Dark Horse 3 Guy Off the Scale Old Ale

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Marshall, Michigan USA

Well, I didn’t know what to expect from this one. it seemed from past ratings that the last batch was rather hot and unbalanced. Aroma was raisins, plums, and a hint of hop citrus as well. Taste delivered on what the nose promised, more dark fruit, some cherry, caramel, and even vanilla. I thought the alcohol taste was actually fairly low for a beer with this abv, and only added to the flavor. Maybe this new batch is different, but I really enjoyed this.

Bottle. Pours a hazy dark amber color with a small off-white head. Aroma of over ripe fruits, caramel and roasted malt. Taste of raisins, dates, hops and light alcohol. Finish is warming and flavorful. Very nicely done barleywine!

Almost purplish red color with almost no head, thin white ring. Nice big malts on the nose, mild slightly medicinal cherry, balanced alcohol aomas. Malty cherry flavor, caramel, maple syrup, mild vanilla somewhat woody, slight bitterness almost grapefruit resiny rounds out the finish. Petty syrupy body with very little carbonation. Really enjoying this, cant wait till it ages a bit.

Bottle thanks to 17thfloor. Ruby red with small off-white head. Aroma is cookie with caramel and heavily acidic citrus hops, sour cherry, slight alc but very little for how high of abv it is. Grapefruit hops with big alc and sweet cherry, slight dough, resiny, already tastes like its BA. Medium body with slight syrupyness. Nice but big alc and it needs to age, the big cherriness is nice though.

Pours a murky glowing reddish brown with a minimal white ring on top. Sweet bitter cherry, medicinal, malty, lots of alcohol aroma. First taste is sweet sugary malts and resin that continues to sweet and bitter cherry. Finishes with a bit of a burn and some woodiness. Sticky syrup body with light sparkly carbonation. Sipping beer all the way. Can’t wait to put some years on it.

many thanks to cole for this one, I really appreciate the hookup man! This is a fresh 2008 bottle. Pours light brown with a small off white head. Aroma is heavy malts and some fruit. Flavor is up front cherry and strawberry, raisins and other dried fruit. Heavy malt with a bit of tobacco and leather, sherrry, and just a hint of the ABV. For 15% this masks almost all of the booze. Viscous and mouth coating, this one is pretty damn interesting and one of the best barley wines I’ve ever had.

Bottle shared by Eric. Pours a murky dark brown with a small head. The aroma is full and nice; a smooth sweetness and a bunch of fruit. The taste is also full of fruit and some sweet candy. There is a really strong alcohol aspect, almost overpowering. It burns like a much stronger alcohol and dominates the taste. Overall, quite good and very strong.

Big thanks to jjpm74 for the bottle! Looks really good, the beer in the glass is incredible. Starts strong, malty, notes of tabacco. Becomes stronger to the end, finish really scratchy, warming, modest fruity. Well balanced. Becomes better with every gulp. I’m impressed!