BridgePort Old Knucklehead

Brewed by BridgePort Brewing (Gambrinus Company)
Style: Barley Wine
Portland, Oregon USA

Muted fruity aroma with some plum and raisin. Slightly off flavor of dirty and funky cheese. Not very pleasant there. Lacking the complexity and balance of many of the bw’s I’ve had recently.

ruby chestnut pour with fading head.Oaky vanilla scents are coupled with a dried fruit, toasted chocolate, quiet burbon and brandy aroma. A piney hop bittering and almost nutty flavor works with a brandylike warming taste which lingers with complexity on the palate. Nice.

From a 12 oz bottle it was interesting to compare to the Bourbon Ages version. Like the other, it poured a very deep garnet color with a rich foamy off-white head with big bubbles that left virtually no lacing. Nose of caramel malts and light hops, Rich mouthfeel. Flavor is the rich malts,e. Great bitter hop finish. Very comparable, but without the bourbon odor.

12oz-2003. Very nice dark red color, awsome. Light tan head. Very easy to drink, could get ripped very easily. Very good beer.

12 oz. bottle - 1999 vintage; purchased at Bottleworks in March 2008; opaque, dark amber with no head and lots of floaties; big nose of sugary malts, caramel, dank fruit and toffee; alcohol is obvious and very minor oxidation; flavors of stale oranges and cherry syrup; mildly off putting and maybe a little past its prime

Bomber via trade with Suzy Greenberg. Shared with My GF Cyn, Bikesandbeer, and his GF Jessi @ San Diego Veledrome Bike Races. This was the beer we missed when all of us but Cyn were at the brewpub. Pours copper with an off white head. Nos is great, very sweet and oaky. Taste is sweet and nice, a lot of alc that fades as it warms. OVerall a pretty good BW.

Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 02-13-2007 17:30:36 This was a 2004 vintage on tap at the Falling Rock for Barleywine month. Poured into a pint glass it was dark red-orange with a very short white head. The smell was faint and indistinct. The taste was good but didn’t taste much like a barleywine, more like a malty DIPA. I couldn’t taste the alcohol I definitely felt it after drinking this one. Oh well I wanted to try this for some time and now I have.

2003 Vintage (11th Bottling)

6//2008: BridgePort Old Knucklehead 2003 Barley Wine Style Ale has a milky, dark copper/amber-color. The a thin, but creamy and dense dark ivory crown really doesn’t last very long. Sweet dark fruits (dates, raisins, touch of fig), soft caramel, creamy vanilla, and well-aged alcohol (brandy-like) are detected in the aroma. This barleywine has a very refined and well-aged flavor. It is sweet, but not overly so and just slightly oxidized at this point (5+ years only). Flavors include molasses, raisins, and charred cedar. The once citrusy hops have collapsed and aged into a nice leathery, kind of pruny and tobacco-like flavor minged with dried apricot in the background and finish. The alcohol can be felt, but it is quite muted in the flavor. This beer has a medium body and is really smooth. It is also a bit lighter and more watery than expected, but maybe feels this way due to lack of carbonation. Otherwise, this barleywine exceeded my expectations and I really enjoyed it.

12 fl. ounce bottle (Alc 9.1% by Vol, 04303) from kyzr via trade in September 2006. Thanks Mitch! Rating #166 for this beer...