AleSmith Old Numbskull - Barrel Aged - AleSmith Brewing Company

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.1/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2004 Vintage bottle, # 202/240, Sampled October 2005
It is with much anticipation that I open this baby up. I really could not believe the news that I would be able to purchase this beer at my local bottle shop here in Tucson, AZ (thanks again LittleGuy). It pours a deep amber color that when held up to the light shows a mostly brilliantly clear cherry red color. The head is a frothy, creamy, rocky mix of textures and is a light amber to tan color. As I pour this beer I get a big caramel maltiness coupled with a shot of Bourbon aromatics. The oak is strongly evident in the nose; at first comes a tannic woody note that moves to notes of vanillin and finishes off with a strong note of buttery oak. Underneath the wood character there is a hint of the former hop monster that this beer was: I get hints of floral pine, and remembrances of grapefruit long suppressed.

The beer has no apparent sweetness to it (at least what could be there is drowned out by the other flavors). The mouthfeel on this one is incredibly rich and smooth up front, creamy would be an apt description for this beer to be sure. The taste actually has a bit of sourness to it, really just makes this beer slightly tart up front. The tartness coupled with fruitiness, reminds me of tart plums and apples. All of these are just peripheral flavors though; this beer is absolutely dominated by the oak character. Throughout is a buttery oak note that is joined by notes of vanillin as well as a tannic woody astringency that reminds me black tea. The finish is still quite hoppy though with a solid bitterness that tries to peak through the oak, but ultimately succumbs to the buttery oak notes which linger long after the beer has left my mouth. Hints of this beers former glory surface from time to time; at times I get a faint trace of a sharp hop flavor that is a mix of citrus and herbs, but then it vanishes just as quickly as it was noticed. At other times I get wisps of malt character (like notes of sweet caramel and rich toffee), but they too get quickly trampled by the Bourbon Barrel.

This beer has mostly become a vehicle for the barrel flavors, what flavors that do peak through from the Old Numbskull play a supporting role to mitigate / round-out the oak flavors. I bet you a mixture of half fresh Numbskull and half this beer would be quite tasty, there would still be a big hop and malt presence to balance out the barrel contribution. As this beer stands it does not have enough balance nor complexity to be great. I have never been a fan of barrel aged beers for barrel aged beers sake; I really prefer a bold beer flavor with the supporting role being played by the barrel character. In this case the barrel character plays the lead role, and somewhere down there in the supporting cast there is an aged version of Old Numbskull.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2005 21:56:18 | More by Gueuzedude

BierReise

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle#124/225Amber and slightly orange like colored body which is cloudy and yielding only a slight scattered film on top. Lots of bourbon in the aroma almost overpowering with vanilla and oak. Malt is buried.Vanilla, bourbon in the flavor.. Body is full and velvety smooth. I think I’d prefer the original much better. The bourbon just overpowers everything else.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2005 02:20:01 | More by BierReise

Crosling

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle # 212. Very aromatic and the wood influence is unmistakable showing hints of oak, vanilla and bourbon along with the malt, which shows a bit of caramel and burnt toffee. The excessive aromatic hops in the regular Old Numbskull has tamed to an almost undetectable level. In the flavor, the hops have again tamed and the wood is clearly evident. Notes of bourbon, oak, caramel and toffee with a touch of vanilla. The body and texture is lacking. This should have been aged in a wine barrel. A bourbon barrel was not the proper vessel for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2006 01:26:53 | More by Crosling

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 Bottle thanks to Kevin!

A-pours a dark ruby red with a light tan head with plenty of bubbles on top.

S-musky dry oak up front, vanilla, bourbon, notes of sawdust, lots of burnt malts, sweet cherries and plums in the back with some dried raisin.

T-again the dry dusty oak is up front with a light touch of vanilla from the barrel. bourbon and some alcohol heat, it sweetens in the back but the malts are somewhat burnt, cherries, raisin and plum.

M-smooth syrupy body but thins out a little lacking some carbonation.

D-this seems to have some malt issues going on, tons of burnt sugars in the flavor and a little too much alcohol. the flavors don't work super well together, the barrel aging is rather pleasant with the flavors it has added but it did thin out a little while in those barrels.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 13:54:24 | More by cpetrone84

jeonseh

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the latest batch

A - Walnut / light brown with nice off white head that settled down to a layer of foam

S - Malty. Vanilla with light oak to it that gives it some barrel presence. Smells like Bigfoot but with more barrel presence.

