Dark Horse 3 Guy Off the Scale Old Ale

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

Bottle acquired via trade with belgiumtripel...thanks Mike!!! Shocking that this beer is 15%!!! Garnet pour with a small eggshell head that diminishes into a whispy film and small tan ring around the inside of the glass. Aroma is dark fruit, molasses, brown sugar, and caramel...flavor is similar. The alcohol is hidden extremely well. Medium mouthfeel. A very good Barley Wine.

12oz bottle. Pours amber with a small ring of white lacing. Aroma is of hops, caramel malt, moderate alcohol, spice, and grass. The aroma is a tad underwhelming, with most of the alcohol content well masked within the other ingredients. Taste is of slightly muted hops in the front. The hops are balanced out by dry, toasty malt. Lots of caramel as well. Lots of spice and sugar to this beer as well. It’s very surprising how well balanced this beer is. Lingering sugary caramel taste. The alcohol is very well hidden and does not hinder the beer, nor make it better. Mouthfeel is light and overly carbonated. Very good warming effect. The finish is where all the booze is at, making it hard to swallow. This beer reminds me of DFH Olde School, since it also is a blander barley wine with way too much alcohol.

Pours a deep amber. Nose is beautiful booze!, loads of caramel malt, slight floral hops, grapes and dark fruit. Flavor is warming alcohol, sherry, sweet malty caramel, dark fruits, toffee and ever so slight hop presence. Finishes smooth and liquor biting. This beer is awesome! Perfect sipper. And possibly the worst label on earth.

12oz bottle courtesy of amietag1. Pours a dark amber to brown with orange highlights and a one finger creamy tan head that settles quickly. Aroma is sweet and malty with dark ripe fruit, caramel, citrus peel, some hints of floral hops and fresh fruit, slightly boozy. Flavor is sweet and malty with notes of ripe dark fruit, caramel, molasses, brown sugar, some hints of spice and floral hops. Generally medium body with a malty and boozy finish.

12 oz bottle, aged about a year. Was very excited to acquire this through trade (I believe) with General66. I figured a year would be enough to make it not hot, but I was wrong. Pours a beautiful reddish brown color with the typical DH little head that dies quickly. Smells of a ton of caramel, some yeast, a little bit of dried fruit, and A LOT of alcohol. Scared me a bit with how much alcohol was on the smell. The taste however was a little more tame, but still not for the timid. Goes down fairly smoothly, with a nice caramel and vanilla aftertaste. Overall a very nice barley wine, but has too much heat. Would be interesting to age for about 3-4 years, then try again.

Purchased in a 4 pack at the brew pub. Raisin bread and dates and roasted fruity malts dominate the aroma. Some cinnamon, vanilla, and other aromas. Very dark brown with a bubbly head. Very rich chocolaty initial flavors with the sweetness really pushing forward. Again lots of rasins, dates, caramel, cinnamon and other wintery warmer spices with some woodiness and a little cheese. Some light bitterness to balance. Thick and rich on the palate. With a very nice warming duration. Definitely a rich sipper. Very good.

I can’t believe I got to try this at DLD 09. Crazy, sludgy brown pour. Caramelly, fruity aroma with lots of alcohol. Flavor of chocolate, cherries, some more fruits. A bit of wood. Nice mouthfeel, overall awesome to have. Really great beer.

12oz bottle as a bonus from.....I forgot. Pours a beautiful hazy, rusty brown with a this beige head. Nose was very sweet with tons of caramel, figs and other candied fruits. Flavor was very sweet with lots of caramel malts, dried and candied apricots, peaches and cherries. Finish was very drinkable for 15%.....wow.