patrick767 (2016), fort wayne, Indiana, USA Feb 28, 2007 bottle - Pours orange/brown with a thin head. The aroma has malt, caramel, mild hops, and perhaps a bit of oak. The flavor is caramel malt well balanced by some moderate hops taste and some fruit tones. Full bodied and tasty, it’s worth a try. badnewsbeers (1026), Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA Feb 28, 2007 1998 vintage...dark chesnut body with minimal head...aroma of caramel and toffee (heavy in alcohol, especially in the boozy finish)..flavor is a tad weaker that what is expected from the nose, and is heavy in the caramel, alcoholic notes..thin body Silphium (2114), Haslett, Michigan, USA Feb 25, 2007 1998 vintage from goldtwins. Ruddy orange, sediment-laden body, thin, quickly dissipating off-white head. Big oxidized sherry notes dominated the aroma, in addition to alcohol and caramels. Caramely body with hints of butterscotch, sherry, dusty and cobwebby with prickly alcohol. I’d like to try a fresher vintage to get a feel for how this ages. hotstuff (3175), Indiana, USA Feb 24, 2007 Bottle Very small tan head that mostly diminished, no lacing, mostly opaque, no visible carbonation, and an orange brown hue. Nose was hoppy, sweet, malty, some caramel, and fruity. Ditto for the flavor with some pine taste. Fairly smooth mouthfeel. Medium body. Somewhat refreshing. Decent. duff (5474), Surrey, Greater London, England Feb 16, 2007 Bottle. Quiye sweet and warming, probably a little overly sweet. Sweet piney, hops and caramelly malts come through quite dominantly. Mouthfeel is overly sweet and sticky, with noticable alcohol. Yep, too sweet and sugary. bfeldmann (1042), Wilmington, Delaware, USA Feb 1, 2007 Poured a deep orange color with good head, just okay lacing. Aroma was malts and was fruity. Flavor was caramel, pine and earthyness. Fruits mint? 11.4% not sure where that is hide it very very well. eaglefan538 (2351), Wilmington, Delaware, USA Jan 29, 2007 Pours an orange color with some ruby hues, decent initial head, sustained good covering, ok lacing. The aroma was fruity esters (grapes most notable), mint, sweet malts. The flavor was strong fruity esters, mint, vanilla, caramel, earthy/musty notes, finishing with a piney hoppiness to keep things honest, crisp (for a barleywine). Mouthfeel was moderate with light dryness. Nice stuff, darned refreshing for 11.4%. TheEnemy (422), Chicago, USA Jan 27, 2007 Updated: Jan 31, 200712oz bottle, dated Feb 2004. Pours a mahogany with little head or carbonation -- acceptable for a barleywine. Aroma is of rich grain, wine, cherry, and fairly bitter tobacco-like hops. Flavor is vinous and fruity up front, with a dry bitter hoppiness following. Tobacco leaf shows up next. The sweet/bitter balance leans a little to the bitter for my tastes but it’s fundamentally balanced. My larger complaint with the flavor is its lack of intensity. A good barleywine bursts with flavor. This one just kind of sits there as you sip. Thick, flat, oily palate. Not bad at all but I wish it had more flavor.
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