Alpine Beer Company Good

Formerly brewed at Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: Barley Wine
Alpine, California USA

This huge beer pours with an orange-amber body topped by a medium thick head with some lacing. The aroma is sweet and full of caramel with a nice maltiness and a touch of alcohol, as well as, some nougat notes. The flavor is very similar with a bit more bitterness and a little more alcohol showing through. What a great beer. Full bodied, tingly on the tongue and warming.

SD Strong Ale ’04. Murky orangish color with a slighly foamy head. Aromas of light peach, caramel, and sugars. Taste is more of the same. Sticky sweet flavors of tangerine, piney hops, caramel, oak and cocoa. I never would think this was 17% at all. This is going to be a monster.

PP SD Strong Ale Fest: tastes like carmel apples. this was like the best beer at the fest next to the kona BA. lots of carmel, lots of melted chocolate/carmel bar.

On Cask @ Hamilton’s. Pours a deep cloudy caramel brown with a creamy off white head that left some nice lacing. Nose starts with citrus and herbal hops, then gives way to vanilla, toffee, caramel, oats and candied dark fruits. Flavor is quite sweet with tons of caramel and toffee. Finishes almost cloying sweet with faint booze. Overall a pretty killer Barley Wine, very unique.

(Draft: 2004 Strong Ale Festival, Pizza Port in Carlsbad, CA. Day 1, Beer 3) I had the honor of tasting this at the brewery several weeks before this festival, before it was "ready" for its debut, thanks Pat! And what a successful debut it is! Right out of the gate, a strong aroma of lucioius ripe canteloupe grabs you. What a unique and amazing nose. Some smoke develops later, but it’s hard to tell in these tiny taster glasses. It tastes very fruity and sweet, and the moderate hoppiness provides nice balance, not trampling the fruit. Alcoholic for sure, but doesn’t seem anywhere close to 17%. Smooth, rich, coating palate with no alcohol burn. Light amber color. Small off-white head has good retention, maintaining the same level until the beer is gone, and depositing a fair amount of patchy lacing, pretty impressive for such a high alcohol beer. Just an outstanding barleywine, especially for such a baby, and I’d like to do a side-by-side session with some of my favorite barleywines to see where this one stands. Probably near the top.

Tasted at the 2004 Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest. Orange gold color. Small head. Aroma is citrus, oranges, brown sugar and a hint of oak. A full-bodied barley wine. Malts are fruity and sweet,citrusy wuith hints of oak. Caramel flavors all over the place. Crisp and clean. There is no real evidence of the 17% alcohol. Nice BW. Will be AWESOME with some aging. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.
2x Barrel Aged Good On tap at O’Brien’s. Pours a medium amber color. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is brown sugar, wood, bourbon and molasses. Medium to full bodied barley wine. Malts are caramel, with lots of brown sugar, some oak and lots and lots of bourbon. Very smooth tasting. There is a touch of alcohol bite, but it is really subdued for the 14.1% alcohol. A very dangerous beer, hides the alcohol very well and it nice and smooth. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet. 9-4-8-4-17

Draft @ Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest 2004. Excellent beer. Dark amber brew that has unbelievable balance. Good hop presence but not overbearing. Full mouthfeel, malty with just the faintest hint of bitter orange in the background. Highlight of the fest for me.

on draft, strong ale fest, pizza port carlsbad december 2004 For 17%, the alcohol is well hidden. This is a killer barleywine