy.

O: An exceptional BBA English Barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:35:53 | More by Gatch

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-dark brown amber color with a small off-white head and minimal lacing

S-malt, caramel, bourbon, dark fruit, grain

T-rich caramel, malt, figs, plums, oak, bourbon

F-medium body with mild to moderate carbonation, smooth and creamy

O-a very nice barleywine, nice blend of flavors, better with a little age

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 21:16:33 | More by MDDMD

Dave1999

Virginia

4.64/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a dark brown colour with a very small thin white head.

The smell is dark fruits plums and figs with a bourbon sweetness.

The taste is much like the smell,first come up the bourbon, followed by the dark fruit and just a small bit if alcohol on the finish.

The mouthfeel is full and syrupy with medium carbonation.

This is a fantastic beer, tastes great and smells amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:25:30 | More by Dave1999

dheacck11

Connecticut

4.34/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Deep and rich dried fig brown, nice cloudiness. half finger of quickly fading off white head.

boozy caramel on the nose, a hint of sweet rose.

Big figgy, brown sugary malt and sweet, very soft hint of sour cherry. Rich bourbon at the finish.

Thick and full mouthfeel. Chewy almost.

Quite wonderful, definitely a sipper. Better a bit warmer.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 23:56:35 | More by dheacck11

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap in a chalice glass

Appearance – Served a hazed copper colored brew with a one half finger white head. The head fades very quickly leaving a light level of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The nose is big of a bready, caramel, and fruit aroma. The fruit is a mix of both light and dark with the darker fruit smells winning out over the light. Smells of raisin, cherry, and prune are mixed with lighter notes of pear and banana. With these smells comes a light oaky and vanilla smell as well as a decently boozy smell of a more bourbon nature.

Taste – The taste begins malty and caramel and stone fruit sweet. There is a big bready base with large amounts of caramel sweetness with lighter notes of a cherry, prune and plum sweetness. As the flavors advance some of the oaky flavors begin developing further with the sweet fading ever so slightly, but remaining rather strong none the less. Toward the end of the taste the boozy notes that were detected in the nose come to the tongue. The flavors, largely of a bourbon nature, blend well with the sweet caramel and fruit leaving a nice thick warming sweet taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer was on the thicker and creamier side with a carbonation level that was a bit on the lower side. The thicker body and thinner carbonation were both quite nice for keeping this a sipping brew as well as for allowing for the sweeter and maltier flavors of the brew to really pronounce themselves with the warming boozy taste that is present.

Overall- A great sipping brew if I do say so myself. Not too overpowering, but definitely strong and flavorful enough with just the right amount of warming kick from the boozy taste to make it quite and enjoyable warmer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2013 01:09:02 | More by Darkmagus82

ksimons

New York

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-a clear brownish amber with a thin layer of cream lace on top

S-getting a lot of booze up front! Behind that is caramel malt, vanilla ,rum soaked raisins, and a bit of oak

T-the taste is also pretty bourbon heavy, but it's not overpowering and surprisingly not too hot. Caramel malt, vanilla, raisins, alcohol, and just the tiniest bit of hop bitterness.

M-medium body, syrupy, light to medium carbonation

Overall you can definitely taste the bourbon in this one, would be interesting to have with some age on it. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 21:53:09 | More by ksimons

mjpolzin

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I have to give this barleywine points for a few reasons...
1. It is a more malty barleywine which I prefer over a more hoppy barleywine.
2. It is an English barleywine and actually is more malt foward. I have had a few English barleywines that are more hoppy and some American barleywines (which are supposed to be more hoppy) that are too malty so I appreciate that they stuck with what is true to the style.

Beyond that, the taste is of sweet candy and cinnamon. I got some bourbon flavor but not as much as with some other bourbon barrel aged beers that I have had. This beer was on the more pricey side but I am glad I bought it as it was one worth tasting. I split a 4 pack with my brother in law so I will probably stash the other one away to give it some time to age.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:19:05 | More by mjpolzin

kevanb

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into an Eagle Rock snifter.

The beer pours a nice burgundy color, hues of garnet and brown, hazy complexion with an off white, fizzy head that dissipates quickly leaving behind some trace film and no lacing. The aroma is very pleasant, smooth bourbon, rich malted grain, sweet oak, light vanilla, a touch of char from the barrel with lingering alcohol and stone fruit. The flavors are a bit disappointing after the nose, the bourbon is much lighter on the tongue while the grain takes over. Bourbon is still there, with some charred wood from the barrel, oak and vanilla pop out with some nice pitted, dark fruit that finishes a bit harshly with strong alcohol. The body is a bit light and watery, still very smooth, carbonation is on the weaker side with a thin finish.

Verdict: An enjoyable Barrel Aged Barleywine from Weyerbacher, but one that falls just a bit short compared to many others out there. The thinner body hurts this beer a lot, but it's definitely one I would enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 01:33:48 | More by kevanb

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.69/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a ruby red color with nice clarity. The head is quite good for a barleywine; a one finger light cream color. Retention is pretty good, and even after fading, the collar on the side of the glass is quite nice as well.

S: This one comes across as being very caramel-forward. I also detect notes of toffee and brown sugar. The bourbon barrel influence is certainly present, as well, providing tones of vanilla, coconut, and pleasant booze. Quite nice.

T: The bourbon presence is what first sweeps across the palate at first. Vanilla and coconut - even if it's not as distinctive as, say, Sucaba - are certainly an enjoyable sensation on the palate. I swear I detect the most subtle hint of chocolate on the midtaste. The aforementioned midtaste and finish is where the barleywine proper breaks away from the barrel's influence; caramel, toffee, and prune notes gradually build from the midtaste all the way to the finish. It's certainly good - but it lacks the proper depth to be elite.

M: The feel is both moderately thick and a bit syrupy; the latter is no big deal given the style's conventions. The sweetness does a decent job of covering the alcohol presence without being an overbearing expression. The aftertaste provided by the oak barrel tannins give a bit of a dryness without exasperating the alcohol harshness significantly or gutting the flavors.

O: Truth be told, I'm the kind of person who prefers my barleywines to be simple and non-barrel-aged, but I'll be damned if this one isn't pretty good. I'd even go so far as to say I (slightly) prefer it to Sucaba. So sue me. The relative cheapness and ease of attainability are just gravy, really. All in all, it's really good, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:37:08 | More by ThisWangsChung