Bourbon Barrel Barleywine - Central Waters Brewing Company

StoneTSR

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

APPEARANCE: Typical mahogany color for a Barleywine with a surprisingly nice head of about a full finger. Unlike some others who have reviewed this beer here, the head hung in there for a while. The lacing was also quite nice.

SMELL: Very complex and delicious smeller with cherry, vanilla and wood leading the way. Some caramel and a touch of bread were also present.

TASTE: Everything from the nose is here in the taste as well. The cherry is dominant along with vanilla and wood. Adding to the caramel and bread is a little chocolate. The one thing missing from a typical Barleywine here is banana. It may be that the bourbon barrels overwhelm it, and either way, it doesn't need it, just a note that it isn't there as I expected it to be. The beer is delicious.

MOUTHFEEL: Like the smell and taste, the mouthfeel is very complex as well. While it starts out sweet, the hops in the middle create a small pucker of bitterness and the beer dries throughout each sip.

OVERALL: With all the flavors here it would have been easy to allow one to take over and tip the balance, but at no point does this delicious masterpiece go too far in any direction. Beer Advocate encourages reviewers only to use 5s when a beer is truly exceptional - and this is one of those cases.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 03:05:44 | More by StoneTSR

xdtfx

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%

05-18-2013 17:28:00 | More by xdtfx

JOrtt

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-18-2013 03:32:00 | More by JOrtt

OddNotion

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-17-2013 14:27:50 | More by OddNotion

BarrelAgedBrian

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -7%

05-17-2013 04:03:30 | More by BarrelAgedBrian

Nachos4two

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-17-2013 02:55:29 | More by Nachos4two

Westuh

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-16-2013 18:37:38 | More by Westuh

Rainblows

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-16-2013 14:29:48 | More by Rainblows

Pelican5

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-16-2013 07:19:27 | More by Pelican5

Pecan

California

4/5  rDev -7%

05-16-2013 02:01:01 | More by Pecan

mvdillman

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-15-2013 18:18:52 | More by mvdillman

chrisp450

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-15-2013 02:44:47 | More by chrisp450

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-14-2013 22:04:45 | More by InspectorBob

langchops

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. Bottle poured into snifter

2013 Vintage

I was expecting more bourbon based on the reviews I've read here, but was a little disappointed by the lack of this. It's a smooth barleywine but I would not say this is a bourbon bomb by any means.

Solid barleywine, would drink this again

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 18:18:47 | More by langchops

lookrider

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-14-2013 14:28:41 | More by lookrider

BUNZILLA

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-14-2013 02:17:12 | More by BUNZILLA

pk18

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-13-2013 20:19:48 | More by pk18

EROCK75

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-13-2013 15:48:05 | More by EROCK75

dasmusik

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-13-2013 02:51:05 | More by dasmusik

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

05-13-2013 01:41:32 | More by wisrarebeer

ajzy

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-12-2013 21:52:51 | More by ajzy

sendbeer

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-12-2013 19:16:47 | More by sendbeer

MCImes

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -41.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I like bourbon barrel aged anything, but CW goes way too far over the top with this beer. There is literally no beer flavor, its just bourbon nose, bourbon taste, bourbon finish.

I you LOVE bourbon this is YOUR beer. The bourbon is overwhelming. Its just booze, vanilla, and bourbon through and through. Very unbalanced. (this could be a good thing if you love bourbon)

Overall, if you cant get enough bourbon in your beer, this is for you. If you like a more balanced barrel flavor, there are better choices.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 18:59:19 | More by MCImes

Coldsnack

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-12-2013 11:36:55 | More by Coldsnack

Prost76

New Hampshire

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-12-2013 10:23:36 | More by Prost76