Dieu du Ciel Solstice d’hiver

Aroma: wonderful, hops reminsicent of fresh grapes, grapefruit and green apple. Lovely, fruity malt, liquorice, roasted, sourish. Oh my, those are really lovely. A slight vanilla sweetness merges with the nice deep, fudgy malt. Alcohol and some faint esters. Raisins and brandylike tones. There’s something nutty alongside the alcoholic fumes. Hard to place, but the aftertaste suggests hazelnuts and/or macadamia. A musty tone reminsicent of lingonberries can be sensed.
Flavour: sweetness hits you, but in no way overwhelms, and is backed up by a grown up bitterness provided by acrid and refreshing hops. Slight tartness as of apple peel. Malt provides subtle tones of bitter cocoa and fine coffee beans. The aftertaste is long, extremely balanced and satisfying. This is perfectly balanced. Few beers are so beautifully designed (I come to think of Old Rasputin).
Appearance: A very deep orangey red body covered by a frothy, slightly sticky, yellowish thick foam. Looks invinting.
Palate: Thick, creamy, very full-bodied. Really thick and fluffy on the tongue, slightly hot on the palate. No lack of carbonation; very soft and natural feeling however. Very, very nice and thick. Even the burps are highly enjoyable.

Draft at Volo. Pours dark amber. Nose of caramel and rasins. Big body, sweet. caramel and toffee notes. Finish is slightly bitter, but not prolonged.

Bottle, 2008-12-25 , Göteborg AR: sherry, hops. AP: dark brown body, light beige coloured head - lasting F: americans hops, alcohol, great bitterness, honey? The lable is great!

11.5 oz. bottle. Pours a thick, opaque brown color with a very small tan head. Aromas of molasses, malt, and a hint of raisin. Analogous flavors along with a smoky flavor. Medium to heavily bodied. Definitely, has an alcoholic bite. Not bad.

I think this was brewed in 04. Pours a dark brown with thin white head. Aroma is leather, malt and raisin notes. Flavor is slightly sweet, but finishing on a dry note. Not much carbonation, but its a BW - shouldn’t have much.

THOUGHTS: This could use even more aging. Lots of booze in this one. Not the greatest barley wine, but still a great beer. My bottle said 9.8% ABV not 9. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark, brownish red with red highlights and a very small, off white head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was heavy caramel malt; moderate pine and orange citrus hops that blended with the alcohol and fruit, raisin, date, cherry, a hint of vanilla, alcohol, sweet tea, and a hint of that barely wine smell. The initial flavor was sweet and slightly acidic; while the finish was rather sweet, slightly acidic and light to moderately bitter. There was caramel malt, apple, cherry, citrus and pine hops, alcohol, raisin, liquor, spices, a slight bit of that barley wine taste and hints of cocoa. The medium to full body went down really easy and was syrupy and sticky on the lips with tingly carbonation a a lightly metallic and light to moderately alcoholic finish.

Bottle. Small smooth beige head with a lasting retention, hazy reddish brown body, one ring of lacing, and very little carbonation. The aroma was malty, caramel, some burntness, sweet, lightly hoppy, alcohol, and lightly fruity. Ditto for the flavor along with bitterness. The mouthfeel was very tingly and this is a medium bodied beer. A warming sensation kicked in as this beer warmed, worthy of a try even though there are better of this style IMO.

Sampled 10/7/2009. This Barley wine pours a medium brown color from a 11.5oz (340ml) bottle. Small sized white foamy head. The aroma is caramel, nutty and sweet. A medium bodied English Style Barley Wine. The malts are caramel, fruity and sweet. The hops are earthy. It a touch boozy, but that might be more to the minimal carbonation. Nice balance. Subtle flavors. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.