Alaskan Barley Wine Ale (Big Nugget)

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

[At GABF 2004, Vintage 2003] A hazy copper colored beer with a lasting orange head. The aroma is sweet and very hoppy. The flavor sweet malty with distinct notes of hops - as well as notes of oranges slices dipped in sugar. The alcohol is very well hidden - it can only be felt on the tongue.

(Bottle 65 cl) Courtesy of MaltOMeal. Pours a clear reddish colour with a beige head. Aroma of wood, dried fruit and alcohol. Quite full-bodied with sweetish burned caramel, dried fruit and a hoppy finish with some sweetness prevailing. 260708

From bottle #28 at sk8vikings American blind tasting. Pours hazy brown with alacing off-white head. Mild spiced and roasted malt aroma. Sweet initial flavour with a light alcohol presence and a solid wooden hops flavour. Lingering caramel and hoppy flavour. Dry and fruity yet followingly sweet caramel malty flavour. Lingering hoppy and spiced flavour.

Bottle 651ml. @ post Borefts BF 09 hotel tasting
Clear dark amber color with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, caramel, moderate hoppy, grapefruit, citrus - orange peel, moderate yeasty. Flavor is heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20091031]

Bottle at Sune. Clear red brown coloured with a small off white head. Sweet aroma of caramel, dried fruits, hops and pine needles with notes of rye bread. Sweet and fruity flavour of caramel, dried fruits, hops and pine needles. Hoppy finish.

Name: Barley Wine
Date: February 10, 2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Vintage: 2007
Appearance: clear dark ruby red, fine beige head, bits of lace
Aroma: sweet dark caramel aroma with lots of fruity character
Flavor: rich fruity flavor, lots of dark caramel sweetness, light earthy hops keep it balanced, lasting bitterness along with the fruity sweetness
Overall: will age really well

Name: Barley Wine
Date: September 06, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Vintage: 2007
earthyness is fading a bit to allow the rich fruit to bloom

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Name: Barley Wine
Date: May 05, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: clear dark red, wispy beige head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet and fruity aroma, brown sugar sweetness, lots of earthyness
Flavor: sweet caramel flavor, lots of earthy bitterness, touch of hot caramel, light fruityness
Overall: still needs a couple of years

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

2007: Big head on a dark brown body. Aroma of peach, melon, chocolate, alcohol and light toffee....and lots of hops. Palate shows chcolate, hops...a clean profile with pleasing balance and a slight roastiness late.

2006: Hazy dark amber colour. Big chewy brown sugar aroma with a light toasty note. Smooth and sweet palate with further brown sugar malts and late alcoholic dryness. 8 4 8 4 17 = 4.1

Vintage 2007, 2 years old; got it through a generous trade
It pours a dark color, almost black, with a creamy head. Intense malt aroma, caramel, chestnut honey, a bit nutty, and finally hops; perfumy, there is also very light vanilla and very light tobacco. Full bodied, it has a rich malt flavor, very sweet, almost syrupy, with sticky caramel and sweet nuts; perfect bitterness level, with some hidden hop qualities. The final is well balanced, with some warmth deriving from the alcohol, still sweet but with a darker shade of caramel.
Mature, bold; it has the malt intensity of a Thomas Hardy, more bitter, even if not extreme as other West Coast Barley Wines. Lovely.