kiefdog (1588), Tampa, Florida, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 | Nov 7, 2009 Sample at GABF 2009. Pours a dark amber color with off-white head. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of chocolate, ripe dark fruit, light toffee and molasses. Flavor is about the same. Medium body with a pleasing malty and boozy finish.
DJMonarch (6845), Northwich, Cheshire, England
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 3/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 | Nov 22, 2009 Cask Stillage from the Jug at the GABF, Colorado Convention Center 26/09/2009
Big bourbon aroma. Mid brown coloured sweet and rich on the palate. Strong in alcohol with a little dryness in a very bitter chocolate malt finish. marcus (1853), Sacramento, California, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Nov 7, 2009 On tap at Monks Kettle. This dark brown ale poured with a thin bubbly tan head and a dark fruit aroma. There is a hearty malt flavor with chocolate, coffee and raisin. It starts sweet then turns pleasantly bitter. A very nice brew. HonkeyBra (1332), Lemont, Illinois, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Oct 11, 2009 Sampled at GABF. Murky brown pour with a bit of tan head. Strong, sweet aroma of caramel, toffee, raisins, oak. Flavor is vinous and thick. An orgy of vanilla, maple syrup, oak. Chewy palate, like you want in a huge barley wine. Really impressive. bu11zeye (5442), Frisco, Texas, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 | Oct 9, 2009 (Draught) Pours a murky dark brown body with a small beige head. Aroma of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, oak, chocolate, and vanilla. Flavor of vanilla, maple, caramel, toffee, bourbon, and chocolate with some oak in the finish. This is Heavenly! craftbeerdesign (752), Alpharetta, Georgia, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 19/20 | Oct 5, 2009 sample from the pitcher at GABF on 9/26/09... pours a dark brown... lots of wood on the nose... big smooth body with dark fruit notes blended with a perfect level of oak. really nice Barley Wine... elihapa (1052), Honolulu, California, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 5/5 | 17/20 | Oct 4, 2009 GABF Saturday. I had tried this before, but was not able to rate it. Pours dark dark brown, with a wispy chocolate head. Menacingly dark, even for a Barley Wine. Rich dark fruit and raisin on the nose, with similar flavors plus chocolate in the body. Very well rounded, despite the intensity of it all. I enjoyed every drop of this, and have to say that Abacus is a better “extreme” beer than Parabola (Barrel-aged RIS). notalush (2657), Denver, Colorado, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 14/20 | Sep 27, 2009 GABF2009 - unlike the Parabola, this one is a lot more smoothed out by the oak - it’s still sticky and boozy, but the rough edges are much more rounded out - a lot of dark fruit, bourbon, vanilla, toasted oak, coconut - creamy in the mouth, despite its strength - barrel aging might be overdone these days, but this one turned out nice.
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