Arcadia Cereal Killer Barley Wine - Arcadia Brewing Company

MickeyBeer

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this beer on cask at Firkin in a snifter glass

A- It pours a dark reddish color with about one finger of head.

S- Smell comes forward with malty sweetness, hops, and barley notes.

T- Taste has a good deal of hops but also a considerable amount of sweetness. Even on cask and at at room temperature this beer is rather tasty.

M- Full bodied and somewhat sticky mouthfeel.

O- I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this beer. I like barleywines, but I have never had one on cask. This beer was very well balanced and the high ABV was hardly noticeable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2013 01:56:17 | More by MickeyBeer

filmguy

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Read the other reviews for a taste profile. On tap this was a perfect beer for me. Went out while vacationing in Detroit (!) and bought a 6 pack to bring back the goodness to Florida. Not nearly as good from the bottle. Much more hops. Quite bitter (which is fine for hop heads) but for me it was a bit less balanced than when it was on tap. Still good, but a notch down from great.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 00:57:23 | More by filmguy

JesseP09

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Holy God this beer has a lot going on.

The best way I can describe it is liquid Frosted Flakes in taste. Seriously, this is a delicious barleywine that is deceptive in its alcohol content. I had this beer in a half-pint glass at Arcadia's pub in Battle Creek, Michigan, and I was very impressed. A lovely deep orange beer, it is super-sweet and delicious, with a great mouthfeel and overall experience. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2011 04:36:23 | More by JesseP09

brew3crew

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A-Clear amber/brown with no head
S-Roasty malts hit the nose and linger
T-This is the 2008 vintage and you can still taste the Alcohol. Not what I was expecting when i chose this beer. very disappointing. Alcohol over powered most oher tastes. Slight roastiness
M-medium body with a clean finish
D-Hot, but not as bad as some hot beers

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2011 15:37:37 | More by brew3crew

champ103

Texas

2.95/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a dark, nearly opaque reddish color. A very minimal white head forms, and recedes in a second. Light lace is left behind.
S: Sweet malt up front. Some nondescript hops lingering. Really nothing else that I can find.
T: Follows the nose. Lots of really sweet malt. Pretty much cloying. Some citrus hops linger, but not much else. Pretty bland and neutral.
M/D: A medium t full body. Low on the carbonation. Oily, sticky, and resiny. Lots of alcohol. Along with the cloying sweetness, this is pretty hard to finish.

Just a cloying and sweet mess. Not one of Arcadia's better offerings. Arcadia's Big Dick's Olde Ale is one that is superior in just about every way. I would not recommend this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2010 04:54:00 | More by champ103

homebrew311

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a snifter at Sheffields.

A: appears a deep red, slightly murky, translucent, minimal head with some spotty lacing

S: rich malty profile is prevalent on nose, notes of caramel, molasses, earthy notes, spruce, and some spicy hops on the finish

T: the rich malts are there, somewhat sweet, pretty nice balance between malts and hops leaning a little towards the malty end of the spectrum. Finish is spicy with hops and heat from the alcohol

mf: medium body, medium to high carbonation, slightly prickly on tongue, heat at the end

D: nice balance, very malt forward, rich- difficult to make it through a glass. Nothing about this beer really stood out for me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2010 04:33:25 | More by homebrew311

bonbini26

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap @ the Ginger Man 02-07-09

A: A hazy red/brown color with a small head that fades quickly

S: Beady, malty, one would except to find in an english style barleywine, alcohol also comes through on this one

T: Malty & Sweet with a toffee, biscuit taste, bitterness in the finish along with a dry flavor

M: Pretty good coats the mouth and taste stays with you long after your last sip

D: Probably more bitter than your typical english barleywine, but not as bitter as an American style. A nice sipper, not a booze bomb at only 9%, goes down pretty smooth

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2009 18:04:10 | More by bonbini26

hopdog

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap.

Poured a deeper reddish / orange color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, fruity, oranges, citrus and some dark fruits. Tastes of caramel, citrus, fruity, and toffee. Light alcohol finish.

Notes from 2/21/07

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2008 00:52:45 | More by hopdog

mcallister

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at the Dilly Deli Arcadia tasting.