T - Dates, vanilla,caramel, oak, and lots of booziness to it. This is also definitely a hoppy American Barleywine and the hops give the beer a bitter finish.

M - Medium body with light astringent finish from the alcohol and oak

O - I thought this was a decent BA barleywine but it was still too hoppy for my taste. The hops and bitterness throw it off a bit.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 03:37:54 | More by jeonseh

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 2009 notes.

2006 bottle, big thanks to Dennis. Pours a hazy medium chestnut with a thin soapy head. Big, malty nose. Oranges, bourbon, and lighter chocolate tones. Flavor is nice...the malt is not overdone and is fully balanced by a smoky, somewhat bitter element. I love that smoky finish in Alesmith beers. Berries and some lighter fruits really shine in this. Bourbon is pretty well integrated and not overdone. A little too much bitter heat, almost peppery, coming through.

Update: sampled this in a spring, 2010 tasting alongside Perfect Storm. This came across as boozy and muddled. Downgrading the rating a bit.

Cheers,

Chad

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 04:13:45 | More by JAXSON

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Originally reviewed November 26, 2006. Bottle at O'Briens in San Diego. Rich bourbon cream aroma, resplendent with cherries, raisins, hints of milky chocolate and dark brown rum cooked with bananas. Ruby pour, with orange-yellow fringes. Hardly any head. Flavor is along the lines of the arom, with rich, creamy and almost oily sugar tannins, lots of tawny, pear, raisins and sweet cream vanilla, intended for oaky sugars. Quite light on the carbonation, which is a bummer. There’s a sweet tinge of euro-like hops along the backedge, but it makes the old hop presentation moan, as this is more subdued and to my liking. I enjoyed the light oxidization character of this beer, as truer to the plummy, raisin-like sweetness characters of the style, but without carbonation and some warmth noticeable from the barrel, I don’t find this a phenomenal improvement over the straight version.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2006 19:20:16 | More by CharlesDarwin

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a deep copper color ale with a light foamy head with minimal retention and minimal lacing. Aroma consists of sweet toffee and caramel notes with light cardboard notes and light bourbon notes. Taste is also dominated by sweet toffee notes with some caramel malt with some bourbon notes though not as much as expected. Light cardboard notes a re revealing that this bottle might be past its prime. Bourbon notes are not as dominant as I would have expected. Body is a little bit thin for style with medium carbonation and no apparent alcohol notes. Fell a bit short of my expectation but good nonetheless. It would be interesting to try a fresher bottle next time.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 18:47:04 | More by Phyl21ca

Sean9689

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle brought by me, 2007 Vintage, #117/449. Poured into Darkness snifter.

A - Pours a dark brown/reddish color, cream ring, with random whisps on top.

S - Dark fruits, huge oak/barrel, ever so slight hoppy bitterness, caramel, burnt sugars. Perhaps a little more oak-forward then I prefer but otherwise, pretty good.

T - Dark fruit, caramel, oak/barrel. Smooth booze, nice caramel sweetness, and the oak isn't quite as strong as the nose (that's a good thing).

M - Light to medium (a bit too thin), good carbonation, and creamy sweet finish.

O - I think I actually prefer the regular 2007 over the Barrel-Aged version. Perhaps a bit too much oak for me in this one. I wonder how the other years stack up to 2007? I guess I'll have to try them and see.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 18:41:06 | More by Sean9689

alcstradamus

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by me at our pre-Dark Lord Day tasting. Thanks me! Reviewed from notes.

This one pours a murky copper color with a finger of head. The aroma is big caramel and hops with a strong vanilla backbone and a hefty amount of booziness.

