Brimstone Big Ale

Formerly brewed at Wild Goose LLC (Flying Dog)
Style: Barley Wine
Frederick, Maryland USA

(October 1999 vintage). Rich amber brown, no head. Complex lacing across top of the brew sip after sip. Golden raisin flavor, sour cherries, moroccan leather. I cannot explain this fully. Party in my mouth. California raisins are invited, as are caramel chews, an old book cover, some dust, and a dried tangerine rind. No alcohol taste present whatsoever, despite the 13-plus percentage. Unbelievable.

I’ve cut away the red-wax covering, and un-capped the bottle and the distinct sweetness of the perfect barleywine aroma wafts out. I can’t wait to taste! So, I pour...nice, deep, opaque, amber hue, with a decent helping of creamy, bubbly froth above...so far, looks good, like a barleywine should! Aroma: rich, dark, deeply fruity, grapes and cherries, leather, WOW!, this is a complex, heady thing, vast and mysterious, everything a decent barleywine should aspire to, sweet, tasty, delicious, dark and full of so, so much! Little hops felt here, but abundant in maltiness, feeling a touch sharp, but not too much, uttely integrated, very, very...Wow! Ooops, I said it again... This is a wonderful brew, fruity, never too alcoholic, well-masked by the fullness of flavor, totally tasty...a very happy nightcap. Wish I had more on hand, that’s for sure!

Very strong,It has been years but Frederick never steered me wrong. Sad 2 see this brewer go.Worse is rate beer deleting retired brews!!!42 percentile This brew deserves better.

Not sure how to describe the flavor accurately--rich, marbled, powerful, lovely. Whatever. It’s got a kick like a really big mule, but has a great mix of alcohol and maltiness in the finish. Not for the faint at heart, but a darn fine brew.

Vintage 10/99-weird ass color, a strange mixture of orange and brown..color is kind of "soft" if that makes any sense. there is a slight thin tan head. aroma is loaded with caramel, milk chocolate and hints of cherry. flavor is buttery and caramelly with more chocolate. the alcohol is barely detectable...i must have gotten the best bottle of the bunch!

1999 Vintage: Poured a deep almost clear ruby color with a small beige colored head. The aroma was very thick and sweet and fruity. Nice aged malt quality. A little candy like. It help up so fine. The flavor is very fruity and full. Good sweetness. This must have been huge when fresh. Now it is very drinkable right up to the finish. then you get some pepper and burn from the alcohol. 13% is very believable. I only wish I had more of this monster. Ok I just glanced down at some other ratings and it looks like we think alike (about buying more). Fullbodied.

Bottled October 1998 - wow, huge carbonation, ruby hue with a well-sustained head, cloudy body - very flemish sour-like aroma, with lots of overripe apples, cherries (skins and all), plums and a cider-like acidity - much more belgian than it is barleywine-like - some light caramel and toffee at first, but a dry, belgian sour character settles in soon after that - some kriek-like cherry and spice flavors hand around a while - I’m not quite sure what this beer was supposed to be, but after 8 years in the bottle (at least in THIS bottle), it has turned into something great.

This looks like a great barleywine - with a frothy, huge, long-lasting head over a dark mahogany body, cloudy. The aroma is very sour, and indeed much like a Flemish sour ale. Tart cherries, mixed with lots of sugarcane. The flavor is a strange blend of the barleywine-heavy-sweetness mixed with some kind of lambic or sour ale. It reminds me a little bit of Ommegang’s 3 philosphers, which I quite like. This beer is very interesting, to say the least.