Carolina Old 392 Barleywine Style Ale

Brewed by Carolina Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Holly Springs, North Carolina USA

Pours a deep red color with a faint white head. Aroma is rather bitter, probably a result of the dry hopping. Citrusy smell with a hint of caramel. Fairly bitter at the start with some grapefruit like citrus with a lingering sweet finish. Alcohol is masked very well but it is present. This brewery is known for making beers that are adequate for the style but not necessarily standouts. This is another example of that. Still a solid effort and it’s great to see local breweries embracing the opportunity to try new styles now that the cap has been popped.

Bottle at Aaron and Kathy’s Holiday/YeHa Party on 12-3-05. Bottle courtesy of wilkie (thanks for letting me know!) Copper bodied. Small white head. Hoppy citrusy nose with a bit of maple syrup and caramel in the aroma. Not unlike a ’typical" barleywine, but still nice. Tastes a hoppy and piney with citrus notes, creamy malts and light caramel. Light alcohol on the palate along with mild carbonation. Medium bodied overall. Finishes with more caramel, pine, citrus fruits, fresh hops, and bit of candied notes.

Bottle. - A&K’s4thAHBT - Lightly hazed gold, thin fizzy white head. This nose was more IIPA then BW, but nice none the less. Loads of pine resin and grapefruit, with a faint caramel undertone. Bitter citric bite initially, with notes of pine, earth, and alcohol throughout. Tasty though. Light to medium bodied, soft carbonation, bitter, dry finish. For a first attempt, not half bad....

Bottle: Clear amber with a small beige head. Aroma is flora hops and light citrus. Taste is floral/citrus/dry hops up front followed by fruit, light alcohol, apples, and earth. Medium bodied, slightly watery.

Bottle... A&K’s4thAHBT... Clear, golden ale with a small, creamy, off-white head. Citrusy, piney aroma with lots of grapefruit and a little toffee. Well-balanced, but a touch bland. Full-bodied and silky with medium carbonation. Finishes medium bitter and grassy.

Bottle (thanks Wilkie): A nice clean coppery hue with a small head and some lace. The aroma has notes piney and grapefruit hops, light caramel, pepper and dusty yeast esters. The flavor starts with a nice sharp citric twang and with smooth spice kick. Bready layer of sweetness underneath. The feel is smooth yet a nice bite, a bit thin in the body. Kudo for producing a nice easy drinking barleywine.

(12oz bottle, bottled 11/22/05) Crystal clear amber body small off-white head. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, pine, light raisin. Taste is moderately sweet, pine, caramel. Medium body, drinkable but a bit thin.

Bottle poured into snifter. Dark red-orange appearance. This beer is dangerously drinkable with a smooth malt backbone with piney hops in front. It may be a little thin for some people’s tastes, but I like it a lot.