The flavor is an oddly sour/fruity combination, but not in a bad way. Lots of caramel and toasty maltiness. Very boozy. The body is medium and the carbonation is appropriately low. Like most of the barrel aged Alesmith releases, I found this one to be solid, though very unspectacular.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 00:26:54 | More by alcstradamus

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2005 vintage, 71 of 223

a: This was a hazy and almost shiny mahogany color. It poured with almost no head.

s: Wow, beautiful nose on this one! Muted bourbon and vanilla aromas compliment oaky musty fruits like raisins and figs plus some toffee. There might be a little soy sauce lurking around the edges.

t: Falls a bit short of the smell, but not by a whole lot. Toffee and raisin flavors take a bit of a back seat to woody bourbon and vanilla. The finish is smoky wood.

m: Barrel aged b-wines don't need much carbonation, but this one didn't have any. Overall though, the lack of carbonation didn't lessen my enjoyment too much.

d: Thanks to the absurdly generous rallison for the chance to try this one. I enjoyed this more than the score would indicate I think.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2009 20:40:25 | More by DIM

scottfrie

California

3.98/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have to thank the same guy I always thank for beers like this. Thanks Jeffy. 2007 vintage.

A: Pours a clear, deep, dark caramel color with a thin light tan head that faded into a faint collar.
S: Sweet and fruity smelling with hint of leafy hops, tobacco, brown sugar and hint of bourbon.
T: Flavors of raisin, caramel, oak, tobacco, vanilla, bourbon, barrel wood spices, sweet fruit juice and a bit of cocoa. Oak is strong in the finish along with some brown sugar and toast.
M: Full body, slick moutfeel, tingly but low carbonation. Booze is barely noticeable at this point and oh so smooth.
O: A great barley wine and an improvement on the original. Thanks ipa247.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 06:58:30 | More by scottfrie

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750ml Bottle from 2005 - Thanks to Phyl21ca for sharing this

Appearance - Hazy copper/brown colour with almost no head. Hard to make out the level of carbonation and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for only seconds.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, butterscotch/toffee, hint of chocolate

Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and I can taste malts mixed with some toffee/butterscotch. There is also a bit of a dark fruit taste and a woodiness mixed with a touch of chocolate. The booze lingered a bit on the finish but it was still very smooth.

Overall - Perhaps a bit past it's prime, but still a fantastic beer. The smell was amazing and with a little more carbonation this beer would have been even better. Glad I had the chance to try this.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 18:28:27 | More by spinrsx

ArrogantB

Colorado

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 bottle #45/208. Looks just like the regular version, orange with minimal head. It smells boozy, whiskey, etc. The taste immediately revealed the difference between this and the
regular Old Numbskull, booze. It was as if the barrel-aging was fighting the original character of the beer with vanilla and booze. The beautiful, bitter hoppiness I have tasted in numbskull was defeated by brute strength. This was a nice complex beer but I feel like the barrel-aging obscures some of the best aspects of an already terrific beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2008 03:59:56 | More by ArrogantB

srandycarter

California

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Number 166/449

A - Brown/ prune juice color, with red highlights. Small head, leaves completely. Low lacing.

S - People talk bourbon, but my first impression is brandy or sherry, wood, nice malt base. Hops are hard to discern.

T - Big boozy shot of brandy laced beer. Bitter is apparent at end.

M - Medium body, creamy texture, good carb, not incredibly balanced, but for this style, pretty good.

D - Nope. Too big, too thick, too strong.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 06:29:11 | More by srandycarter

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 vintage

A: Poured a murky brownish color with a light sediment presented, a light tannish cap

S: Still has a quantifiable amount of old spent oak spirals, Earthiness, light vanilla and booze

T: Still had some light residual sugar sweetness, with old wood, light vanilla and pinch of raisin remains

M: Medium to big body at this age with lower carbonation, some fading flavors, light booze and stickiness

O: Good but it is peaking IMO or has recently peaked

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 15:55:31 | More by barleywinefiend

womencantsail

California

4.03/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I forgot to write it down, but I believe it was Paul who shared this 2007 bottle. Thanks!

A: The pour is sort of a murky dark amber/copper color with a small khaki head.

S: Moderate amounts of bourbon hit the nose followed by some vanilla and brown sugar. Plenty of caramel and toffee sweetness to go with it. No real hop character left at this point.

T: Surprisingly restrained bourbon from an Alesmith barrel aged beer. Vanilla, brown sugar, toffee, and bread, and yes, some bourbon too. Perhaps a hint of chocolate, and definitely a bit oxidized.

M: Medium to full in body with a moderate carbonation.

O: Not as overwhelming as some of the other Alesmith barrel aged releases, but quite good, and significantly better than the previous times I've had it.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 22:26:40 | More by womencantsail

abfraser

California

4.08/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark brown with lots of carbonation. Nice looking beer

S: Holy bourbon! I don't know how previous reviewers could call this even remotely subtle. Huge aromas of oak and vanilla. There's some caramel lurking in there, but this is all about the bourbon.

