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Old Knucklehead Barleywine
BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
- From:
- BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 9.2%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 11.87%
- Reviews:
- 100
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 07, 2019
- Added:
- Dec 16, 1998
- Wants:
- 44
- Gots:
- 25
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by PhantomVodoo:
Reviewed by PhantomVodoo from Ohio
4.01/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.01/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2003 Vintage, Run 011.
Tan head sits atop this very red amber brew. Minimal particulate matter.
Aroma of rich, sweet toffee, caramel malt. Woody and earthy with a bit of alcohol as well.
Taste shows a rich, smooth, caramel malt backbone. Woody and earthy. Solid hop balance. Neutral and not overbearingly sweet like some barleywines. Hint of dark fruit up front. Alcohol is well hidden. Finishes well.
Good mouthfeel, although the body isn't quite as full as many barleywines.
Very drinkable.
Overall, a good, balanced barleywine.
Mar 22, 2004Tan head sits atop this very red amber brew. Minimal particulate matter.
Aroma of rich, sweet toffee, caramel malt. Woody and earthy with a bit of alcohol as well.
Taste shows a rich, smooth, caramel malt backbone. Woody and earthy. Solid hop balance. Neutral and not overbearingly sweet like some barleywines. Hint of dark fruit up front. Alcohol is well hidden. Finishes well.
Good mouthfeel, although the body isn't quite as full as many barleywines.
Very drinkable.
Overall, a good, balanced barleywine.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lingenbrau from Oregon
3.95/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
.............................
2019 edition from a crowler.
Beautiful mahogany color with excellent clarity. The garnet highlights and thin khaki foam only add to the luster. That foam quickly dissipates leaving no trace.
Raisin and figs galore with suggestions of molasses, cherry syrup, and oak.
More of a prune juice approach in flavor. Light mulling spice, orange peel, Concord grapes and the slightest touch of wood imaginable.
A tad thin on the body and lacking in carbonation, which actually makes this quite drinkable. One the sweet side, with a good masking if alcohol, giving the overall impression more of an English than American style Barleywine, in my opinion.
A fine Barleywine. Maybe not the best, but certainly a classic. Another that will be missed from Bridgeport.
Cheers.
Mar 10, 20192019 edition from a crowler.
Beautiful mahogany color with excellent clarity. The garnet highlights and thin khaki foam only add to the luster. That foam quickly dissipates leaving no trace.
Raisin and figs galore with suggestions of molasses, cherry syrup, and oak.
More of a prune juice approach in flavor. Light mulling spice, orange peel, Concord grapes and the slightest touch of wood imaginable.
A tad thin on the body and lacking in carbonation, which actually makes this quite drinkable. One the sweet side, with a good masking if alcohol, giving the overall impression more of an English than American style Barleywine, in my opinion.
A fine Barleywine. Maybe not the best, but certainly a classic. Another that will be missed from Bridgeport.
Cheers.
Reviewed by pianoguy from Washington
3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
(17th edition)
22 oz bottle. No bottling info
Pours a dark amber/mahogany body that was slightly hazy. A light tan head dissipated after a few minutes. Some thin lacing
Smells sweet and malty at first pour. This settles down to a health whiff of funky yeast, along with a little oak. Interestingly I'm not getting much scent of the (9.20) alcohol
Taste follows the smell with these exceptions; The oak and the alcohol are much more pronounced.
Medium, almost full feel
Overall. Not bad ! Somewhere between a lighter barleywine and a boozy winter warmer.
Feb 19, 201722 oz bottle. No bottling info
Pours a dark amber/mahogany body that was slightly hazy. A light tan head dissipated after a few minutes. Some thin lacing
Smells sweet and malty at first pour. This settles down to a health whiff of funky yeast, along with a little oak. Interestingly I'm not getting much scent of the (9.20) alcohol
Taste follows the smell with these exceptions; The oak and the alcohol are much more pronounced.
Medium, almost full feel
Overall. Not bad ! Somewhere between a lighter barleywine and a boozy winter warmer.
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri
3.42/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear, mahogany. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Slight retention and slight lacing. Smells of sweet malt, alcohol, yeast, liquor, and slight wood. Fits the style of an American Barleywine. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level and a noticeable bitterness. Tastes of sweet malt, alcohol, yeast, liquor, strong hops, and slight wood. Overall, strong body, liquor dominated body and aroma, and weak appearance.
Aug 17, 2016Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
22oz bottle Poured a dark amber color with a small, off-white head of fluffy foam. Sweet caramel and toffee aromas are followed up by piney notes. A combo of sweet and bitter. Toffee, caramel and butterscotch flavors with a bite of piney bitterness.
Aug 05, 2016Reviewed by Jeffsta1 from Washington
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Nice, dark amber color. Pale tan head with distinct goldenrod tinge.
Mild nose. Sweet malt, slightly funky.
Taste is a nice balance of malt, sweetness, and some bitterness. More balanced and old-school than many newer barleywines that aim to be loud and over the top.
Mouthfeel is moderately rich, viscous. Perhaps just a tiny bit more carbonation than I'd prefer. But, nice.
On the whole, this is a nicely integrated beer, many good qualities, that I just don't love. Maybe better with food - this is almost surely more food-friendly than many bigger barleywines.
Jul 19, 2016Mild nose. Sweet malt, slightly funky.
Taste is a nice balance of malt, sweetness, and some bitterness. More balanced and old-school than many newer barleywines that aim to be loud and over the top.
Mouthfeel is moderately rich, viscous. Perhaps just a tiny bit more carbonation than I'd prefer. But, nice.
On the whole, this is a nicely integrated beer, many good qualities, that I just don't love. Maybe better with food - this is almost surely more food-friendly than many bigger barleywines.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.47/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.47/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Hits those brown and dark red notes with a noticeable degree of sediment/solid particulate floating around. is it yeast? Aroma imparted caramel sweetness and a little bit of cascade hoppiness.
Came off like an imperial winter warmer. Dark fruit like bitterness enhanced by the hopping. Some woody malt tones bringing in toffee notes to balance the caramel. Malting isn't super heavy. Prolly thinner than your average barleywine.
Apr 19, 2016Came off like an imperial winter warmer. Dark fruit like bitterness enhanced by the hopping. Some woody malt tones bringing in toffee notes to balance the caramel. Malting isn't super heavy. Prolly thinner than your average barleywine.
Reviewed by josephandbrown from Oregon
4.18/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
22oz bomber pour into a shaker pint glass.
Old Knucklehead pours a surprisingly light-colored amber for the style. It's still darkish, but quite a lot lighter than I expected. It has a decent though smallish head. The aromas are light; I get more from the smell after a sip. Flavorwise, it is quite nice. There are heavy notes of oak and malt, and just a little bitterness in the aftertaste to balance it out. Knucklehead is nicely carbonated, and has an overall thick feel to it.
This is easily Bridgeport's best beer, and I get excited every year when they release it.
Jan 01, 2016Old Knucklehead pours a surprisingly light-colored amber for the style. It's still darkish, but quite a lot lighter than I expected. It has a decent though smallish head. The aromas are light; I get more from the smell after a sip. Flavorwise, it is quite nice. There are heavy notes of oak and malt, and just a little bitterness in the aftertaste to balance it out. Knucklehead is nicely carbonated, and has an overall thick feel to it.
This is easily Bridgeport's best beer, and I get excited every year when they release it.
Old Knucklehead Barleywine from BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
224 ratings
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