Boulder Beer Killer Penguin Barleywine

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

22 oz bomber (2008 vintage) purchased from Frugal MacDoogal’s in Nashville. Poured a clear, amber/gold color with a thin off white head. The aroma was sweet malt, with notes of resin and some citrus. The flavor was sweet malt, fruits and a caramel malt finish. The body was very thin, and I can’t help but think that a fuller bodied version of this beer would actually be very good. Overall I thought this was a good beer, very drinkable, but just ordinary and not amazing.

Clear maple syrup color, bubbly head, good lacing. Mild aroma, thin body, like its watered down. disappointing.

Crushed with Jakebra. Kinda nice sweet malt nose with some hops in there. Incredibly thin-bodied for a barleywine, and the flavor doesn’t make up for it like in Hair of the Dog Fred. Not much finish. Overall, tasty, but still a subpar barleywine.

On tap at the Brew Kettle. Keg was 07 and aged 1 year. Pours reddish hue with off white head. Aroma is pretty much non existent. I notice a touch of malt that is barely there in the nose. Flavor is sweet, fruity, malty, and has some nice caramel sweetness only a barleywine has on the finish. Medium mouthfeel. Overall just an ok brew.

22oz. bottle, 2006 vintage. Strongly malty aroma, quite sweet with notes of caramel, mild hop spice, citrus, faintly doughy yeast and sugared dates. Hazy medium red-orange color, bottle-conditioned, with a rapidly fading head. Flavor is also quite sweet and sugary, more caramel and toasty malts to be found throughout, also seeing a gentle hop bitterness and plenty of citrus on the finish, becoming a bit metallic late. Palate is thinly effervescent and warming, body is surprisingly light for the style. Rather basically rendered.

Happy to discover this loaded with hops and wonderful sweet malt. Fairly simple build with a strong toffee and molasses component, roasted chocolate and light coffee notes. Hops jump out with a good floral presence with moderate upfront pine and a grassy note. Light fruit notes with some moderate citrus presence.

This was a pretty good beer, though a bit ho-hum for a barleywine. Not strong or weak in the amount of molasses or strength. The beer is there but not.

22oz bottle: poured dark copper with a smallish beige head probably due to the temperature of the beer. Big aroma of brown sugar and sweet malt. Taste was very sweet. Lots of caramel and brown sugar. Mild alcohol. Moderate hops with pine notes. Not bad but a little sweet for my taste.