Barley Island Single White Friar Ale

White wax dipped 12oz. bottle. Pours a clear, dark, crimson-chestnut color with a quickly diminishing, smooth tan head. Sugary sheeting with micro-spots drips down the glass, but leaves no real lace. The aroma starts with a dark candy sugar base, with loads of fig and dark raisin. There’s a hint of earthy hoppiness and just a touch of dry cocoa that brings a nice balance, taming the sweetness. Flavors expand to show some burnt brown sugar and molasses, with a faint hint of smoke lurking deep within. Again, the cocoa roast and earth flavors keep things in check. The palate is medium-full, with balanced carbonation, though the finish is sugary and a bit acrid, with some alcoholic heat. Overall, it’s a solid, tasty Belgian strong with a nice nose, but the finish is a little over the top.

Bottle sampled on 7/26/09: Pours a transparent amber ruby with a thin, wispy-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet doughy dark caramel malt with some light fruity esters. Body starts with good caramely malty sweetness with some light fruity complexity and a touch of biscuity yeasty flavor. Finishes slightly drier with some dark candi sugar sweetness and light fruity flavor. A decent Belgian strong ale.

12oz, white waxed, bottle acquired in trade with shawnm213 (thanks!). Poured a deeper mahogany color with a smaller sized tan head. Aromas of caramel, dark fruitiness, chocolate, and some molasses. Tastes of dark fruits, chocolate, caramel, and some brown sugary sweetness. Alcohol content well hidden.

Bottled. A hazy deep red beer with a thin beige head. The aroma has notes of sweet malt, alcohol, and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, fruit, and caramel, leading to a dry alcoholic finish. The body is thick. Thanks KimJohansen for sharing.

Served from a 12 oz bottle picked up at Crown Liquors in Indy. Pours a deep red brown with almost no head. Aromas and flavors of barrel-ness, caramel, molasses, candy sugar.

Bottle dan picked up on his bach party extended weekend then shared on his wedding week. Pours deep dark ruby. Nose is sweet smooth apple and red fruit. Flavor has some roasted malt, more dark red fruit, a little bitterness, and an overall bitter bite. Pretty strong and harsh.

This white wax covered bottled brew from a bottle shop poured a small sized head of foamy finely sized tan colored bubbles that were long lasting and left behind a hazy strongly carbonated . The strong aroma was vinous raspberry and malt hop. The mouth feel was weakly tingly at the start and at the finish with a medium vinous aftertaste. The nice flavor contained notes of malt hops vinous and raisin. Delicious and one I would certainly buy again.

Bottle at Papsø’s - Thanks BelJohansen. Clear reddish - white head. Coffee, chocolate, sweetness, berries, dried fruits, honey, licorice, soapy, alcoholic, overripe fruits. OK.