Duck-Rabbit Barleywine Ale - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue VII:

It's a beautiful thing to see bigger, bolder beers come from North Carolina. Just think: About three years ago, beer over 6 percent was against the law. Let's drink to the third anniversary of N.C. popping the cap.

Clear ruddy-brown color wears a crown of tan lacing; great head retention for a higher-alcohol ale. Rich caramel malt aroma with some spicy earthy hop and a clean nearly hidden alcohol. Smooth and creamy with a wet, medium-full body, which shows that this beer is not too thick. Maltiness has a good amount of depth with caramel and some toasted that blankets the taste buds. A little fruity with suggestions of dried plums and raisins. Slight cocoa note within. The alcohol wakes the palate up with a clean warmth and slight spiciness. Hop bitterness drops just enough flavor to keep the malt sweetness in check. Finishes slightly sweet with a lingering spicy alcohol.

Balance is the charm here, and even within balance there can be complexity. The 11 percent is definitely there, though not within the first couple of sips. A lovely sipper to be had.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 17:50:43 | More by BeerAdvocate

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-22-2013 01:14:55 | More by mikeincharleston

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-19-2013 13:25:17 | More by Photekut

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-17-2013 15:35:20 | More by twenty5

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-17-2013 12:26:05 | More by InspectorBob

crewfan16

Minnesota

3.74/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

thanks triagestat for this beer in a great trade. poured a 2012 vintage to a snifter after a rough day at work....hopefully it will cheer me up.

a- pours a dark ruby/brown color with surprising clarity. aggressive pour produces an inch of off-white foam that fades quickly leaving some nice lacing. a nice looking beer.

s- sweet raisin and lots of malty sweetness. there is some citrus hop aroma that balances it out nicely. smells about like i would think a barleywine should.

t- sweet raisin is there, but way more hops than the nose, again in a citrus fruit like variety. lots of malty sweetness as well but not overpowering.

m- enough booze that i can tell its high abv, but nothing that takes from its drinkability. a bit of a oily, sticky mouthfeel that i would expect. a dry finish. moderate carbonation.

overall, a very nice barleywine. decent complexity, and i like the hop-forward profile. if it was distributed around here, i would have a few more in the cellar, but wouldnt go out of my way to trade for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 05:34:28 | More by crewfan16

Casey3236

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-16-2013 03:18:50 | More by Casey3236

mrwelk

North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-15-2013 01:49:21 | More by mrwelk

pcsnyder

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +18.4%

05-12-2013 03:10:31 | More by pcsnyder

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-10-2013 22:21:04 | More by mikeburd1128

Brewski

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-09-2013 02:36:06 | More by Brewski

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-04-2013 20:25:38 | More by Kelp

pathman

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-03-2013 00:22:31 | More by pathman

cliff1066

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

04-29-2013 04:13:03 | More by cliff1066

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%

04-26-2013 03:04:37 | More by rolltide8425

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

04-24-2013 15:54:34 | More by Jason1337

LouDogg114

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +18.4%

04-23-2013 00:40:16 | More by LouDogg114

Pookie

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

04-22-2013 13:28:41 | More by Pookie

Bluecane

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -27.6%

04-21-2013 05:52:33 | More by Bluecane

AmitC

Indiana

4.29/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A very nice pour. Deep amber color with an excellent off white tan colored head - about two fingers thick. Nice head retention. Excellent lacing that is just awesome with every sip. Very beautiful looking. Clear and transparent.

Aroma is full of malts. Strong booze. Piney, spicy and herbal hops. A little bit of fading citrus and grapefruit. Some wooden character. Strength is good. A good mix of hop and malts. Aroma reminds me of Big foot. Very close.

Taste is of bitter hops upfront. A silent malt middle. Very boozy and warm. Hops and malts combine really well to deliver a bitter taste that is very likable.

Mouth feel is medium bodied with a nice amount of oily and boozy touch. Warmth from alcohol is somewhat strong. Low to moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:59:43 | More by AmitC

HardTarget

Texas

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance: Light amber glass shows good clarity and has a sticky white foam cap that laces my glass like a pro.

Smell: Rich rum raisin, deep sweet malt, and a whiff of leafy hop to keep it all in check.

Taste: There's a slight off note, but it's quickly drowned in sweet grainy malt and slightly earthy hops. The off note is a bit solvent, maybe a fusel alcohol of some sort. It's mildly distracting, but there is a lot of goodness around it so it's easy to forgive.

Mouthfeel: Very still, little gritty carbonation seems a bit flat, even for style.

Overall: A tasty tasty beer. A heavy hitter with a soft glove.

Big thanks to Illudium for the sample!

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:48:59 | More by HardTarget

marley2112

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

04-12-2013 01:58:30 | More by marley2112

Illos

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.3%

04-11-2013 05:10:25 | More by Illos

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 3.75

This bottle has no dating but must be at least eight years old. It's been well-cared for; I think it was my last one so I held off drinking it, but the time has come.

Appearance - pours a murk reddish amber with a thin short-lived cream-colored head. In seconds it's at a few bubbles and thin collar.

Aroma - caramel and syrupy citrus.

Taste - sweet, vinous with raisin and fig. Sherry on the swallow, notes of oxidation are evident. Tart cherry on the finish and a fine warmth at the end along with a note of cocoa and toasted grain.

Mouthfeel - low end carbonation, good weighty feel and smoothness.

Overall - aged amazingly well, though the tartness at the end gets lengthy after a while, approaching cough syrup like flavor at times. Overall, a successful aging experiment in my book.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 02:05:09 | More by brewdlyhooked13

merc7186

New York

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

2010 12oz bottle into pint glass.

A: Burnt Orange Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Boozy, Plums, Sweet Bread

T: Caramel, Dark Fruit, Sweet Bread, Boozy

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Boozy, Mildly Sweet

Overall, for a properly aged bottle, it still packs quite a kick on both taste and booziness. Probably one of the better Duck Rabbit beers that I have had.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:51:13 | More by merc7186