2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barley Wine Ale
Full Sail Brewing Company

2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barley Wine Ale2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barley Wine Ale
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From:
Full Sail Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
9%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.83 | pDev: 8.36%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
32
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 13, 2020
Added:
Apr 24, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  5
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.36/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Had this in July 2015.

Pours an amber/auburn color with some burnt orange to the outside of it, 1/4" white head. Not much retention. Aroma was of cardboard, caramel, toffee, booziness. Didn't discern much hop character left in it.

Taste was decent, had that similar to Bigfoot change over the years, hops went to a bittersweet component moreso after five years aging. Definite sherry cardboard note to it, not horrible, not a plus either. Its a low end strength barleywine, so it didn't push a troublesome alcohol sting. Carbonation was only lightly lowered.

Given the affordability of it, I'm totally down that I picked up a bottle. They were like $5/bomber. Its a decent session like barleywine with plenty of those cardboard-caramel-toffee-dark fruit notes. I would guess the ibu number was around 90. Its a good beer to tick, affordable, reliable.
May 13, 2020
 
Rated: 3.89 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Feb 28, 2018
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
2010 vintage, drank in early 2018

Murky dark copper color, thin head that fades. Aroma is spicy, herbal, fruity, earthy. Taste starts sweet, caramel, raisin, then finishes dry, some sherry oxidation flavor. Low carbonation, the beer coats the tongue.
Feb 10, 2018
Photo of buschbeer
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

3.79/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
1 PT. 6 FL. OZ bottle
Served in a snifter

This beer pours copper in color with orange highlights. It has a slight haze and is topped with an inch of tan head that leaves very little lacing.

It smells malty but not too sweet. It has remnants of hops to keep the sweetness in check. It kind of has a tea aroma.

It has a woody taste to it. It is dry. I taste faded hops that still maintain some bitterness. The is some malt that tries to break through but just can't quite do it.

Medium mouthfeel

Dry and woody are the two terms that keep coming to my mind as I consume this beer. It would probably be better to have fresh to let the hops shine more, but the bottle said it is a cellar prospect. I got it for free from a friend who doesn't like barleywines, so the price was right.
Feb 27, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by nmann08 from Virginia

Jun 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by jerefreakinmiah from North Carolina

Apr 12, 2014
Photo of DarthKostrizer
Reviewed by DarthKostrizer from California

3.54/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottle to tulip glass. This is a review in tribute to the reviewing genius that is UCLABrewN84 :)

Look. Pours a ruby red with brownish highlights and a tan head that's about 1/4 inch high off the liquid that is known as beer

Smell. The beer smell like malt and hops with a bit if yeast.

Taste. Pretty much the same as the nose. Reminds me of beer

Mouthfeel. The body is medium and the carb is low. Just like a barley wine beer.

Overall. This beer is a solid beer. Definitely has beer characters.
May 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by artoolemomo from Oregon

Apr 01, 2013
Photo of rickyleepotts
Reviewed by rickyleepotts from Arizona

4.41/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
This bottle has been starring at me at Total Wine & More for months… and I never pulled the trigger. I have never been impressed with beers from Full Sail. Then I saw a couple of barrel aged beers come in, and decided to give this one a shot. It was only $4.49 a bottle, so I grabbed a bomber. I have since found out this is on the 1001 Bottles list, and might possible be retired. I am still looking into this, but I am seeing conflicting reports online. Regardless, this is the 2011 barleywine, which makes me think there is already two years of age on it. The label is also old, and a beer like this should get better with age. The tasting notes said this beer should be enjoyed fresh… but I have never had a good barleywine that was good fresh. Hoping the age has mellowed this beer out a little.

I did drink a bottle of their doppelbock a few weeks ago. It was nice. Let's hope this one is as good as I want it to be. Remember, I am picky when it comes to barleywines. My fingers are crossed!

In the Glass: This has a nice rich brown, almost red color to it. My expectation for a barleywine is dark brown, but I am not turned off by this. The head is white and fluffy, and has a nice lingering lace. Barleywines also have a nice sweetness on the nose and on the palate, and that is what I am expecting here. A beer like this will also get better as it heats up.

Nose: This smells like a barleywine should smell. There is a nice sweetness there, and is loaded with malty goodness. At 9% ABV, you would never know that from smelling this. I still don't know why they say enjoy this fresh. It even says on the bottle that this beer ages well. I might grab another bottle depending on what it tastes like. I am hooked on aging beers! OK… here we go. Let's see what this brew tastes like.

Flavor: Oh yeah, THAT is what a barleywine is supposed to taste like. I knew it would taste good, but man… this tastes GREAT! Holy cow, this is delicious!!! The flavor is sweet, then the malts really kick in, and the finish and aftertaste are while sweet, drying. This is also ice cold, and I bet this would get better (and thicker) as it heats up. Man, Full Sail… I am impressed!

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is not as thick as I wanted, but slides across the palate with an aggressive sweetness. On my last drink, I swished it around my mouth a little, and the flavor really explodes. There are a few bubbles on the outside of my tongue, but not enough to discuss much about. I am just so excited that this is good! No no… GREAT! So happy right now. I'm telling you, I am fickle when it comes to barleywines.

