Drakes Barley Wine Brandy Barrel

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

’05 6oz Bottle. Poured a dark brown in color with amber hues when held to light. Bottle poured with no head. Aroma of raisins, dark fruits, wet grain and sweet with some toffee and caramel. Taste is generally sweet with dark fruits, toffee and brown sugar. Flavors of raisins, light oak, and grains also present. For 14.7% I thought this was very drinkable.

<i>Bottle (6oz) shared with HogTownHarry & tupalev -- courtesy of HogTownHarry.</i> Pours a murky oily ruby-brown with practically no head. Nice aroma of dark fruit, toffee, hops, molasses, brown sugar, alcohol and more -- lots going on here and it’s all nicely blended together. Flavour’s quite fruity and sweet along with caramel, wood and a bit of brandy. For 14.7% the alcohol is quite well hidden. Good body. No carbonation but it suits it. Fantastic stuff, I enjoyed it very much.

Pours the color of rasins with no head. Nose is dried fruit, brandy, cherries and brown sugar. Taste is the same, with very nice melded influences. Not as hot as I thought it would be and coating on the palate.

Bottle (6oz). Shared with blankboy and tupalev, via trade with irishboy. Cloudy, flat-looking muddy red-brown pour - looks great! Damn that smells good - raisin, brazil nut oil, brandy, lush grain, slightly sour dry oak resin - terrific: sophisticated, smooth, balanced. The taste follows - seems a little simpler, and a touch more tartness, but wood resin, sultanas & nutty roast malt - after a bit more fruit emerges - tart cherry for sure. Thick body, medium-acidic and somewhat still mouthfeel, almost creamy-slick ...... amazing stuff - like a well-aged fruity Thomas Hardy’s. Thanks, Richard!

Bottle shared by iowaherkeye. Thanks Joey. Big boozy nose with dark fruit and molasses notes. Poured a murky brown color. Full bodied, sweet, and fruity with plenty of warm alcohol and low carbonation. Fruity and boozy with distinct brandy and dark fruit flavors. Just oooozing with booooze.

An old body from my cellar. No head with this beer, a dark and murky body. Aroma is sweet, raisins with caramel and some light honey. A great tawny taste, soaked fruits with a nice chocolate liquor accent. Smooth ending with a very nice small alcohol burn in the end. GREAT!

6oz Bottle courtesy of Numenor. Murky brown body with no head. Huge molassas aroma with brown sugar, raisins, rum soaked fruit, caramel, and a bit of alcohol. Huge caramel and molassas flavor, more raisins and rum soaked fruit. Full body with very low carbonation and a thick not quite syrupy mouthfeel.

Stud tasting 1.0 held at general_gaos. Thanks for putting up with us colin! Pours murky brown with a few off white bubbles. Aroma is raisin, fig, oak, brandy, sherry. flavor was more raisin, dates, cherry, sherry. Finishes boozy, mild sweetness.