Ballards Foxy

Formerly brewed at Ballards
Style: Barley Wine
Petersfield, England

Higher alcohols give this barleywine (past its prime) solvent and salty hints in a dusty moldy skeleton. Initially showing a decent off-white head, it quickly leaves us with a stale looking amber liquid. Its alcohol flavours are rather overbearing despite the modest ABV, toasty, roasty nutty flavours fight it off with chocolate and maple. Limited fruitiness would have gained from being enhanced. Bittersweet finish still has a lot to say in terms of bittering hops, but less as far as aromatics go. Rather oily textured, low carbonation.

Any first impressions?
-Unfiltered velvet with a lasting veil of head.
-Oozing honey and fusel alcohol do not blend with the red apples and rampant yeast.
-Scattered earth decorates the caramel maltiness, as muscular bitter hops scratch playfully.
-Mouthfeel is apt for the style, but it exhibits some of the beer’s fatigue.

What if you dig deeper?
-Carbonation is low, again making the age factor more noticeable.
-Tart fruit protrusions nag in what could be a pleasant malty barley wine.
-Alcohol pricks, but conjures up a wooden character with the help of the hops.
-Beginnings of senility are heart-wrenching.

3-or-4-year-old bottle.

Cask Stillage at the Metropolitan Cathedral Crypt, Liverpool 19/02/2003 A mid brown to dark coloured beer very strong alcohol content and some sweetness. Some malt and slight bittering in the warming finish.

in all honesty to this beer, going to have to rerate, if i ever get another bottle...opened with no co2 whatsoever. tried beer had some of the worst off flavors i have ever encountered. a sulphur salt feel and cough syrup alcohol.

Orange amber color. Small head. Aroma is malty and sweet with a touch of cinnamon. A medium bodied barley wine. Malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are slightly bitter, earthy and piney. Alcohol is very slightly noticeable at 9.3%. Nice smooth tasting barley wine, there is a lot of nice subtle stuff going on. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet with a touch of alcohol bite. Thanks to Dr Bill for this one.

1998 vintage thanks to Dr. Bill..this poured with a few big bubbles atop a murky brown chestnut color...deep aged malt aroma with sweetness, oak notes, and a smidgen of port...the carbination was flat...the flavors were of aged malt and licorice/anise..similiar to an aged sample of J.W. Lees but without all the sweetness.

Thanks Dr. Bill for this rarety. This barley wine pours with a slightly cloudy amber-brown body topped by a thin head with little lacing. It’s sweet and malty with slight smokey notes, lots of caramel and toffee and avery slight alcohol esters. Medium bodied and smooth.

Thanks to the esteemed Dr. Bill for this one! Murky brown with hints of raisins, prunes and lots of malt! Toffee and a slight hint of port.