Drakes Barley Wine Bourbon Barrel

Formerly brewed at Drakes Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Leandro, California USA

Tiny 6 oz bottle, via somebody out in CA. Pours a clear dark garnet body with just a loose collection of thin large bubbles that cling to the edge of the snifter. The nose reeks of oxidation from 2 feet away. Very heavy with some spicy bourbon and alcohol. Some soy, smoke, yeast, burnt toffee, and caramel. Flavor is bourbon laced soy sauce with some oak tannins, heavy alcohol, and some smoky malt on the finish. Alot of dark fruits lingering about, but the oxidation all but covers it up. Mouthfeel is full bodied and rather thick with zero carbonation. Very warming on the finish. Overall, I just can’t get into these Drakes BA beers. They’re just too oxidized and reminiscent of soy sauce.

bottle....appearace: deadened darkened chocolate brown. showing no signs of life whatsoever. head = none....aroma: overly sweetened dark fruit, caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. a little overwhelming at first but it settle downs.....taste: much to that of the aroma with a boozy finish. more brown sugar and maple as well. it could use a little more carbonation as there really wasn’t any but that could be attributed to the aging. finish left a slight sour note....nice ba barleywine and better than the 3.7 overall rating imo.

Courtesy Ibrew2or3. Thanks Dave. Dark red/brown body with no head, of course. Nose of bourbon - again, very hot and not well hidden - chocolate, toffee, vanilla bean, tropical fruits and dark malts. It’s a shame the alcohol isn’t better masked, this has 10 aroma potential. Flavor is very good as well, following up on the promises made by the aroma. Chocolate is very pronounced in this one, along with wonderful fruit sweetness. Alcohol is a bit more manageable in the flavor, but still quite hot. Very vinous mouthfeel, super smooth and full palate. Finish is lengthy, sweet and woody. Fantastic BW!

Picked up at the Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, CA... Appears a dark mahogany with a light tan head that quickly fades into a mild cap. Spotty lacing is left around the glass. Smell is of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, bourbon, molasses, and ripe fruit. Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a sugary, complex flavor that entices the tastebuds. Mouthfeel is dirty, boozy, clay & earth resonating, meaty, sugary, and full bodied.

Name: Barleywine, Bourbon Barrel
Date: March 18, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: muddy brown, scant head
Aroma: sweet bourbon aroma with a blend of chocolate and sweet vanilla, a touch of ripe fruit, light alcohol
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor balanced by lots of bourbon, vanilla sweetness, lingering earthy bitterness

Name: Barleywine, Bourbon Barrel
Date: March 27, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Appearance: clear brown, scant head, legs
Aroma: caramal and bourbon aroma is drying out
Flavor: flavor is still rich with the bourbon and dark caramel, vanilla sweetness is drying out

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Bottle shared by DYC - thanks. Mahoghany brown. Aroma of aged malt, oak and some fattiness/light cheesiness. Also some raisin and molasses notes. Quite sweet, hot, lightly sour flavor with some berry fruitiness. Very little bitterness (long since faded, I suspect), more big vanilla/oak touches, coconut; thick and warming alcoholic finish.

6 ounce bottle purchased from Monument Wine and Liquors. Pleasant bourbon aroma with some fruity, vinous notes present. I also smell saltine crackers in the aroma. Relatively aggressive aroma that is rather pleasant. Mostly hazy cola colored body with a very small off-white head that is quickly dissipating. Large amounts of bourbon flavor hit you to start. This is followed by a tart, strawberry-like flavoring. Turns rich, chocolatey, and mildly oxidized with some sweet cardboard/caramel flavors. This fits my preferences nicely. Probably the best beer I had all weekend.

6oz bottle from trade with kmweaver. Thanks Ken! Pours a muddy brown color with no head. Aroma of fermented fruit, bourbon and oak. Taste of malt, vanilla, plums, figs, and bourbon. Flavor is complex and warming. Has a slight bitter hop taste folded in but manages to have a semi sweet flavor in the finish. A very good barrel aged barleywine that hides the alcohol nicely.