I was really looking forward to this barley wine and left somewhat dissapointed. A toasty brea colored tannish brown with a nice large tan head that held up for a minute and left some lace down the glass.

Aromas were of toffee malt and a buttered biscuity smell. Hints of bitter hops as well.

This Barley wine was a little thin and dry. Predominantly a caramel, dried fig approach with toasty, buttery finish. Finish is thin and somewhat bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2006 20:31:58 | More by mcallister

superspak

Michigan

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

22 ounce bottle into snifter; 3 year cellar aged version released this year, making it a 2010 vintage. Pours lightly hazy dark ruby red color with a small dense cream colored head with decent retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big raisin, fig, apple, caramel, molasses, toast, sherry, brown sugar, light chocolate, light pepper, and earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt/fruity notes; very sweet, but not offensively so. Taste of raisin, fig, apple, caramel, molasses, toast, sherry, brown sugar, light chocolate, light pepper, and earthiness. Lingering notes of dark fruits, caramel, molasses, toast, brown sugar, sherry, light chocolate, and toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very good balance and complexity of malt and fruity notes; with no cloying sweetness present after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and full bodied; with a creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice English Barleywine. All around nice balance and complexity of malt and fruity flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 04:57:35 | More by superspak

alphaacid9000

Michigan

4.11/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle 2010

Pours a dark chocolate color with just a hint of ruby around the edges. Lightly carbonated with almost no head.

Aroma is wonderful. Dark fruits and malts dominate the nose. Raisin, cherry, alcohol and bready malt

Sticky sweet and medium to full mouthfeel. Assertive bitterness with almost no hop flavor at this age. Malts dominate the flavor and pleasantly supported by alcohol heat.

Overall a fantastic beer and even better with a couple years of age on it

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 03:09:19 | More by alphaacid9000

jmendels

Michigan

4.29/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I've been on a journey to try Michigan beers lately. Arcadia Ales is certainly one brand that stands a bit taller and this beer contributes to their stature.It pours a beautiful reddish brown,with only a small amount of lace. The smell is rather complex and should take a couple whiffs to fully appreciate. There are the usual toffee smells, but also subtle hints of cereal. The taste is sublime, having a mellow sweetness balanced with the aged flavor natural to this type of beer. It then finishes with a touch of bittersweet thickness. Good beer and a good example of the Barleywine Style.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:10:12 | More by jmendels

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Deep murky brown with some ruby at the edges, light ring of off white head at the edges, no lace. Smell is a nice mix of fruit and malts, cherry and darker fruit, some dark sugars as well here, a bit of earthy hops as well as raisin. Taste has big malty flavours, cherry raisin and dark fruit are all present, fruity/earthy hop bill make for a nice restrained bitterness, mild caramel and toffee sweetness, aftertaste of fruit in dark sugar. Lightly carbonated, medium body. A solid and serviceable barleywine, a very enjoyable slow sipper.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 20:04:17 | More by peensteen

YCantWeNotBeSober

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

A - Pours a dark mahogany brown, minimal head retention

S - Malty sweet, cherry, whiskey-like notes,

T - Starts with that sweet pineapple-like flavor unique to barleywines fading to intense piney hop bitterness and a surprising amount of heat from alcohol. Some vanilla or Bourbon notes lie in the background but are dominated by the tannic bitterness. Some smokier malt flavor lingers after the sip.

M - Oily, slick,

O - Being relatively new the style, I could definitely tell it fits the description of barleywine, but Cereal Killer has fallen short of the others I've tried (Founders Bolt Cutter, DFH Olde School). However, the complexity of the style may have me coming back to this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 01:34:55 | More by YCantWeNotBeSober

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.19/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Type: 12 oz bottle
Glass: Snifter
From: Tippins in Ann Arbor
Price: $4 a single

Appearance: deep ruby reddish color, a little brownish. a finger of foamy that is tan. fades to a lacing on the sides. very high clarity

Smell: malty and some vanilla, a little bit too strong in terms of alcohol. some citrusy hops

Taste: strong malts up front some vanilla, quickly turns to a hop bomb with a strong alcohol quick. a little to unbalanced and overly bitter.

