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Heavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks
- Heavy Seas Beer
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BA SCORE
89
good
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196 Ratings
THE BROS
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rAvg: 3.99
pDev: 9.27%
Reviews: 90
Hads: 106
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Heavy Seas Beer
Maryland
,
United States
Style | ABV
English Barleywine
| 10.00%
ABV
Availability:
Rotating.
bottle (82)
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on-tap (6)
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cask (1)
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growler (1)
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BuckeyeNation
Iowa
3.9
/5
rDev
-2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark caramel brown in the center that fades to muddy pumpkin along the margins. The wheat toast colored crown barely reached two fingers, but has settled in to become densely creamy. It's also beginning to deposit thick curtains of finely stippled lace.
Bourbon barrel-aging should have helped the standard Below Decks nose more than this. The spirit, while easily appreciated, does not take over like it does in some ale of this ilk. That could be either a positive or a negative, depending on your point of view. Still holding out hope for an improved taste bud experience.
Bourbon barrel-aging has helped the standard Below Decks where it matters most. The original beer, with its pale-to-midrange malts, seems to be a pretty good blank slate on which to add the somewhat bold chalk strokes of bourbon whiskey.
Double-digit ABV beer at less than one year of age isn't often mellow. HSBBABD is sorta kinda mellow... in a big beer sorta kinda way. The malts, which are sugar cookie drizzled with caramel-like, provide a background sweetness that's easily kept in check by modest hop bitterness. Vanilla bean and lightly charred oak round out the flavor impressions.
The mouthfeel does just enough to earn the good score. It isn't the biggest beast on the barleywine block, but it has a softly silky smooth quality that is lightly peppered by just the right amount of carbonation.
In my humble opinion, the Mutiny Series ales from Clipper City has more misses than hits. The latter includes The Great Pumpkin, Hang Ten, Letter of Marque 2010... and Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks. $7.99 is a more than reasonable asking price, considering how much enjoyment I'm getting out of the bomber.
Serving type: bottle
04-21-2011 13:01:19 |
More by BuckeyeNation
womencantsail
California
3.45
/5
rDev
-13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A: The pour is a surprisingly clear amber color with just about no head and minimal visible carbonation.
S: I don't really pick up much bourbon, but some hints of vanilla do make their way into the nose. The nose is mostly toffee, molasses, and a bit of caramel. The usual aromas, but somewhat muted.
T: The flavor is just as flat and one-note as the nose (if not a bit more). There is more bread than anything else on the nose with molasses and a hint of vanilla, along with some alcohol.
M: The body is quite thin for a barleywine and the carbonation is minimal.
D: A rather bland effort for a barrel aged barleywine. I would not really bother with this one.
Serving type: bottle
07-01-2010 21:42:17 |
More by womencantsail
Thorpe429
Illinois
4.05
/5
rDev
+1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Reviewed from notes.
Poured into a tulip. Appearance is a nice mahogany color with a white head and a tad bit of lacing. The nose is straight bourbon. A bit of light caramel and fruit in the background. The booze goes with the bourbon. Taste is predominantly bourbon again, but done quite well. Really nice feel with booze and bourbon plus a slight sweetness underneath. Much better than the original, though not quite as interesting as the cabernet version.
Serving type: bottle
11-09-2010 02:55:55 |
More by Thorpe429
brentk56
North Carolina
3.55
/5
rDev
-11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
2010 bottling
Appearance: Pours a tawny color with a rather small head that fritters away rather quickly without leaving much of a trace
Smell: Toasted oak aromatics joined with toffee and vanilla
Taste: Nutty caramel, up front, with the bourbon and vanilla flavors building into the middle; toasted oak and booze wraps up the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low carbonation
Overall: Nothing particularly wrong with this beer but it lacks the overall depth and power I would expect from a barrel-aged barleywine; the lack of a hop presence is also a detractor
Serving type: bottle
12-18-2012 23:25:33 |
More by brentk56
BEERchitect
Kentucky
3.95
/5
rDev
-1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Rarely do American breweries really attempt the malt-focused taste, texture, and refined attitude of English barley wine. Coupled with the effects of bourbon barrel aging, the ever-steady Winter Storm takes on new armatures to achived greater strength, complexity, and taste...
Pouring a hazy chestnut-brown hue, the beer's reluctant release of foam yields a dainty creme of swirled foam that comprises the beer's head character. With no real lace to mention, the beer seems more of brandy or cognac with its legging than it does beer- especially after the midpoint of the session.
