AleSmith Decadence 2008

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Diego, California USA

8th rating, bottle I got at the brewery today, from the first of the two bottlings, shared a bit with my brother and had the rest for me, yeah, whatevs. I’ve been excited about this since I heard about well, its a decadence and an Alesmith and a new one at that. Pours rich brownish orange with a tan head. Nose is quite nice from a far. Nose is sweet with a lot of hops caramel and some nice rich fruity notes. Taste is wow, clearly different than old numbskull but still quite nice, rich crisp hops, some fruit clearly and a light liquory and the cherryness really comes out here, I like this its really interesting. I really have to say I like this and the alcohol is 100% hidden. Great Beer, to all my pals at Alesmith thank you once again!

Deep garnet red with a small fizzy tan head. Sweet caramel, molasses, and toffee aroma and taste with some nice tart notes and alcoholic warmth to the finish.

#10 Appearance: Pours a rootbeer brown with a ring of dense foam at the top. Aroma: Dried fruit, spiced apples, chocolate, and caramel. Taste: Chocolate, caramel, chocolate covered cherries, some burnt sugar. Has some sort of berry twang to it, the makes way for a bitter sweet finish with plenty of hop spice. Mouthfeel: Full bodied and sparkly. Overall: A unique, "decadent" dessert beer. Luxurious, rich caramel and chocolate flavors, that still lets me know its a beer with its bitterness and spiciness. Amazing.

Nose was huge with loads of cinnamon, raw sugar, and very spicy. Poured a medium brown with red highlights. Taste is heavy on toffee, sweet and bitter cherries, caramel, and then finishes with a rather astringent and herbal hippiness.

Bottle... Poured deep, ruby/amber with a thick, beige head. Big molasses, little bit of hop bitterness. Dark fruit esters, ginger, and a wine-like alcohol flavor that had a raisin accent to it.

OMG - this one made a barleywine lover out of me! Leathery malts and smooth but floral hop notes make this an excellent barleywine FRESH! I realized that this has not been released yet but my "source" got me a bottle up here, and you folks are in for one HELLUVA Barleywine. Pours copper brown with limited head. The flavor does not mask the alcohol, but instead compliments it. Very fruity, smoky and meaty.

cask at o’briens, maybe underrating this brew but from cask and only 1 glass it was tough to say greatness. subtle, complex and way to easy to drink for a barleywine with that much alc. vanilla, malt, with great aroma. balanced, silky and maybe too balanced as it’s in no way in your face. again from cask so bottle might be more explosive but i liked it just how it was. and can’t wait for the barrel aged version. stunning beer with lots of upside and should age for years and years.

Bottle. Opaque dark brown pour with a one inch (2,5cm) off white head, this beer has a great aroma and flavor. Extremely smooth on the palate and finish, I got some notes of cherry, caramel, vanilla with a sweet finish that had a light citrus note. Another world class beer from Peter and his team.