Aftertaste: This might be my favorite part of the beer. I have been saying that for a few beers, but the aftertaste here is really sweet, dry, and I just keep swallowing to taste this beer. Full Sail, I am impressed. I did NOT expect this to be this good. I did enjoy the dopplebock, but didn't think they would throw such a good offering with their barleywine. I am clapping my hands for you Full Sail.

Like I said, I expect a barleywine to be thick, sweet, and high in alcohol. We have a winner! Plus, we get almost two pints out of a bottle! If there are still bottles of this on the shelf, I am going to grab another one to age. At 9%, this will age for at least 3-5 years. If the beer is this good "fresh", imagine what a few years will do to it! Yummy!

Beer Name - The bottle says: "A deliciously rich barleywine ale with spectacular depth & delay of flavor that is deep & robust. Its full, sweet body is balanced with centennial & crystal hops for a pleasant hoppiness & Finish. Makes great cellar brew."
Mar 13, 2013
Photo of bamadog
Reviewed by bamadog from Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Received in a trade sometime in 2011, bottle is from 2010. Review is from notes taken on 8/13/2012 and poured from the bottle to a snifter.

Appearance: Looks nice coming out of the bottle -- warm golden and coppery hues; body is definitely murky and difficult to see through, but light definitely penetrates; carbonation is plentiful and it looks smooth and foamy; short creamy off-white/near-tan head fades quickly to a thin and uneven skim on the surface; a few strands and washes of laces stick around on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Smell is very sweet -- and I'm reminded of a candied apple; warm and still very sweet caramel malts; touch of bitter hops fight their way through and a whiff of alcohol to boot. I think the nose is quite decent and inviting - smells more like a English BW, but the hops lingering in the back lead me to believe there'll be some American in it as well...

Taste: The hops are definitely in this one, but they're just hiding out waiting to hit your tongue -- a bitter and piny aspect with a touch of metal to it; the malts a huge as well, providing a nice balance; touch of spiciness to it and the alcohol lingers on the breath. Taste is good, but not as big and robust as I was hoping for, especially since I probably traded something decent for it... hopefully not too decent, but decent enough.

Mouthfeel: Body is solid -- medium/heavy in terms of weight and it's pretty smooth and creamy; carbonation is present, and when combined with the alcoholic vapor, it has plenty of life to keep it busy; a thin, kind of dry coating is left on the roof of the mouth -- not necessarily unpleasant, but I've definitely had better.

Overall: Definitely a good beer and worth buying if it comes a reasonable price, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. A lot of annual offerings from other breweries are better suited to my palate (a la Bigfoot). Sipper due to the weight and ABV.
Aug 14, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by HoistinBrews from Minnesota

Aug 05, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by FuselGuy from Washington

Jun 25, 2012
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle into a snifter. First thing I'm surprised by before I even pour is all the floaties visible in the bottle. This has been sitting in the beer fridge for months.

Pours a perfect amber color w/ a 1/2 finger head that settles to a thin film. Plenty of suspended pariculates.

Aroma is dank and hoppy. Lacks the sweetness I was expecting. Herbal/floral, boozy as it warms.

Taste has the same bitter herbal hoppiness. Caramel malt, hops, a little one-dimensional. This could almost pass for an old East Coast DIPA.

Mouthfeel seems a little flat, watery, thin. Bitter on the finish.

Overall a very hop-forward barleywine, not sure it works.
May 23, 2012
Photo of Nerudamann
Reviewed by Nerudamann from Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a bottle into a snifter glass.

Look - medium brown in color, hazy, with about a finger's worth of off-white and still frothy foam that dissipates pretty quickly.

Smell - sweet smelling, seemingly with a fruit base. Can't quite pick out the hops in the aroma. Smells more like a fruit juice like pomegranate juice or something similar.

Taste - the feeling of the hops...more the presence than the feeling or taste, is fell right off. But that may also be the general sense of the abv. But then the second thing is the actual bitterness of the hops felt strongly at the back of the palate. Then there's a smorgasbord of complexity in the middle, fading back into a bitter finish and subtly bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - surprisingly well-balanced, not leaning more toward the watery or creamy sides.

Overall - as always, barleywines are wonderful and intriguing to sample, and this one makes no deviation from that expectation. Very interesting and wonderfully complex.
Apr 01, 2012
 
 
Rated: 3.5 by ds21tango from Washington

Feb 17, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by sharpski from Canada (BC)

Feb 15, 2012
Photo of RedBiddy
Reviewed by RedBiddy from Oregon

4.23/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Like drinking a creamsicle in the dark. A dark ochre color with thick substantial foam. Hangs on the side of the glass and builds like pancake patter poured on a hot griddle. A whiff tells you it is sweet and good. Fruity like a cherimoya. Smooth and lingering mouthfeel. Warm and satisfying as it lands in my belly. Tasty. This is a rare bargain at only $4.29/bottle.
Feb 10, 2012
Photo of Rutager
Reviewed by Rutager from Canada (BC)

3.89/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance. Pours a deep and hazy amber with half a finger of off white head.

Smell. Nice sweet caramel and toasty malts. Some lemons and grapefruit. Smells good.

Taste. Sweet caramel with some soft citrus flavours. A bit of booze and bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel. Full body, low carbonation.

Overall. Not bad. Still lots of hops coming through in this one.
Jan 26, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by gkunkle from Oregon

Jan 22, 2012
2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barley Wine Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 32 ratings