Barleywine - Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle with Enjoy By 112812 on the side of the neck. Odd to see that on a Barleywine. Anyways, pours a dark brown with ruby hues and a thin layer of head. Minimal lacing. Aromas of booze, cherries, dark fruits, earth and bread. The taste is like boozey cherries followed by some malts. Earthy finish. Mouthfeel is thin for the style. The main reason I bought the mix 12 pack was that I saw that it had a barleywine in it which is a bit unusual. Overall, a decent Barleywine that works well in the mix pack but I wouldn't buy it on its own.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 03:17:50 | More by PicoPapa

aranton

New York

3/5  rDev -4.8%

03-27-2013 01:10:04 | More by aranton

beertunes

Washington

2.25/5  rDev -28.6%

01-29-2013 21:50:14 | More by beertunes

FosterJM

California

2.85/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

1711th Review on BA
Draft to Snifter

@Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek, CA

App- When this came to the table. It was as still as plum juice. About the same color as well. A dirty purple/red/brown color. Fairly dense with no head and bubbles. No cling or lace either.

Smell- This was a purely artificial smell to me. A bit of plums, cherries and sugars. Didnt really have that barley wine balance between malts/hops either. Bordered on cloying as well.

Taste- This was at best an average beer. I havent had much luck with Pyramid but wanted something new. This was a bit malty with an over the top fruit flavor that was unbalanced and sugary sweet to mask the ABV.

Mouth- Way too thin on the body and way too thick on the carbonation. Like a prune juice feel to it. Sugary, fruits and malts. Just all over the place.

Drink- Meh. Ill pass on a bottle if I ever see one. Once was enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 03:11:02 | More by FosterJM

dertyd

California

3.75/5  rDev +19%

01-24-2013 04:08:00 | More by dertyd

iKrystin

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

01-12-2013 23:28:59 | More by iKrystin

TheMarkE

California

2.6/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Meh. The cloying smell is almost overwhelming, attacking you with caramel, molasses, and I’m not sure what else. The taste is about the same. Nothing subtle here, just a full out attack on your senses. Very sweet, very sticky. Maybe you don’t notice after downing a couple of this 10.5% ABV brute. I did see one review suggesting to mix it with the IPA, I may have to try that.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 00:02:06 | More by TheMarkE

matjack85

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Usually only available in their Fall assortment package, I found this single 12oz bottle in the build-your-own six pack section for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. It has a best before date of 12/20/12 on the neck label and this is already January of '13, so I figured I better get to drinking it.

The beer poured a plain brown color with a 1½-finder light sandy brown head. The head lasted about a minute and lacing was poor - just a few small spots that slid down the glass quickly.

Huge malty molasses smell.

Big molasses malt flavor. So much for barleywines being hop dominated. This one is all malt. There is some earthy hop bitterness in here, but for the most part the flavor is all malt, dark fruits, and a touch of warming alcohol.

Smooth and thick - almost syrupy. Definitely full bodied with moderate carbonation.

Not your typical barleywine, and not a favorite of mine.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 06:44:00 | More by matjack85

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Brown color, minimal head. Aroma is very strong molasses, sweetness, I thought it was better than average. The flavor was more molasses but also a bit of tobacco. My buddy said it was like the spit from chewing tobacco. I wouldn't buy this but it wasn't disgusting, just an average barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:19:21 | More by ArrogantB

sparx1100

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

11-20-2012 04:01:48 | More by sparx1100

drewone

California

3.75/5  rDev +19%

11-19-2012 22:18:06 | More by drewone

TheSixthRing

California

3.38/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a deep, dark amber brown with a sandstone colored finger width head. Average retention. The lacing is spotty with little stick.

Smell - Predominantly sweet aroma, with notes of black cherry, raisin, molasses, rum and just a hint of caramel.

Taste - Follows the nose, with sweet malt character making up the bulk of the flavor profile. Dark caramel, hints of rum and raisin, subtle coffee notes. Finsihes sweet, with little balance.

Mouthfeel - Full bodied and syrupy. Sticks on the lips. Moderate carbonation.

Overall - A fairly average barelywine. Not quite as bad as I expected, and its shows fair drinkability. Too sweet with little bitterness for my taste, but it's loads better than the Mendocino BW I had recently.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 00:44:04 | More by TheSixthRing

tbone1384

Wyoming

4/5  rDev +27%

11-11-2012 14:50:17 | More by tbone1384

sbanacho

California

1/5  rDev -68.3%

11-02-2012 23:48:46 | More by sbanacho

Glopez

California

1.5/5  rDev -52.4%

10-27-2012 03:37:35 | More by Glopez

TrickyxMick

2.75/5  rDev -12.7%

10-27-2012 01:53:40 | More by TrickyxMick

flexabull

California

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

10-25-2012 03:47:09 | More by flexabull

enznevr

Washington

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

10-21-2012 23:44:34 | More by enznevr

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Extremely surprised to see a barleywine as part of a 12-mixer pack, but i'll take it
A - a swampy purple brown, short tan head dissipated to a thin cover leaving a decent lace ring
S - a syrupy sweet aroma, but followed by a start chemical type aroma with some booziness, its not a bad smell but definitely surprising
T - similar to the nose with ample nuttiness, but still has this undertone of a cleaning product thing going on that is just strange
M - heavy and sticky, a tad flat, just a touch of alcohol bite, finishes full
O - something about this just didn't quite work for me, not bad but not a great example of the style

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:21:43 | More by joemcgrath27

bigbeers84

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -12.7%

10-14-2012 02:28:08 | More by bigbeers84

jtierney89

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Even with a super aggressive pour this thing produced only a thin lace of tired yellow head. Super murky brown color with orange highlights. Smells like tootsie rolls, dark fruit and alcohol. Pretty standard. Lots of raisins on the nose as well.

Almost flavorless but with some sweet chocolate and caramel flavors with detectable alcohol. However the beer is rather cold so i'll give it a bit to warm up.

Alcoholic tootsie rolls is basically what this beer is with a lot of alcohol bite. Pretty smooth body, i'll give it that, other wise though too simple for whats supposed to be a big beer with way too much detectable booze. Slightly medicinal.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 00:27:36 | More by jtierney89

JethroAdam

Oregon

2.68/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I bought the fall mixer specifically to try the barleywine and the oktoberfest and never expected to like the IPA and wheat the best.

This beer was... just bad unfortunately. The color was actually too dark, which is hard to say even. But it was opaque reddish brown. Mild carbonation. Dull nose of thick treacle. First impression is extremely thick, not it a good way. Cloying. Molasses, caramel, no hop balance. Tinny aftertaste.

The only reasonable way to make it better was to mix it 50/50 with the IPA. Which really actually did work and make the beer this should've been. I encourage everyone who bought the mixed 12 pack to do so. It livens the nose, the cloyingness, the color and makes for an altogether decent beer- Balanced, full bodied still, lively hop american hop nose.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 02:02:19 | More by JethroAdam

dogfishandi

New York

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

10-06-2012 22:05:40 | More by dogfishandi

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.13/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from the Autumn mix-pack.. Poured into my slim tulip... the brew is dark amber.. short lasting tannish head.

The nose is thick caramel... decent molasses.. dark toast.. treacle...

The palate shows a pretty standard thick malt American BW... Not enough hop bitterness and hop flavors to balance... Too sweet..

Too much body.. The carbonation is pretty light... Thick and way too much caramel and molasses.

3.5/3/3/3/3.5

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 04:30:11 | More by JohnGalt1

strongaf

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

09-30-2012 07:14:54 | More by strongaf