Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

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

750ml bottle. Batch #3, bottled Nov. 2001.

Really cool mix of malt and tart barrel on the nose. The crystal malt is still fairly evident even after 8 years. It’s pleasantly less sticky and sweet though. There is a good dose of wine barrel. Plenty of dark fruit skin... red grape and maybe a touch of tart apple? Toasted vanilla. Slight sherry-like nutty oxidization, but melds quite well with the other aromatic components. Very little hops left on the nose... but still very aromatic and vibrant. Pours a hazed, copper/brown with a thick off-white creamy head. Flavor is just as unique as the aroma. Crystal malt, dark fruits, toasted vanilla and caramel, loads of tart barrel tannin. Quite delicious. Little hop presence. Some oxidization... but does not distract from the flavor. A slight hint of basement must. Still quite malty and alive. I think this one will last a while longer. Medium to full bodied. Slightly oily on the tongue with a bit of a lactic creaminess on the finish. Still... 8 years later and this badass has plenty of time left. Wonderful stuff. Thanks Andre!

Bottle, 2001 Vintage. Sampled at the Woodshop Quad Tasting. This was a really stellar standout of the evening. Talk about some serious maturation. This one has aged nicely. Pours clear copper with no head and barely any carbonation. Aroma of vanilla and oak with a bit of dark fruit. Caramel flavor with tones of wood and cellar must. Bitterness has calmed down a bit. Finishes extremely smooth and elegant with more barrel on the back end. F**king really good.

Batch 2, 2000 bottling, tasted Jan 2009.

What a treasure to open this gem after it spent nearly a decade maturing. Pours brown with modest head and a fair amount of cloudy micro-sediment. Beautiful caramelly aroma with graceful and well integrated vanilla oak, just an absolutely love aroma. After the vanilla nose, I’m expecting sharp bourbon on the flavor, but instead it’s soft merlot grapes, a beautiful surprise, slightly musty, slightly fruity, that lovely sweet caramel coming through, still a touch of those hops on the late finish but so laid back, none of the hop-oxidation problems that one might have envisioned, just an overall beautifully integrated, sweet, and very different barleywine. Glorious rich chewy mouthfeel. What a treat!

Pours a bright copper brown with a thin off white head. Wonderful nose of bourbon, fruit, caramel and toffee. Same in the flavor with a smooth mouthfeel.

Woodshop 4. 2001 bottling. Old school! Massive mellow...rich, sticky, rich, malty, rich, awesome. Assortment of sweet malts/fruits. Aged to perfection...lovely, seriously

(750ml bottle, Batch 3, 2001 vintage) Pours a clear amber with a small beige head. Aroma of caramel, vanilla, cherry, bread, and chocolate. Flavor of caramel malt, roastiness, raisins, plum, and vinous with a dry, somewhat bitter finish.

Batch 3 2001, 750ml via trade with SuzyGreenburg, shared at Strong Ale 08. Pours orangey brown with a tan head. Nose is sweet, rich, sick and fantastic. Taste is sweet fantastic, rich and big, very nice and incredibly well aged.

2008 GABF, Dr. Bill’s tasting, Batch 3. Poured a deep murky brown color with a moderate beige head that faded to a layer but left some decent lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, toffee, a bit of brown sugar, some nice fruity hints (plum, apple, grape), vanilla, a bit of bourbon spiciness, and some dry oak. Smooth, sweet entry leads into a nice vanilla caramel maltiness with some light roast and a bit of soft toffee that leads into a nice dark fruit hit with some plum, grape, and fig. Finishes with a light bourbon spiciness with some dry oak and soft undertones of apple and caramel. Moderate carbonation, full and slick on the palate. Very good beer.