Bold sweetness emerges immediately from the snifter in the form of maple, brown sugar, and molasses. Its sweet scent is complex with barrel-derived caramels, vanillans, oak, and modest cherry esters that blend into the sweeter and more savory notes with ease. Herbal hops take on soft tobacco notes that add accents and further evoke the notion of savory and succulence as the scent carries on.
In similar fashion, the syrupy malts rise first and coat the mouth with dessert-like maltiness that's lead with caramel and toffee. As the taste of bourbon sets in with boozy oak, pepper, and vanilla- so do the taste of dehydrated cherries, dates, figs, and raisins, A slow recede of estery fruits and malt sweetness allows the balance from spicy alcohol and vinous fruit to signal closure.
Full bodied throughout, the beer's oily viscosity stimulates the early palate, but the cleaner,malty-richness caresses the tongue and lulls the mind into a trance of sweetness that's sure to appease the sweet tooth in all of us. Finishing rich, sweet, and malty-warm, the extended aftertaste begs for stilton and maytag blue cheeses.
The beer showcases malt balance in vivid display- with little rebuttal from hops, yeasty fruit or spice or from water chemistries, the beer is ripe and pungent with all of the glory of English hops. Though done in America, the brewery really shows great command of the style.
Serving type: bottle
01-16-2013 07:26:36 |
More by BEERchitect
oberon
North Carolina
3.63
/5
rDev
-9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into an imperial nonic a deep rich amber with a thinner but well formed off white head atop.Aromas of deep vaniila,and caramel eally stand out,the vanilla tinged oak is a bit heavy handed in my opinion.Somewhat boozy and very oaky on the palate,vanilla and caramel flavors add more sweetness,it is very smooth going down though.Another barrel aged beer that gets a little to much of the "aged" flavors,its not bad but it could be better with less aged flavors.
Serving type: bottle
07-27-2011 12:03:16 |
More by oberon
TMoney2591
Illinois
4.1
/5
rDev
+2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.
After a very pleasant experience with the carbernet-aged version, I felt compelled to give this one a try (even more than before). It pours a translucent ruby-brown (heavy on the brown) with a pathetic amount of large bubbles standing in for what would otherwise be considered a head. The nose is subtle bourbon, oak, quad-like yeast, molasses, vanilla, and citrus hops. It all melds together very nicely. The bourbon begins very subtlely in the taste, while molasses-dipped citrus hops take the point, immediately backed-up by citrus peel. The sweeter elements make up the next wave, including more molasses, maple syrup, and some oak. Lighter malty elements begin the final flavor stripe, joined by more oak (drier, this time) and the bourbon. It's all pretty tasty, but the striations are, for me, far too clear. The body is fairly hefty, with lightly moderate carbonation and only a slight coating effect. A very nice brew overall, but I prefer caberneted version better.
Serving type: bottle
06-14-2010 01:58:15 |
More by TMoney2591
WesWes
New York
4.1
/5
rDev
+2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer pours a deep amber color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a wonderful mix of burnt toffee and bourbon. It's warm and inviting with a tremendous wood character. The taste is damn good as well. It has a warm, burnt toffee flavor; rich and boozy with tons of caramel malt sweetness. The bourbon barrel aging adds a good deal of vanilla character as well as a fine bourbon flair. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a well brewed beer that has only improved with the barrel aging.
Serving type: bottle
10-18-2010 00:01:05 |
More by WesWes
Mora2000
Texas
4.22
/5
rDev
+5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle.
The beer pours an amber color with a white head. The aroma is a lot of bourbon and oak, with some brown sugar, maple and alcohol. There is no doubt that this beer was bourbon-barrel aged. The flavor is also heavy on the bourbon. I get a lot of maple, vanilla and brown sugar, as well as some bourbon and oak notes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
This was sampled alongside the cabernet barrel-aged version, and I thought this was the superior beer.
Serving type: bottle
10-16-2010 06:19:12 |
More by Mora2000
russpowell
Oklahoma
3.65
/5
rDev
-8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Picked this up a Peabody's in Boone NC, sadly the last of my NC mini-haul
Pours chestnut with a finger of tan head. Average head retention & above average lacing
S: Pears & Bourbon, fades a bit as this warms
T: Rich bourbon notes, cakyness & a touch boozey warmth up front. Jammy notes (apricot & pear ) wrap with vanilla, oakyness, a touch of leafy hops & dryness as this warms. Finishes with fruitty notes, nice Bourbon flavor, oaky dryness & a touch of butterscotch
MF: Slightly over carbonated & a touch thin, warming & smooth once nearer room temp
Loved the flavor on this, but other areas fell flat. For the money I'll take Schlafly's Barrel aged BW at a fraction of the price any day. Still, I was thrilled to try it...
