DuClaw Devils Milk

Brewed by DuClaw Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Abingdon, Maryland USA

On tap at the Baltimore location. Flickr(http://www.flickr.com/photos/26049401@N0 Very floral cognac and apple nose, touching on sweet pineapple, pear nectar and a bit of guava. Nicely fruity. Pours an amber-orange, with a golden fringe and a thin rim in white. Wet, rotten grain flavor. Loads of isovaleric wet dog and some salty metal. Rather shallow finish. The grain and hop characters aren’t good, even if the yeast and alcohol profiles shine a little. Finishes a touch oaky and with some hop gum. Alcohol levels seem appropriate. Mediocre.

Sampled from a small keg at the Real Ale festival at the DuClaw location in Bel Air. This had a nice aroma, very malty with some caramel and some hops hiding in the background. The flavor however was like getting punched in the face. First it is super sweet, but there is such an intense hop bitterness that it’s like two warring factions launching nukes inside your mouth. Then the alcohol hits and wipes everything else out. This was a harsh weird horribly confused and confusing beer. Kudos for trying something "experimental" but yuck.

1L swing top. Pour and amber body, lots of sweet malt, sugar, some toffee, etoh, citrus hoppy pine as well but mellow in comparison to the dark fruit and raisin.

22 oz. hand bottle, 2007 Vintage, courtesy of MrBendo, shared with afer4ever and hogfodder. Pour is orange amber with no head too speak of. Aroma of bright fruit hops, woody, dry rounded and sweet. Taste is citrus hops and biscuit malt. A bit of spiciness in the finish. Palate is mouth coating, and very nice. Really nicely rounded and full in flavor. Thanks for sending this one my way Todd, nice work on the HB, this was in great shape.

22, handbottle, double waxed. Thanks, Theisti! Crystal clear medium amber with bright golden highlights. Rich fruity sour cherry nose. Medium, slightly oily body. Orange pith on the mid-palate, along with wood and some dark pitted tree fruit. Long resin finish.

22oz hand-bottle from MrBendo - thanks, Todd! Immediately on the pour I get a lustrous hop aroma that screams Bigfoot. The body is a deep and handsome amber, with a nice fluffy head that’s impressively lasting. Deeper into the nose, you get an overtone of nuts that promise a nice union with the hops. The mouthfeel isn’t as active as I thought it would be, given the evident carbonation, and that seems to suit the beer well. It allows the complexity to come through more than it otherwise might - a bit of a burn from the alcohol (though it’s generally well-hidden), some pepper and spice from the hops, and a nice lingering finish of dates, nuts, and honey. Strong one, and I’m much obliged to Todd for giving me the chance to try this one out.

Thanks to Todd for the ’07 hand-bottled bomber! Poured fiery reddish-orange with a short cap of toffee head. The aroma was sweet and intense with darker fruits and caramel on the malt front with spicy, floral, and perfumey hoppage surrounding.. alcohol amplification and really nice balance. The flavor carried through that sweetness, with caramel, honey, and a little grapefruit meat at the core.. spicy and floral bitterness surrounded.. alcohol warmth was apparent, but it never got in the way.. long, strong impression on the finish. Heavier-bodied, warm, and grainy on the palate with enough carbonation to keep it moving.. sticky, hot finish that warmed the belly.. alcohol was held in check as well as you could hope for considering the ABV. I’d gladly drink this again!

22 oz handbottle. Almost clear ruby brown with a ring of white bubbles. Nose is candi, caramel and melon with grassy booze. Not thin but quite refreshing for a barleywine; mild carb. Taste is honey and apple with hints of strawberry. Sweet is nicely countered with a peppery pith bite.