Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Milton, Delaware USA

Bottle. Slightly hazy rich orange amber with a light tan head. Rich malty, slight alcohol aroma. Caramel, alcohol, dark fruit, citrus flavor with decent bitterness. Alchol definitely present. Medium bodied. Lingering caramel, slight dark malt, and fruit.

Pours dark amber with a thin off white head. aroma is dried fruit, caramel, and a bit of hops. Flavor is raisin, fig, grapes, sherry, caramel, hops. Slight alcohol burn when cool, but warmed up nicely (strange). I wrote this beer of as being too boozy but having it sit out for an hour or so did wonders. Very sticky mouthfeel, coated my tongue. Interesting, wouldn’t mind trying one a few years down the road.

It was cool walking shovel over shoulder, Oerbier glass in hand, bottle opener from Duvel in pocket (I know, but it is a gift from a very good Belgium friend) into the middle of the woods. Luckily remembering the location, next to a perfect tree trunk, I started digging like an Archaeologist, being more than just a little careful not to break the bottle. 30 min of very pleasant work and the bottle emerged. Bird where flocking around us (the bottle and I), the sun was shinning, the cowboy smiling at me. The cold and wet of this Marts afternoon was totally gone. Mannnn, placing the bottle next to me and my glass on the tree trunk, carefully opening it, smiling, pouring, smiling, smiling, smelling, smiling, drinking, smiling, birds singing, sun shining on a clear spring sky, perfect moment, perfect year of waiting. Another trade and another walk into the wood, one Olde School Barley Wine a year, this is going to be a great tradition. Thanks a billion to the DFH guy (or girl) who wrote that label description. (I dont know about the score but damn this was a great beer, or at least a GREAT moment drinking it)

Poured from a bottle, a deep orangish color. Strong fruity aroma and obviously high ABV. Very fruity and sweet, my first BW a little to strong to do anything but sip. Also have one I’m going to age for a year and try it again. Overall good flavors but could use some calming down (aging).

Bottle: Super intense aroma of figs and alcohol, wow. Color is a dark amber with no head. Taste is suprisingly smooth for such a high alcohol brew. It is loaded with figs, spices malt and a small amount of hops. Thin texture but loaded with flavor. A decent barley wine. A must SIP beer. *******Update******Damn this bottle is about two years old and still the alcohol is potent! Aroma of alcohol and sweet fruits (figs) Taste is very sweet, fruity and no hiding the 15 percent on this beer. The alcohol is right there to warm me up on this cold October night. Texture and carbonation level are still good. There are better barleywines out there, that is for sure but this one is definetly unique. Just make sure you share it or sip on it, because it will definetly get you buzzed up. ******Update****** Just had it on tap at the brew pub in Rehoboth. Smoothier and easier to drink then the bottles. Suprised by that. Overall a unique BW.

Bottle. Hazy golden/amber color, small offwhite/yellowish head. Vinous aroma, nutty, lots of fruits, sherry notes, figs, raisins, some spices. oak and syrup. Raisins and figs show first in flavor, syrup and nuts, vinous, some sherry, sweetish, some oak, some spices. Nice lacing on the glass. Smooth sweetish finish with raisins and figs. Such a strong feeling without letting alcohol showing. I am amazed...

Dark copper body with a white head. Loads of alcohol, hops and caramel malts in the nose with some woody notes. Sweet, thick and boozy especially as it goes down. Complex, messy and somewhat over the top.

Sampled at Delilah’s Vintage Strong Ale fest. 2005 vintage. I don’t know if this was buried or not, but I’ve really wanted to try this one aged. Pours a clear yellow copper with a smooth beige head. Nose is detectably aged. Caramelized malts, toffee, alcohol, and citrus. Lots of fruity in the flavor. Red fruit, apples, caramels, lemon, oranges, and the alcohol that’s like hairspray. Too much of that hairspray alcohol. Its way too harsh.