Serving type: bottle
08-06-2011 02:56:23 |
More by russpowell
mdfb79
New York
4.1
/5
rDev
+2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
1/6/12 heavy seas below deck in bourbon barrels
2010 vintage. Drank side by side with a 2010 Cabernet barrel aged Below Deck. Poured into my Brawley's snifter.
a - Pours a pretty dark mahogany brown color with two inches of light tan head and light to moderate carbonation evident. Looks like the Cabernet version, maybe a touch lighter in color but not much at all.
s - Smells of caramel malts, toffee, dark fruits, oak, bourbon, toasted malts, and light vanilla. Definitely more bourbon in this one than there was wine in the Cabernet version, but again, it seems very faded. Nose is no where as sweet as the Cabernet nose. I like both noses, but for very different reasons.
t - Tastes of caramel malts, toffee, bourbon, oak, vanilla, toasted malts, nuts, dark fruits, and alcohol. More bourbon and oak here than in the nose. This is about what I was expecting; taste is very nice and I prefer it to the Cabernet. Again, not as sweet as the Cabernet in the taste as well.
m - Medium to full body and moderate carbonation. Thick, smooth, and c reamy; very good for a barleywine.
o - Overall I preferred this one to the Cabernet version, but I'm not convinced either improves form aging. Both are good beers, with the Cabernet verions being much sweeter, and this version havnig more bourbon (as expected), so I guess it just really depends on what you like in a barleywine. Either way, I'd suggest drinking them relatively fresh as I think they both faded already in a year.
Serving type: bottle
01-07-2012 00:40:37 |
More by mdfb79
johnmichaelsen
Oregon
3.93
/5
rDev
-1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
On cask at Max's today.
The beer pours a brownish amber color with OK head retention and decent lacing. The nose on this beer is pretty nice, showing brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate and noticeable bourbon. On the palate the flavor profile is pretty nice, with brown sugar and vanilla, with a hint of chocolate and considerable underlying hoppy bitterness. Mouthfeel is soft, plush and creamy, with a long finish. Drinkability is pretty good considering the 10% abv.
Not entirely sure what to think about of this beer. The cask conditioning and barrel aging improve the beer IMHO, but it's still not entirely my cup of tea in a Barleywine. Even with the barrel aging, the beer still shows some alcohol and heat in the finish. Nevertheless, this is still a pretty nice beer.
Serving type: cask
05-18-2010 20:07:40 |
More by johnmichaelsen
glid02
Georgia
4.43
/5
rDev
+11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared by Joe - thanks!
Pours a slightly hazy copper color with a one-finger cream-colored head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving solid lacing.
Smells of sweet caramel malts, toffee, vanilla, and bourbon. As the beer warms the sweetness subsides just a bit.
Tastes very similar to how it smells. Syrupy caramel malt flavors with large amounts of toffee and lighter amounts of vanilla kick things off. Midway through the sip the bourbon really shines as the vanilla flavors intensify and the oak adds a bit of an edge to the flavor profile. The ending is mildly bitter, leaving sweet caramel malt and vanilla flavors lingering on the palate.
Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.
Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.
Overall this is a very nice bourbon-barrel-aged beer for a relatively low price. Definitely worth a shot.
Serving type: bottle
07-28-2010 01:04:45 |
More by glid02
stakem
Pennsylvania
4.03
/5
rDev
+1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a bomber that I believe I found in a shop near the finger lakes in New York last year. Opened this with a couple friends for a side by side tasting with the cabernet version.
Poured into a snifter, this brew appears a hazed amber color with some orange coloration and yellowish stain around the edges. Some particulate is stuck in suspension of this brew. A creamy tan head holds fairly well leaving spotty lacework clinging to the glass.
The aroma of this brew is sweet, soothing vanilla, light oak and a little nuttiness mixed with some minor oxidation quality. The bourbon is very mellow on this brew with a smoothness that is quite enjoyable. The alcohol becomes more evident as it warms with a tingly and fusel aspect to the brew. The nose of this brew is quite enjoyable however the base brew is pretty much dominated by the barrel aging contribution.
The taste is a strong bourbon infused kick of alcohol. The malt inclusion is toasty and a bit nutty like the aroma led on. Some herbal hops are noted mixed with the barrel contributions of oak and vanilla smoothness/sweetness. The finih includes a light oxidized touch that places more emphasis on a dry almost nutty taste yet remains enjoyable.
This is a medium bodied brew with a medium level of carbonation. It is sweet and easy drinking for the most part. The oxidation quality gives it some depth. Overall it's not a bad offering, the 10% abv is hidden quite well. At less than $8 a bomber this is worth having again.