Mouthfeel: syrupy, pretty heavy in body. very bitter aftertaste.

Overall: doesn't do it for me. the hoppiness is a little overdone and takes to much away from the malts. the alcohol is too overbearing as well

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 19:41:39 | More by SportsandJorts

warnerry

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 Bottle into a tulip

A -Pours a somewhat murky mahogany with one finger of head. Head dissipates to a collar fairly quickly, though the collar maintains throughout the glass.

S - Alcohol-infused caramel/tootsie roll, raisin and fig. Also some cherry and quite a bit of malt. A little too boozy in the nose.

T - Caramel with a bit of bitterness. More tart cherry in the taste than the aroma. Also dried fruits like raisin and fig. Alcohol is noticeable but not out of control. Finishes with more bitterness.

M - Medium mouthfeel is slightly sticky sweet initially, followed by some earthy bitterness.

O - Haven't had this fresh, but it is nice with a few years on it. I wish the alcohol were toned down just a bit, but this is tasty English barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:19:31 | More by warnerry

FirstBrewsoon

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass for a live review.

A - Rich ruby/mahogany, perfect clarity. Extremely sparse foam, which did not accumulate, with minimal retention along the sides of the glass only. I find the colour alluring, but would have liked to see slightly more head.

S - Fairly faint, probably due to a poor choice of receptacle on my part. A vigorous drag of air yields dark fruit, candy floss, caramel. The aroma is improving as I write this, due in all likelihood to temperature. I wish I had a snifter at my disposal, but I'm not at home.

T - Loads of oak and vanilla, with a pleasant latent bitterness, which lingers on the finish.

M - Thick, viscous and satisfyingly syrupy. Coagulates on the tongue in a luxurious way. I was surprised to detect fairly substantial carbonation in the mouthfeel.

O - Very pleasant beer, a nice example of the genre. I'm impressed with how the sweetness of the initial flavour, which is considerable, is balanced by the bitterness on the end. I bought a single bottle of this with a contingency for a four-pack, and I think I'll have to follow through on it. At 10% abv, I feel this beer would age well.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 03:25:08 | More by FirstBrewsoon

DrinkMoreBigBeers

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The bottles states Handcrafted in 2009.

A - Poured out a dirty opaque murky reddish brown brew. Not much head developed on this on but left a tiny little bubbles on the sides of glass giving way to alcohol legs and lacing that sticks. Looks well carbonated on the edges of the glass. Layer of yeast in the bottom of this one.

S - On this there is a lot of malts that give way to sweet fig, cherry, vanilla, caramel, alcohol in the background with a ever so slight presence on the nose.

T - Wow lots of cherry, fig, a pinch of booze that shows itself and disappears just as fast, and anise overtakes the background and finishes this one. Can not tell this one is 10 % that is for sure.

M - This is medium bodied and lighter then what I was expecting for a barley wine. Carbonation is pretty low in this one also. It is however really soft and pleasant which makes it go down really easy. Mouth gets a film on it after drinking for a while.

O - This one is a pretty decent sipping barley wine which has developed really well since 09. If you can age one this long the alcohol dies off and is not detectable. Worth picking up if you like a sipper that has the typical barley wine malty flavors. Note the hops have died on this one. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 01:54:24 | More by DrinkMoreBigBeers

Thickfreakness

New York

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a ruddy/silty brown into my Bruery Tulip. Nice copper tinted head that fades fairly quickly, but it leaves a decent amount of lacing dripping away.

S- Caramel Candy-Corn! Damn! Has a nice malt and mineral backround. Light touches of winter spices, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, licorice and just a faint hint of the booze. Almost seems as if it's been BBA'd. Really nice depth as it warms up!

T- Touches of sour raisins and fig, caramel, and burnt brown sugar. Taste doesn't quite match the nose. Some nice licorice/basil notes, but the sourness is throwing off the caramel and sweet candy.

M- Decently thick and oily, better carbonation than expected. Nicely sweet, but the tartness is losing me a little bit.

