Alaskan Barley Wine Ale (Big Nugget)

Brewed by Alaskan Brewing Co
Style: Barley Wine
Juneau, Alaska USA

Bottle pours a deep brownish amber...my 5 year old said it was purple...with a medium creamy off white head with large bubbles that left sticky lacing. Aroma of dark fruits, grapes, vanilla, caramel, toffee, sweet malts, tobacco and leathery. Solid aroma! Flavor of sweet cereal grains, mixed citrus notes, moderate hop bitterness, grapefruit, vanilla, dark fruits, light alcohol, caramel, green hop flavor.

dark red purple body with a slightly orange head. smell the alcohol in this easily enough, a lot of fruit, strong pine and is that coffee or do i need to clean my house? some orange juice in the nose too. spiced hop flavors hit me first then some dark fruits and apricot. enjoyable finish of herbal citrus and sugared candy. the alcohol is not hidden, but is not overwhelming. i like the thickness of the mouthfeel. a good beer all around, i’m definitely picking more up. 5 8 8 4 18

22 oz bottle. Pours a dark copper with a creamy off white head that diminishes to a thin film that leaves some lacing.

The aroma is sweet sugary caramel malts, fruit, alcohol and some piney hops.

The flavor is sweet and sugary malts and fruits that are well balanced by some bitter piney hops and alcohol in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with creamy carbonation.

Overall, a nice barley wine. It’s a little on the sweet side for me.

Bottle from South Bay Drugs. Heavy alcohol, malt and maple syrup aroma is smelled upon first sniff. Color is reddish mahogany with a firm head and sticky webbing of lacing. The flavor is rich and has a dense sweetness and slight bitterness because of minor notes of citrus hops. This is some good stuff and i really would be excited about tasting this fresh from the tap.

Pours a nice deep silky brown with a medium size light brown head. Aroma of caramel, hops, pears and malt. Flavor is caramel, bitter hops, fruits, molasses. Nice silky mouthfeel and very balanced. Hides it’s alcohol very well. This is a damn fine barleywine, get some!

650 ml bottle from Bev4less. (2008 bottling) Pours a translucent dark chestnut brown with a small beige head. The aroma is moderate in strength with pears, caramel, alcohol and dust. The flavor is malts forward with a bit of noticeable hops and a touch of hot alcohol. The flavors present are pears, strawberries, cherries, toffee and biter almonds. I presume that they used spruce tips in the making of this ale as some of that character is found here. The mouthfeel is silky smooth and malty. The finish is long and slightly biter. Overall: My new favorite barley wine. I very much enjoyed this.

Vintage 2008. Poured thick, with a dense tan head that quickly turned into a ring that lasted throughout. Crystal clear mahogany color. Clings to the side of the glass with thickness. Smells hoppy, perhaps pine; sweet molasses. Tastes of poached pears, green apple, and caramel. Finishes with a touch of sweetness, perfectly balanced hops, and well hidden 10.4 ABV.

Deep rich, fudge, bread pudding, creamy and seductive. Totally complete on the palate, from start to finish its hittin". I really like it because its not as heavy and syrupy as many Barleywines out there. It maintains balance. Very nice. It should age pretty well too.