Avery Hog Heaven

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

This is my first time trying barleywine, so pardon the fact that I’m learning about the style more than this particular brew in this rating. It has a deep, murky golden color, like a dark IPA. Smells great. Very hoppy, with a lot of interesting complexity on the nose. The difference between this and an IPA are apparent on first taste. A somewhat fruity characteristic blends nicely with a strong hoppiness, and maybe a little caramel and vanilla. It’s a little heavier than most beers I’ve had, but I definitely really like this one. I recommend giving it a shot if you’re into hoppy ales and intense IPAs.

Aroma: Initially soft, creamy caramel rapidly changed to a more vegetal, resinous nose with clove/brown spice notes. Flavor: Dried Orange, malt, and caramel on mid-palate that continues onto finish with the addition of some coffee flavors. Comment: Aged one year. Shorter, mellow finish. Strength is its very smooth full-bodied mouth feel and malty flavors. The sheer volume of malt overwhelms the 91IBU ƙ-08). Updated Summer 2009 tasting. Aged 2 years. Color: Transparent brown Aroma: Sweet caramel, floral hop, touch of citrus. Flavor: Better balanced now. Comment: With 2 years aging, I would raise the score to a 3.9-4.0. Still, other strong beers may be more worth aging.

Bottle. Very hoppy american style barley wine. Almost an DIPA. Bitter. Not as complex as you wish it to be.

Bomber from The Village Market. Pours a warm light brown with a solid off-white head. Probably one of the lower abv barley wines I’ve had but still a lot of complexity going on in the aroma and flavor. A little spicy, citrusy with some lighter sweet malts dominating. The alcohol became more pronounced towards the end of the beer, maybe due to warming up a bit. Enjoyable and I would come back to this one again.

On tap at the brewery on 7/17/09. Pours a light brown caramel. A ton going on in the aroma with lemon and grapefruit, caramel and vanilla. Taste was incredibly bitter, but it also had a really strange unpleasant funk. Also too lively on the tongue and a bit hot. Was really looking forward to this brew, but it came up short. I think I’ll have to age a bottle for a couple years and see if that is more to my liking.

Generously purchased and shared with me by HogTownHarry at Beer Bistro. Appearance: Golden brown textured like sun. Aroma: perfumy as hell, hops, slight alcohol, strawberry, malt, clover and pine. Flavour: bitter, super malt, strawberry, blackberry, tart with a lot of spice particularly cinnamon. Lots of alcohol in the finish but not intrusive at all.

bottle from k & j’s in lake dallas. poured an amberish orange with an off white head. aroma of malt, orange, grapefruit, and some cotton candy. flavor was orange, pine, spices, some floral notes. body was medium-full with medium carbonation and some smoothness.

Bottle... Poured a hazy, brownish/amber with a thick head. Floral hops and a sugary alcohol, yeasty quality on the nose. Thick, chewy and foamy palate, a nice residual feel after swallowing. Very sweet, leafy and malty. A warming alcohol note with a hoppy, bittering balance. Well spiced and herbal tea. Caramel and sweet cream towards the finish.