BridgePort Old Knucklehead

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

The Dan Journal #183. Tasted 5/30/08. 22oz bomber. Hazy with a dark amber hue. Layer of skim bone white head. Aromas of lemon and citrus. Brownies and crusty cookies. Full bodied and bitter. Big grapefruit flavor. Sticky rolling palate. Tart and bitter. Good hoppy flavor. Apple-like flavor. Touch burnt and a good palate. Bright rye note. Cocoa nd chocolate. Dark dried fruit and residual sugary flavor. Above par.

Nice amber with an cream white head. Aroma is very malty, light alcohol, caramel. Taste is malty, toffee, caramel, light alcohol. Not a whole lot to it.

At 9%, this brew delivered a nice buzz. Pours a dark, reddish brwon colour with a decent sized tan head. Creamy roasted malts, sweet all the way through which finishes rich with hops.

12oz. 2003 bottling, #011, with thanks to John (jjpm74) for this, as part of his most generous Christmas cheer forum giveaway! Pours a clear ruby tinted amber with a frothy dark tan head that maintains a whispy covering throughout. Aroma is dominated by sweet caramel and toffee malts, some brown sugar and light vanilla. Flavor seems to hold its own alright and supports the aroma, but overall just a bit thin and watery. No notable alcohol or warmth detected. Malty, smooth, and not bad. Based on recent reviews, it seems like older and younger bottlings are not doing as well right now, so feel pretty lucky to have gotten a chance to try this at a good point. Thanks again John!

5-2-08 bottle shared at tasting
Average amber brown pour with a thin head. Smell is light and nail polish like. Flavor is medicinal and malt. Palate is average. Overall, not big or bold or very memorable.

Pours dark amber with small offwhite head. Smell is sweet, touch of alcohol, and nice fresh hops. Taste is smooth mild malt followed by a bit of warming alcohol that is unobtrusive, however, and some nice spicy bittering hops. Nicely bittered as well. Slightly syrupy body with medium carbonation. This is definitely a well above average barley wine and I really enjoyed it.

12-oz. #10--this is a ’99 bottling tasted in 08. Still has a gasp under the cap, good sign. Still pours up a big head, good sign. Pours deep murky dark brown with ruby highlights. Thick, creamy tan head and lots of sudsy lace. Huge nose of toffee, fresh-cut hardwood, apples, caramel, and rubbing alcohol. Medium, slightly creamy body. Still got a bit of carb spritzing around in the farther corners here and there. Apples, caramel, toffee, woodiness, tobacco, leather--all those delectable aged BW notes are here. Unfortunately, they brought over their unpleasant neighbor, a fumigant, harsh rubbing alcohol note that gets worse and worse from the attack through the finish. Super dry alcohol finish. This is a hot and bothered beer even at 9 years of age. All the yummy flavors together are so enticing, but then that burning twang comes in...it’s like hanging out with the most beautiful woman you’ve met in a while and then watching her pee her pants.

#12. beautiful head, rich and creamy, lasting over a slightly hazy amber. only a bit of sweetness on the nose, fresh leafy hops come out most. everything takes a backseat to the dried-grass crunchy hop character. I don’t notice the bourbon barrel notes despite its mention on the bottle, perhaps once the bitterness relaxes with age it will come out.