Appalachian Oak Aged Broad Street Barley Wine

Draft at brewpub on Cameron. I take back the common about "poor beer across the boards" because the barleywine is a fairly legitimate offering. This was the first beer I tried at ABC and I was fairly impressed although my samplings went downhill from there. A very nice Barlywine with a strong alcohol presence....very sweet, very hoppy, very delicious.

Draft at Harrisburg location. Poured deep brown in color with a sparse beige head. Aroma of dark fruits, nuts, and toffee. Tastes of dark fruits, nuts, toffee, caramel, light vanilla and light oak. Some mild alcohol warming in the finish but in general this is a very drinkable barley wine.

Barleywine Oak Aged–on tap-pours a rich light brown head and black color. Aroma is sweet dark malt-licorice/nutty with some sharpness, dry. Taste is woody, dry, sweet dark malt-licorice/nutty with some sharpness-English hops. Occasional. Sipping.

Tap...pours a deep brown with amber notes and an average creamy tan head that laced. Aroma of toffee, dark fruits, vanilla, some light woodiness, molasses, caramel and coffee ice cream. Flavor of coffee ice cream, toffee, vanilla, dried fruits, light oak, toasted grains and a touch of bourbon. I love Ben and Jerrys coffee Heath bar crunch ice cream and this beer reminded me of that.

12oz handbottle, courtesy of Dickinsonbeer. Clear dark brown body with a small tan head. The nose is sweet with toffee, vanilla, rich bakers chocolate and double chocolate chunk brownies (seriously). Moderately sweet flavor with toffee, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and more of those brownies. Full body is soft and chewy with light carbonation.

12oz handbottle, courtesy of Dickinsonbeer. Thanks, Paul! Pours an oily, reddish-brown color; slight off-white head that quickly fades. Pleasant oak and caramel and dried fruit in the aroma; light perimeter of bitter citrus. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: dried dark fruits and tart citrus and caramel; oak character tastes more like vanilla / cardboard oak chips than any sort of barrel presence (or at least it does at first); a nice toasty note, and plenty of milk chocolate coming through; lengthy, chewy toasty oak and caramel in the finish.

(12oz handbottle, thanks Dickinson beer) Tan head atop clear red-black body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, raisin, wood, some chocolate. Taste is moderately sweet, raisin/plum, caramel, light chocolate. Light alcohol burn. Medium body, alcohol well contained.

Snifter at Appalachian in Harrisburg. Dark garnet brown colored body with a thick, foamy dark tan mocha colored head that sticks to the sides of the glass like glue. Big legs and overall just a really inviting appearance. Big oak-filled nose, sticky plum and caramel and maple and some dry, toasty hay. Really nice. It’s sticky and rich on the tongue, and thankfully the oak isn’t incredibly dry, it has some light char, some nuttiness, some plum/black cherry/date qualities. Very good, not boozy for being close to 13%, just huge and overpowering, going straight to your head. Good stuff.