T/M: Same as the smell. On the positive end, this is really smooth and well balanced, which can be a problem with some beers with bourbon aging. Very delicious. My only knock is that I thought it was too one-dimensional. All I got was the bourbon flavors, which I thought dominated over pretty much everything else. That's not to say it wasn't quite tasty.

D: Definitely mellowed out the hops from the original version. This one goes down nicely despite its intensity.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2009 03:16:16 | More by abfraser

FrndthDuvel

California

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle number 438 of 445 2008 poured a pinkie sized off white head into a Duvel tulip. Head vanished quickly,leaving a ring to the end,no lacing or sheeting.
Smell is all about the bourbon barrel,some vanilla. Kind of thin feel in the mouth, not much carbonation,taste on the bourbon side with a hint of chocolate/Vanilla. The barrel is the highlight of this brew. Certainly not sessionable. Well not tonight anyway. Of course I have just came back from O'Brien's where it was all about Pliny The Younger>My Bloody Valentine>Cask Stone Sublimely. So this review may be tainted. lol But for a late night sipper to end the night it is working.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2009 04:15:02 | More by FrndthDuvel

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Photekut for busting this out at the Jackie O's release. Served in a SAVOR snifter. 2006 vintage -- 48/208.

Pour yields a caramel-colored brew with a thin off-white head. Nose is filled with aromas of sweet bourbon, caramel, and a bit of brown sugar. Mild booze there as well. Flavor is not as integrated as the nose, but the bourbon is nice. Not terribly bourbon-forward, however. Also some caramel, sweet bread, and some brown sugar intermingling. Mouthfeel is medium with low carbonation and a bit of booze in the finish. A very excellent brew that I had wanted to try for some time. Thanks again, JR.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 13:32:22 | More by Thorpe429

OStrungT

California

4.13/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle #131

This beer pours a golden brown color with a very tiny light tan head. The head fades very fast, leaving a slight lacing.

This beer smells of Borubon. I can smell a slight oakyness to is as well. It has a hint of vanilla also. It has a dark fruity aroma also. Some figs and raisins. It has a strong very sweet caramel aroma. A hint of pine is also present.

This beer tastes much like it smells. Bourbon is the dominate flavor. I taste a strong sweet caramel malty flavor as well. Some fig flavor is present. A slightly piney hop flavor is also detectable. A very slight vanilla flavor is also present.

This beer is very aggressive. It leaves a Bourbon like aftertaste. Thie beer has almost no carbonation at all.

This beer would be a bad session beer for a number of reasons. First, it is very aggressive, and would be hard to drink all night. Second, the alcohol content is too high to enjoy for many hours. Third, it costs $20 a bottle, and it would be hard to afford to drink it all night. Fourth, they only bottled 227 of these.

Overall: I liked this beer, as I knew I would. I think it was worth the $20. I hope AleSmith puts it out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2007 00:01:18 | More by OStrungT

MasterSki

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to stowehop for breaking out this rarity. Bottle #154/449 of the 2007 vintage.

A - Pours with a dime of off-white foam that settles to a thick ring and some light haze. Dark ruby-brown color that is only somewhat translucent. Fairly attractive for the style.

S - Sweet dark fruits, and lots of wood and oak. There's also some caramel, burnt sugars, and notes of chocolate covered raisins. As it warms a little more booze comes out - maybe a touch more than I like.

T - Quite tannic, with tons of burnt sugar, caramel, and dark fruits. The bourbon flavor isn't overt, but instead adds earthiness that complements the woody flavors. Finish is surprisingly clean. This is definitely English in character, with minimal hop presence.

M - Surprisingly active carbonation for the style and the 11%+ ABV. Somewhat gritty and tannic, but never gets astringent. There's some obvious heat as well.

D - Definitely a sipper. I had a tough time working through 6-8oz (although it was fairly late in the session). Would love to try again at some point on a fresh palate.