Serving type: bottle
05-05-2011 19:18:55 |
More by stakem
OWSLEY069
Pennsylvania
4
/5
rDev
+0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clean orange-ish to brown color with an off white head. In the aroma, vanilla, oaky, and bourbon. In the taste, oaky bourbon, vanilla sweetness and a dry alcohol presence. An alcohol like bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry alcohol and bourbon like aftertaste. Big bourbon presence sweet oak and vanilla for a balance.
Serving type: bottle
01-02-2012 14:33:06 |
More by OWSLEY069
jrallen34
Illinois
4.03
/5
rDev
+1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Bomber into my Narke glass...Murky dark brown, lots of amber in the light. The head is light tan, but doesn't show much of head. There is a thick ring around the rim, ok lacing...The aroma is too light and almost exclusively just shows off the bourbon barrels. Light toffee and vanilla too, can't tell its a barleywine. Like most in this series, the bw is too light and dominated by the barrel...The taste is all bourbon, light bourbon, at that. A hint of vanilla, tastes good, like a watered down bourbon, no hint of barleywine or beer though...The feel is light on the palate, no burn or aftertaste...Easy to drink.
Another decent bw, but again a Heavy Seas light bw that couldn't hold up and took on all the character of the barrel. If you like bourbon its worth drinking, otherwise skip it.
Serving type: bottle
01-09-2011 04:23:24 |
More by jrallen34
twiggamortis420
Texas
3.8
/5
rDev
-4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I believe this 22 oz bombarrr is from 2009. Pours a reddish-copper color with a bubbly tan head. Low retention and lacing.
Nose is a nice balance of sweet malt and spicy bourbon. Low hop aroma and fruit is minimal.
Mmmm, pretty tasty. This along with the cabernet version might be my favorite so far from the Mutiny Fleet. Bourbon and oak flavors are in perfect harmony with the beer, not too overpowering but notable enough. ABV is well hidden, goes down smooth. Gets a bit thin and surprisingly mild as the ounces pass, but this is a fine beer that I would certainly drink again.
Serving type: bottle
03-17-2011 13:15:55 |
More by twiggamortis420
FosterJM
California
4
/5
rDev
+0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1671st Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
22oz
2011 Release
Split with my brother in law
Side by side by side with Base/Cabernet
App- This was the deeper color of a barleywine. A a good bit darker than the other 2. A good and deep mahogany and tinged with red/browns. A bit of a cordial looking beer. A lighter center. More bubbles towards a 1/2" to 3/4" of the base beer. More cling as well.
Smell- A bit of a deeper barleywine to me. A large amount of sweetness to it. A bit citrusy with some large bourbon and vanilla and oak notes. This was more integrated and layered after a year in the cellar.
Taste- This was a pretty good barleywine. This was fairly sweet from the bourbon. A bit of sugars and booze. A good amount of malts on this one with a good amount of bourbon
Mouth- A stronger medium body with a slightly less bubbly medium carbonation. A bit of a sweet, citrusy and hoppy residual flavors. The bourbon remains nicely integrated throughout.
Drink- I think this one was the best of the 3. A good amount of vanilla and oak and a good malty flavor was pretty balanced. Would like a fresh bottle of this. Seeing as this was a 2011.
Serving type: bottle
12-28-2012 17:48:24 |
More by FosterJM
smakawhat
Maryland
4.1
/5
rDev
+2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Vintage 2011. Poured into a large snifter glass.
Barely any head off the pour, with little faint off caramel and tan color whisps of foam. Barely a collar remains. Color is a real nice looking clear and chestnut hued brown with red edges. Lots of red throughout the body too. Too bad the head doesn't really seem to make an appearance other than leaving some whispy top and a little bit of a collar. Really like the body color, but no so much absence of foam.
Nose is sort of strange. A faint hop of tea like sense, some noticeable heat, light sense of malt and body coming perhaps? A bit musty and dark raisin fruit but light.
Taste however is a big improvement. Light dusted brown sugar, and fruit cake tasting palate. Nice light candied and dark coat fruits with a faint molasses sense. A slight sense of playful tight carbonation in feel. Very fruity, with a little caramel tasting action.
Overall pretty solid, but also real easy drinking too. Surprisingly not much barrel aging bourbon character here but no complaints.
Serving type: bottle
01-02-2012 01:52:36 |
More by smakawhat
tdm168
North Carolina
4.5
/5
rDev
+12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - dark amber with a thin brown head that has great retention
S - caramel, candy sugar, big malt presence
T - baked apples, caramel, candy sugar, bourbon, vanilla, alcohol
M - full bodied, well carbonated, warm
This is another delicious version of the Below Decks. The beer is fantastic on its own, but the bourbon adds depth and mellows the alcohol. The barrels impart not only bourbon, but also some vanilla notes. The maltiness of the beer is balanced, fruity, and sugary - just the way I wanted it to be. This is definitely a beer worth trying.