O- I would of rated this much higher if it weren't for that sour fruit. Nicely spiced, nice oily mouthfeel. I had higher hopes for this. I'd like to have some of this to age and see what becomes of it.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 21:21:43 | More by Thickfreakness

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Picked up a 2010 vintage for around 4 bucks

A - Deep hazy mahogany amber with an opaque colored head. Lacing is thick yet not very sticky.

S - Simple soft caramels and sherry notes like a fine wine. Sweet the hops have completely aged out.

T - A very fine example of the style. Opens sweet with prunes and sweet sherry wine like goodness. Not very bitter one bit with not noticeable alcohol flavor. Good stuff.

M - Medium bodied to thick.

Overall nothing really to run out again get again (especially since I got this in Ohio) but a very well crafted barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 01:13:53 | More by DrDemento456

bluejacket74

Ohio

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

12 ounce bottle, 2010 vintage. Served in a snifter, the beer pours a murky mahogany brown color with about an inch tan head that sticked around a little while. There's also a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, it smells like brown sugar, caramel, toffee, dark fruit (raisins, plums) and bready malt. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some sherry and a bit of sweet spice. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and a bit creamy with moderate carbonation. I think it's a good overall brew, I'd buy this again in the future and probably age it longer next time.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 23:22:27 | More by bluejacket74

Beer_Runner

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The only date on the label state “2010.” So this beer has aged for about two years before opening.

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass produced about one finger of head that is a darker shade of khaki, very dense, and just a little clumpy. The head proved to be fairly robust and lasted for about half the session. The brew is a mahogany color with a ruby red hue. It was also a little cloudy and just barely translucent.

S: The aroma is a combination of sweet malt and grain, along with some bready yeast and just a touch of cherry and some dark dried fruit.

T: The taste begins with a very sweet malt rush that is quickly joined by a blend of roasted and slightly toasted grains along with plenty of subtle dark dried fruit and a little bit of bready yeast.

M: The beer is heavy, full bodied, and just a little slick; and, it only has a small amount of carbonation and it just the right amount for this style of beer.

O: This is a classic barleywine, and it would make a great first introduction when introducing friends to this style of beer. It does all the things a barleywine should do, and it does them well; and, it also avoids going beyond the style. It focuses squarely on malt flavors of sweetness, toasted grains, and just a bit of dark fruit along with some yeast. Most of all, everything remains subtle and smooth and blends together well. This is a first class barleywine that is definitely in the top tier of selection available in this style.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:33:58 | More by Beer_Runner

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received in trade from Fplumbs, thanks for the opportunity.
Pours a crystal clear dark brown with ruby highlights and a smallish off white head that slowly dissipates to a cap. Smells of dark brown sugar, raisins, prunes, and plums, and a bit of alcohol. The flavor is filled with lots of dark and brown sugars, a bit of non descript fruit and a healthy dose of ethanol. Medium to thick body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet almost syrupy mouthfeel. Decent barleywine, but a bit on the hot side. I enjoyed this, but I would be curious to see how a little age might affect this brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 01:56:38 | More by johnnnniee

theecaleb

Alaska

3.58/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2010, 12oz bottle.

A. Pours good. Good copper in color. One inch creamy redish head, slowly fades away. Minamal lacing.

S. Toffee, barley, fruit.

T. Alcohol, fruit, spice, wine.

M. Warmth of alcohol, good carbonation. Light hints of barley and fruits.

O. Not the best barley wine I've had, but I like it. Very drinkable, I wouldnt mind aging a few in the cellar. I would recommend this beer to a friend.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 18:56:13 | More by theecaleb

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.
2010 vintage, Aged approximately 2 years

Appearance
Pours a murky copper with red/brown highlights. Has 1 finger of tan head. Huge globs of yeast (I hope) are suspended in the glass. I don’t know how I feel about that…

Nose
Toffee, molasses, notes of prune & fig.

Taste
Prune, molasses, candy sugar and fig. Suggestions of dates. This follows through mid-palate with more dried dark fruits and grape skins. Finishes with earth, leather and brown sugar.

Mouthfeel
Full bodied, silky, smooth, drying and sticky.

Overall
Big and sweet with a lot of dark fruit (mostly prune & dates), molasses and leather. The booze is pretty well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 18:06:26 | More by justintcoons