Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

Formerly brewed at Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Barley Wine
Olympia, Washington USA

This beer like a bottle of wine needs to sit and be open for about 15 mintues, just to sit and merely take in the aroma for one thing. Once you get to the pour, is turns a gorgeous ruby garnet color in the glass with a small tan ring of foam. The aroma is full of dark fruits and alchohol, a sweetness that makes you want to lick your lips after the first sip. Hints of oak, chocolate and toffee. The fruits are also very present with almost a peach wine quality, backed up by the sweet hops and a flowery aroma. This was just a treat to drink, a little to heavy at times with the wine and oak, but overall very satisfying.

Leviathan wants your undivided attention. This beer will not go unnoticed upon the intake. It is a strong and imposing presence but a subtle seducer. It grabs hold and doesn't let go. Sweet aroma. Rich colour.

Batch 3. very dark in appearance with a cream colored head. The wine smell is apparent, as is a wody fruit smell. The taste is unique... mellow hops, a sweet fruity taste wine overtones and a chocolate finish. The end notes are of chocolate cherries and wood.

Batch #4. Cloudy reddish body, thin sloppy white head. Smell is amazing - floral and winey, some sweeter toffee added to tangy fruit aromas. Flavor is tart, winey, cherry and blackberry, some woodsyness, mildy dry at finish. Alcohol is well hidden in the viscous, slightly oily mouthfeel. Excellent.

I really thought this was spoiled, but after trying Poseidon, I realized that what to me comes off as nasty and vegetal like red wine left out overnight is apparently the consequence of oak barrel aging. Are the oak barrels underage? I don't know. I do know that they seem to have ruined this beer to my tastes.

Significantly darker and redder than expected. Nose full of port, sherry, raisins, and molasses. Shares a very similar woody character to the Poseidon, both are just incredibly woody beers. Very rich and malty, but more like wine than beer. Interesting and complex.

750 of Batch No. 4, Bottled in November 2002. Bottle pours a brownish red color with very little head that is off white with large bubbles and some broken lace. The aroma is of red wine, sherry, and malt. The flavor is red wine, dry, woody, fruity, and sour in the finish. The palate is of a minor hint of carbonation, smooth, and somewhat rich. Overall, I really prefer more of a Barley Wine than a Red Wine flavor like this has.

2002 Vintage. Fruity/red wine to start, alcohol, then sourness and hops. Dominating flavor in this beer is red wine and oak. Body is quite full. Carbonation is quite light. Minimal head and lacing. Color is translucent, dark red/amber. Beautiful, complex, delicious beer. Thank you Liquidsolutions.biz!