Bourbon Barrel Barleywine - Central Waters Brewing Company

emerge077

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark crimson with two fingers of tan foam. Creamy consistency and long lasting retention. The deep crimson color is nice. Stewed prunes in the nose, not as nice. 2009 bottle, but it smells aged. Cotton candy, brown sugar, sweet and syrupy.

Some heat at first that's soon eclipsed by a gargantuan battle cruiser of bourbon and malt flavors. If you like those two things, you can't go wrong. Sweet vanilla aftertaste, plenty of rich malt and some residual hop bitterness. Drying finish, somewhat concealed in the booze department. Rich and syrupy feel, thankfully dry on the end like Y2K and not a sickly sweet aftertaste like so many barleywines. The barrel is integrated here, and it's not too hot, but you know deep down this is a booze bomb. Plenty of warmth, but not in the taste. Very well done overall, one to look forward to every year.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 03:30:54 | More by emerge077

Ctrauty

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-20-2013 01:40:39 | More by Ctrauty

Gtreid

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-19-2013 23:41:53 | More by Gtreid

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-19-2013 15:34:21 | More by ShawnMH

jakeox

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

05-19-2013 00:13:33 | More by jakeox

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