Elkhead Barleywine

Brewed by Elkhead Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Buckley, Washington USA

Draft at Strange Brew. This is the 2009 or "Count Elkula" version of the barleywine. This one has smoked malt, sweet red peppers, and cherries added. Murky, opaque dark rubied amber/brown with big sweet pepper and cherry nose. Not too many beers smell like this; you really have to smell the combination for yourself to get the full effect. Creamy, spicy, sharp, tangy, sweet mid-palate. A bit of boozy bite but still very coherent.

8/15/07 From the bottle. Aroma is greatly complicated, with notes of raisins, other dried dark fruits, leather, caramel, some alcohol, but no hop character. Appearance is hazy copper with no head. Flavor is strong sweet malt forward with caramel, dried dark fruit and alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium/hight bodied, syrupy, with slight warmth. Overall, not as complicated as most, but refreshing with good sweetness.

Poured golden with thin head. Nice malty aroma. Nice and thick palate with a slightly bitter finish.