Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

Drank from bottle purchased at the brewery - early 2007. Warm, heavy, alchohol flavored and wonderful by the fireplace.

Murky reddish brown pour. Small head. Aroma mild. Some toffee,malt,hops and nut. Flavor is sweet with a full bodied mouth feel. Caramel,malt,mild hops and mild dark fruit. ABV not very noticeable.

Bottle. 2007 Vintage. Pours mahogany, with a small but lasting beige head that leaves some nice lacing in the glass. The aroma is of sweet fruit and nut -nice at first but as I exhale I get a hint of what is to come. Flavor is appropriately sweet but dominated by astringency. A tiny bit of fusel oil aroma in the aftertaste. Viscous, thick body. This beer reminds me of the stuff from Avery except that it’s not 14% ABV. I would think 9% could be done without too much difficulty, but no. This beer was mistreated during fermentation, and although I can tell it is a tad hot, no amount of aging would correct the kind of issues this beer has going on.

Bomber, I belive a couple years old. Poured deep, murky brown with a surprising amount of sediment even on the first pour.. just a swirly dusting of tan head stuck around. The aroma picked up some very nice caramelization that formed the basis for the brew.. darker fruits, earth, and slight oxidation come around as well.. came together very well. The flavor had more of the fruity component with rich, aged caramel and toffee settle into the background a bit.. warm earthy notes and a bit of molasses on the back.. all in all quite tasty. Heavier-bodied and grainy on the palate with building warmth as it progressed.. warm finish. I enjoyed this.

Man, I really appreciate xmarcnolanx for sending this one my way. I saw the same, saw the label and just HAD to try it! Sadly, this one doesn’t stand up. Pours amber with a strong boozy aroma. Flavor is dominated by malt and hops, some carmelized sugar flavor in there as well, but no Fruit Loops or Trix like I expected. The Cap’N just didn’t make it Happen here. This is my favorite label of all time though, and thanks to marc for this one!!

Arcadia is rapidly moving into my list of "why do I keep trying these guys" brewers. Clear deep brown, reddish highlights, slight but lasting head. Aroma has some dirty citric hops, little else. Flavor is sugary malt, more dirt and hops (nice to see Crystal listed here, as that is a characteristic I seem to pick up from that hop sometimes), with a bit of a citric character, and a sort of bitter finish. Definite astringency on the palate. Can’t get into this at all. Some faint fusel heat as well. Yikes. Maybe some serious age would help this, but I just can’t see how.

Pours a reddish amber color with a thin lacing head that clinged to the edge of the glass for the whole ride.The nose has dark fruit, caramel,toffee, and sugar.Flavor has malts, dark fruit, caramel, sticking good to my tounge with a nice warmth.Finishes with some heat, sweetness and slightly medical.

Bottle, 2006 vintage. Aroma is just incredible. Notes of Dark ripe and dried fruit, port, sweet caramel, licorice, and sugar candy. Smaller than average off-white head that mostly diminished and left little lace. Dark red amber hue. Flavor is more of the same sweet fruity port-like candied nectar. Palate is full bodied and smooth. A very good barley wine that has aged very well. I’m really surprised by the other reviews of this brew, it really was top notch at this point in it’s aging. Just beautiful.