Blue Point Old Howling Bastard

Brewed by Blue Point Brewing
Style: Barley Wine
Patchogue, New York USA

Name: Old Howing Bastard
Date: 09/13/2008
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Vintage: 2003

Appearance: clear amber, wispy off white head,
Aroma: sweet caramel aroma with earthy hops, wet cardboard evident,
Flavor: sweet caramel and crystal malt flavor, bitter earthy and floral hops, mostly sweet with just a touch pf remaining hops, light bitterness in the finish, touch of peppery alcohol adds a hotness to the caramel malts,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4
-------- /> Name: Old Howing Bastard
Date: 06/14/2006
Mode: Hand Bottled
Source: Tasting
Vintage: 2005

Appearance: clear dark amber, whispy white head, bits of lace,
Aroma: sweet carmel aroma with light earthy hops,
Flavor: oxidized malt flavor, nice lasting earthy bitterness, touch of sweetness, light fruit character

(draft) Small off-white head that leaves nice lacing, atop crystal clear amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, raisin, light berry. Taste is moderately sweet, caramel, maple syrup, some blueberry. Full, sticky body.

(750ml bottle, 2003 vintage) Pours a cloudy deep amber body with a medium beige head. Aroma of toasted bread, fruit, peat, and caramel. Flavor of hops, caramel, some fruit, maple syrup, and breadiness.

I don’t know what possessed me to spend $17 on this one, must have been that cool looking label. 2000 Vintage with the thickest wax I’ve ever seen Took at least 5 minutes to dig through! Poured a medium and cloudy amber color with small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, dark cherries, light alcohol and somewhat vinous. Very nice aroma. Tastes a little bit of a let down any showed signs of its age with tastes of caramel, fruits, alcohol and wine (all on the weaker side).

Amber body with off-white head. Intense aroma of malty sweet flavors that are not too well blended (honey, maple). Sweet smokey and light hops are hidden behind the massive malty alcohol. Very sweet palate, alcoholic and moderately astringent. Poorly balanced. A smooth medium body keeps it from being a waste. A poorman’s barleywine... that is very expensive..

on tap-pours an offwhite head with copper color. Aroma is sweet. Taste is alcohol, syrup, sweet.

2005 vintage hand-bottled sample from a growler, tasted in June 2006: Pours a transparent copper mahogany with a thin-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt and lots of synthetic tobacco smoke along with complex dark fruits. Body starts with a viscous bubble gum caramel maltiness turning more smoky and earthy toward a warming finish. Would be a nicer barleywine were it not for the abundance of chemical off-flavors.

On cask at David Copperfield's in NYC... Lightly hazy, copper/burnt orange ale. Very fruity, malty aroma. Apples, honey, butterscotch, golden raisins. The flavor is also fruity. Red apple and alcohol. Bittered well-enough for balance. Full-bodied with an oily mouthfeel and soft carbonation. Lengthy, alcoholic, bitter finish. Good stuff!