Old Knucklehead Barleywine
BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub

Old Knucklehead BarleywineOld Knucklehead Barleywine
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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:
224
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 bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 4.24 by Quafftastic from Virginia

Jul 07, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of Lingenbrau
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
.............................

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, 2019
Photo of pianoguy
Reviewed by pianoguy from Washington

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, 2017
 
Rated: 3.65 by Chris912 from Illinois

Dec 22, 2016
Photo of Tone
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
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, 2016
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

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, 2016
Photo of Jeffsta1
Reviewed by Jeffsta1 from Washington

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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.19 by BlueSpader from Washington

Jul 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.94 by Birdlegs from Washington

May 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by Whiskeydeez from Kansas

Apr 22, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
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
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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.79 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Apr 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.6 by ezra_shroomer from Washington

Feb 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Recless7 from Idaho

Feb 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.65 by claybob43 from Washington

Feb 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.97 by grnmtnman from Oregon

Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 2.62 by drone from Oregon

Jan 31, 2016
Photo of josephandbrown
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
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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.71 by brother_rebus from Maine

Dec 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Hohnbaum from Kansas

Dec 06, 2015
Old Knucklehead Barleywine from BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 224 ratings