I liked this more than the BA Wee Heavy, but less than BA Decadence and BA Speedway.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 23:32:35 | More by MasterSki

walleye

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

thanks to BBB63 for this bottle #92. had this on 6/10 at kuhnhenns bash. poured a amber brown, with no head. aroma alcohol, caramel brown sugar and malts and dark fruits. flavor caramel, alcohol (bourbon), malts fruit, woody. this was very good wish I could get more.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2005 19:47:17 | More by walleye

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle # 53/449, 2007 vintage, courtesy of a very generous PA trader a few years back. I've been sitting on this one for a while, hoping to have it alongside the regular Old Numbskull (which I'd yet to try before a few minutes ago). Excited to track this one, it's poured in to a brandy snifter and enjoyed with some aged Edam.

Appearance: Pours a hazed, dirty sepia, far more bole than copper amber like the un-bal Old Numbskull. Streams of loose, free carbonation race upwards towards the head, itself a lightly tanned one-finger high, erratic, uneven, sort of what you'd expect from a barrel aged beer. An aggressive pour yields a half finger of dull tan head that fades remarkably quickly, though again perhaps about what one would expect from a -bal beer, and the remnants provide little surface dusting, a thin, half-crescent collar, and little to no lacing on the sides of the glass. It's about what I expected, I suppose, though it's not terribly inspiring.

Aroma: Dark toasty malts and sweet barrel sugars represent a nice, well-blended complexity that's sort of lower on the nose and less complex than the regular Old Numbskull but somehow manages to surpass it in terms of enjoyability if not complexity. This one's straightforward, showcasing a nice amount of barrel notes - vanilla, coconut, hints of raisins - and some nice bourbon that's definitely mellowed and subdued itself in the years its been sitting around in various and sundry cellars (mine and the BAs its come from before me). Faint astringent and tobacco-y hops round this one out, full-bodied and robust.

Taste: Sort of dull, compared to the non-bal version. Sipping them side by side, the -bal version is a little hollower, subtler perhaps, with a toastier mouth and less hop presence. The malts are dryer - toast, dark toffee, well-attenuated caramel, and very dark brown sugar compliment a few darker barrel notes (mostly coconut, slight vanilla, and dark barrel sugars), but none of that varied toffee, varied caramel, wholesome breadyness, etc. The hops are well-aged, just as they are in the non-bal version, slightly leafy, mildly astringent, like tobacco and leather intermingling with dark malts, well-blended alcohol, and dark fruity esters. There's a definite bourbon presence here, but it's blended in well with the toasty elements of the base beer here, with the fruit and base beer sugars sort of sinking in to the background ... though the spice does emerge slightly after letting this one warm to near room temperature. The fruit esters also lack a little bit here, with slight raisin and cherry overtones busting through the bourbon without much else coming to the surface. Just not as multidimensional as the non-bal version.

Mouthfeel: A little lighter, more carbonated, brighter than the non-bal version. I imagine that's probably because this one's been thinned a little by the spirit addition and the aging, though. After a little while it becomes more manageable in terms of lift, though it still has plenty of the attributes of the non-bal version.

Drinkability: I liked this one a little bit less than the non-bal version, truth be told. It just lacked a lot of the complexity and had a lot more unwanted spiciness and aggressiveness. Maybe this one would hold its own against the aforementioned when they were both aged differently (the aged Old Numbskull I had was an '07, as well), but nonetheless ... this one's simply lacking in a few places, with the bourbon (or the aging) covering up a few of the really nice notes that I got out of the non-bal version. Don't get me wrong - the -bal version is splendid, with the vanilla and coconut overtones amplifying some wonderful elements of this brew ... but it definitely leaves a few of the highlights untouched.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 23:42:49 | More by CrellMoset

hoppymeal

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2005, Bottle 127 of 223. Pours a murky brownish copper, zero head, completely still regardless of how aggressive it is poured. Aroma is a strong worn leather aroma, somewhat salty, some rich tobacco and sweet prunes mixed in as well. Alcohol is evident in the aroma as well. Taste shows some of the leather and salt notes but they are much more mild then in the aroma. Some decent sized bourbony bite following the leather and pruniness, a good amount of vanilla as well as a fairly strong drying woodiness before a bite and warmth of alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium, low carbonation keeps it thinner on the tongue, good amount of drying wood and biting alcohol in the finish. An outstanding barleywine, aroma is incredible, the taste is powered quite a bit from the barrel ageing and the alcohol is big as well though never too much. A very good beer, the barleywine characteristics meld perfectly with the barrel ageing in the aroma but are overwhelmed in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 04:23:34 | More by hoppymeal