Schlafly Reserve - Barleywine Style Ale - Saint Louis Brewery / Schlafly Tap Room

daledeee

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to a friend who grew up in St. Louis. Time for a tasting!

Poured this into the favorite glass. Remember, this is a 2008 aged bottle. The head was not much but it was a dark cloudy brown and it poured with rather heavy gravity.
Nose was not as hoppy as others, but I suspected that. I could smell the caramel and sweetness.

Taste is way malty. I suspect if you drank this at a young age, the hops would be much more in your face but instead I got a really nice sweet malt monster with hops to balance it out. The mouth feel was nice and heavy. Not much carbonation, but not flat either.

Overall, about as good as you would expect from your American barleywine class.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 02:37:59 | More by daledeee

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.5%

05-22-2013 22:50:19 | More by megamass

BAsbill

California

4/5  rDev +0.5%

05-22-2013 22:06:03 | More by BAsbill

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

05-19-2013 16:51:56 | More by Photekut

mntlover

Tennessee

2.85/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2

Pours a reddish brown with a nice two finger tan head, it falls to a ring. Some light lace left behind not as much as the head would suggest.

Aroma is nice, dark fruits that are over ripe good barrel notes nice vanilla alcohol notes mingled underneath it all. Smells lightly boozy which is fine but not as huge in the malt department as you would expect.

Taste is little hot alcohol notes upfront dark fruits and plenty of barrel notes. Seems little simple and not in a good way. No great big malt flavors that are even present in American Barleywine might less English ones. Just little one sided.

Mouthfeel alcohol makes it seem lighter then it probably is, carbonation is good though.

Overall blah wouldn't even recommend trying this one. Sad it smelled alright not great but alright.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:41:39 | More by mntlover

jharris0624

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -18.3%

05-12-2013 18:38:06 | More by jharris0624

guytyping

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

05-11-2013 01:15:09 | More by guytyping

MCDub

North Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -37.2%

05-10-2013 14:53:13 | More by MCDub

virinow

New York

3/5  rDev -24.6%

05-02-2013 11:36:45 | More by virinow

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

04-29-2013 00:14:04 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

InfragilisBrew

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

04-22-2013 18:13:26 | More by InfragilisBrew

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

04-21-2013 00:09:17 | More by AOShabaz

shehateme

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

04-21-2013 00:07:55 | More by shehateme

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

2009 Vintage, recieved as an extra in a trade.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a dark coppery red hue with a one finger earthy head that faded to a thin halo and light wisps.

S - Strong sweet malts, brown sugar, dark fruit, caramel, toffee, SUPER light oak.

T - Taste is pretty solid for what it is. Nice caramel and toffee with some light soft vanilla and sweet malts rounding everything out. Light bourbon, brown sugar. Its quite tasty for what it is.

M - Mouthfeel is solid for the style. Not nearly as boozy as I thought it would be.

O - Not a bad barleywine. Think its a good "starter" for ones cellar, as its somewhat easily attainable. For those with a deep cellar though its really not worth the space. I have a bottle of 07 down there as well. Wonder how that is.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:43:32 | More by rudzud

robwater

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

04-12-2013 13:33:46 | More by robwater

Scrach1

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%

04-10-2013 21:34:28 | More by Scrach1

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a teku)
A- This beer pours a dense deep caramel body that glows a bit garnet at the base and a sticky beige film is supported by a few slow strands of microbubbles trailing up the sides of the glass

S- The caramel malt has a toasted oak note in the finish with some fresh sawn oak qualities growing as it opens.

T- The rich slightly dry caramel malt blends with some green wood notes and a slight tartness in the finish. There is a nice woody oak flavor and some pine hops nip in the finish.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a tight little fizz and no real alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer is luscious but a bit dry and tart in the finish. It has a nice full support of oak and hops which add good depth to the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 15:26:05 | More by rhoadsrage

Gotti311

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%

04-08-2013 17:46:30 | More by Gotti311

StPaulSuds

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%

03-30-2013 19:27:16 | More by StPaulSuds

rlee1390

Indiana

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Deep ruby two finger head, not much carbonation.

S-Caramel, coconut oak and molasses.

T-Similar to the nose, oak, molasses, caramel, tad bit of coconut and slight bitterness.

M-Medium bodied and nicely carbonated.

O-A good barleywine, nothing stood out as amazing though. Very enjoyable and no glaring flaws, just not great.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:15:19 | More by rlee1390

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

2008 vintage. 750mL kept at in box and at cellar conditions since 2010. poured into taster.

A: pours pretty clear. light, more of an amber than a copper hue. looks flat.

S: smooth, more oak than bourbon, maybe no bourbon at all. caramel and toffee. sweet, smells more like a doppel or scotch than a barleywine. mild fruit.

T: no heat, super smooth. a bit of toffee, slight diacetyl. a little bit of smoke. slight scotch flavor. complex, all over the place.

M: mellow, carb is a little low. full bodied.

D: definitely smooth, time has helped mellow any heat this body has once had. may have picked up a little diacetyl over time as well. anyone still hanging on to this puppy should go ahead and drink it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 15:52:44 | More by Jimmys

Jamison85

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

03-24-2013 21:23:53 | More by Jamison85

alysmith4

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%

03-24-2013 03:43:14 | More by alysmith4

Thomas_Picton

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%

03-21-2013 03:51:11 | More by Thomas_Picton

Eaglefan344

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

03-16-2013 22:22:51 | More by Eaglefan344