Serving type: bottle
01-19-2013 20:13:52 |
More by tdm168
DrDemento456
Pennsylvania
4.23
/5
rDev
+6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A - A nice deep amber brown with a 1/4 inch of foamy mocha head.
S - Not very bourbon heavy but still pleasant with caramel, toffee, melon rind, and some sweet sweet vanilla.
T - Far from the most bourbon based beer I had from these guys (damn greater Pumpkin was like straight up booze) this beer taste of balanced boozey awesomeness mixed with syrup like caramel, vanilla highlight, and some more bourbon.
M - Heavy for sure but not as heavy as Backwoods Bastard. Very tasty.
Overall after having two bombers for 8 bucks a pop I am convinced this is the best bourbon barrel beer ever made! Even at 10 bucks its a steal.
Serving type: bottle
05-12-2013 02:16:59 |
More by DrDemento456
Gmann
New York
3.75
/5
rDev
-6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear light brown color, similar to iced tea. The head is quite small and settles into a light ring. Kind of flat looking.
The aroma is sweet with a big caramel and toffee scent. Some golden raisin and honey. The bourbon is subtle, comes through in the end and provides some vanilla and oak.
The taste is quite smooth. Velvety caramel mixes nicely with the vanilla from the bourbon. The bourbon flavor is more noticable than in the aroma but is not overly strong. Golden raisins provide a fruitiness to the brew. A bit of a solvent flavor in the finish and ends a little thin.
Light to moderate body with tingly carbonation. Not slick at all on the palate which is surprising for such a sweet beer. It does feel a little thin for the style. Sweet on the palate but has some hoppy bitterness to offset.
The beer started off really well but towards the finish it felt a tad thin and simple (for a BA Barleywine). Its enjoyable though.
Serving type: bottle
02-17-2013 02:52:47 |
More by Gmann
lordofthewiens
Maine
3.13
/5
rDev
-21.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
In a tulip this beer was a dark amber color, a little on the red side. There was no head.
The aroma was that of some sweet fruit and vanilla.
Average taste. A little bit of everything, but just a little bit. Some dark fruit, some caramel, some vanilla, some alcohol.
I expected this to be a little more assertive than it was. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't that much of a barleywine.
Serving type: bottle
12-15-2012 21:12:40 |
More by lordofthewiens
brewdlyhooked13
Ohio
4.64
/5
rDev
+16.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - pours a dark amber/caramel. A thin but sticky head goes patchy pretty fast.
Aroma - lots of toasted coconut and caramel and toffee.
Taste - biscuity, chewy malts are quickly covered by sweet caramel and coconut. Some balancing hops at mid-palate. Plenty of abv warmth here, but this is not hot at all. Amazing how the coconut is so forward without an excess of wood or whiskey flavor. A late bourbony bit to the finish. Nicely warm in the belly during tonight's winter storm warning.
Mouthfeel - very smooth, average carbonation, and a plenty big body.
Overall - very unique. I can see this being niche-like to barreling fans, but I like the uniqueness in flavor. This would cellar well provided I could keep it in storage.
Serving type: bottle
03-06-2013 02:29:45 |
More by brewdlyhooked13
billab914
Virginia
4.08
/5
rDev
+2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
It poured a murky, caramel brown color with a thin white head clinging to the edges of the glass. I got a bit of lacing on the glass as I drank it.
The aroma shows a good amount of bourbon to it. I immediately get the boozy, woody, oak barrel character to it. A sweeter, malty, caramel, dark fruit presence comes out as well and mixes very well with the bourbon character. The bourbon was fantastic in it, very flavorful and smooth. The beer was good but didn't bring as much to the table as it could have.
The taste also has a strong bourbon presence to it throughout the flavor. I get more of the sweeter, malty and vanilla flavors to it up front while more of the alcohol and wood character show in the finish. The maltiness really comes through with some sweeter, caramel notes that really compliment the bourbon nicely.
The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation is low. Overall it was a delicious beer, the bourbon and the sweet, maltiness of the barleywine were integrated and balanced almost to perfection. The bourbon especially really stood out to me. The barleywine flavors were very good, but seemed a little overshadowed by the bourbon at times. Excellent beer overall though and an extremely enjoyable one to sip on this evening.
Serving type: bottle
08-13-2011 00:58:42 |
More by billab914
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Heavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks from Heavy Seas Beer
89
out of
100
based on
196
user ratings.
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