Decadence 2008 English-Style Barleywine
AleSmith Brewing Company


- From:
- AleSmith Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.8 | pDev: 18.16%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 74
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 03, 2023
- Added:
- Jun 14, 2009
- Wants:
- 21
- Gots:
- 21
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Alieniloquium:
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida
3.05/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
3.05/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle #406/433. Reviewed from notes.
Appearance - Deep murky brown. Small khaki head. Wispy with a thin collar.
Smell - Nice barrel. Awesome oak and bourbon. Vanilla is really strong, too. Brown sugar behind the barrel. There's definitely an off aroma, though.
Taste - Definitely tangy. The barrel still comes through, though. Grapefruit citrus tang. The brown sugar shines through, too. Not a terrible infection, it has to be said, but I'd rather it weren't there as the flavors that do come through are great.
Mouthfeel - Spoiled by sourness, but not horribly so. Over carbonated.
Overall - Better than I expected when someone said we were having an infected barleywine. Still, nothing like what it could have been.
Jun 12, 2013Appearance - Deep murky brown. Small khaki head. Wispy with a thin collar.
Smell - Nice barrel. Awesome oak and bourbon. Vanilla is really strong, too. Brown sugar behind the barrel. There's definitely an off aroma, though.
Taste - Definitely tangy. The barrel still comes through, though. Grapefruit citrus tang. The brown sugar shines through, too. Not a terrible infection, it has to be said, but I'd rather it weren't there as the flavors that do come through are great.
Mouthfeel - Spoiled by sourness, but not horribly so. Over carbonated.
Overall - Better than I expected when someone said we were having an infected barleywine. Still, nothing like what it could have been.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
3.23/5 rDev -15%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.23/5 rDev -15%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Look - reddish dark brown with some tan head and rimming
smell and Feel - grape brandy and oats, smell stands out, taste no so much
Feel - flat syrup
OVerall - for being so old not to bad but it's lost a lot, especially the carb
Jul 03, 2023smell and Feel - grape brandy and oats, smell stands out, taste no so much
Feel - flat syrup
OVerall - for being so old not to bad but it's lost a lot, especially the carb
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire
3.6/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottle from Mike's Barleywine tasting, thanks for the opportunity!
Big fruit and sherry notes with a bit of caramel still left. Great to try but maybe a bit over the hill.
Apr 04, 2015Big fruit and sherry notes with a bit of caramel still left. Great to try but maybe a bit over the hill.
Reviewed by augustgarage from California
3.32/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 750mL bottle into my Spirit Sipper's snifter. 5 years on, and this is a bit past its prime.
Muddy opaque auburn body and a sandy brown head receding to a lasting collar and slick.
Old socks, stale beet greens, tobacco, and prunes in the nose - not the most inviting aromas, but not outside the style per-se.
Quite tart, palate is full of loam and aspirin - an odd medicinal leathery, floral mess of flavors. Oxidation comes to the front, but there are still hefty malt notes.
Syrupy, medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Not yet off, but I wish I had opened this two years ago...more like an old ale than a barley wine now...
Sep 21, 2013Muddy opaque auburn body and a sandy brown head receding to a lasting collar and slick.
Old socks, stale beet greens, tobacco, and prunes in the nose - not the most inviting aromas, but not outside the style per-se.
Quite tart, palate is full of loam and aspirin - an odd medicinal leathery, floral mess of flavors. Oxidation comes to the front, but there are still hefty malt notes.
Syrupy, medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Not yet off, but I wish I had opened this two years ago...more like an old ale than a barley wine now...
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