Boulder Beer Killer Penguin Barleywine

Brewed by Boulder Beer Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

On tap at Lunar Brewing Co., Villa Park, IL. Poured a clear, brown/amber with a good, light tan, silky foam head and clingy, ribbons, periods, and commas for lacing. The aroma was some graininess with malt and fruit like sweetness. The flavor presented light fruit and malt sweetness, some caramel, and a good alcohol warmth. Moderately bitter, and lightly syrupy, this brew wasn’t a big Barleywine, but decent.

22oz bottle 2008 vintage. Pours a dark clear copper with a big creamy off-white head that shows very good lacing and retention. The aroma is extremely sweet with toasted caramel malts, brown sugar and dark fruits. There is a hint of hops in the nose, but they’ve clearly faded quite a bit since it’s release. The taste is a less potent version of the nose with an initial citrus hop kick giving way quickly to the big caramelized sugary malt backbone. The finish is faintly hoppy but more sweet and sticky than anything. The mouthfeel is a bit light for me and bordering on watery, but not quite. It’s got decent carbonation and is on the lighter side of things as far as body. This is a decent barleywine but there’s not a ton of complexity and with the hops having faded it’s pretty much a one-dimensional malty ale. Not bad though.

Bottle vintage 2006. Sweet malty. The alcohol is hidden well. Some hope smell, medium bitterness. A hint of resin in the taste and aroma.

2007 Vintage. Pours a clear dark red with a diminishing off-white head. Smells of raisins. Sweet with aromas of raisins and dried fruits. Hints of port. Some residual sugars. Medium to full bodied. Soft carbonation.

2006 Bottle. Poured a clear brown body with thin head. aroma is sweet and malty. Flavor is light fruit, malty and a lighthop presence.

Rating #257 for this beer.
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2007 Vintage

11/28/2007: Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale 2007 has a clear, deep amber color with a foamy and long-lasting beige head. It has a sweet, rich caramelized maltiness with prune and hints of chocolate. The hops are even and well balanced. The alcohol is really hidden. However, this beer has a medium-light body that seems a bit thin. I would have also preferred a bit more sweetness.

22 fl. oz. bottle (10% alcohol by Vol.).
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2006 Vintage

1/13/2009: Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale 2006 ... Aroma: Extremely fragrant hoppy aroma what is very fresh anf floral with sweet citrusy (tangerine) hop presence. Appearance: Pours a beautiful honey-gold color with a small beige head; dense carbonation. Flavor: Sweet, but not heavily or overly malty; mild bitterness and ctirus/light resin flavor; Sweet fruit flavors like cantelope at fruit, prune, weak caramel; alcohol is completely hidden (could be mistaken for only ~5%!); flavors are well-integrated but somewhat muted overall. Palate: Medium body; slick palate. Overall: Somewhat disappointed. Other Thoughts: Waxed-sealed caps are a pain in the ass!

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. red-waxed bottle (10% alcohol by Vol.).

Aroma malt, alcohol, scotch, interesting. Appearance on the lighter side - deep amber, clear, minimal carb. Flavor carmel, malty. Palate: pleasant, soft, silky, but not viscous enough for the style. Overall appearance and palate appear a bit weak for the style, but the taste is nice, non-offensive. Definitely on the light side. Not bad, but not great.

Bottle. A clear copper/bronzish color with a thin off white head. Aroma is full of yeast, barley and malt with a sweetish undertone. Flavor is full of malts and barley. Quite thin and light for a barley wine.