Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Batch 5+)

Brewed by Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Barley Wine
Olympia, Washington USA

Batch 5 12 oz bottle. Pours that classic reddish copper with a bigger than average (for style) head, quickly settling down to a thin white film. The nose is classic barleywine. Lightly sweet malt, a touch of alcohol, boot leather, dark fruit, lightly floral hops, and a not so out of place hint of smoke. Even a hint of chocolate. The palate is nice and smooth as well, with low carbonation, a bit of viscosity, and somewhat slippery. The flavor really has a complexity that I’ve found to be lacking in even my favorite barleywines. This is also at the opposite end of the spectrum from cloying. Light sweet malt is overcome by smoke, tannins, and alcohol (which isn’t overpowering). There’s something very reminiscent of a dry red wine. Oaky earthy unsweetened chocolate flavors also come in, with a nice floral bitterness blending into alcohol and tannin mouth astringency. The inside of my mouth became all rough with each sip. This is perhaps the most drinkable barleywine I’ve had in terms of being able to drink quantity. Unfortunately, I only brought one bottle back from Seattle, which I was obliged to share!

I like it! Its got the normal barleywine look. A very full and complex aroma- sweet like caramel, maple, chocolate and a good deal of alcohol. It tastes surprisingly smokey, bitter, a slight fruity flavor, sweet and malty, with a good deal of hops and alcohol as well, and a bitter/dry finish.

Sample at Indy tasting Dick’s 96th - Aroma is hoppy, honey, and carmel. Pours hazy orange with a small head and decent lacing. Flavor also hoppy with some maltiness taking the forefront. Hides alcohol well. Palate is sticky and tart. Very nice.

Pours creamy butterscotch w/ a medium sized creamy froth. Aroma is malty w/ slight hop flowering. Medium nectar and very slippery. Flavors are smokey sweet w/ caramel, cherry, maple, brown sugar, oak twigs, and new leather w/ that defined smokey character holding it all together. Kinda reminds me of the Dogfish Immort just not as complex. A big malt bomb. There is a slight hop on the finish with no grapefruit at all. This is a plus for me. Great balance and the alcohol is dangerously well hidden. Highly recommended.

Batch #5 - 12oz bottle from 11/05 - Deep ruby red color with smallish light tan head. Aroma has fair amount of caramel, sharp citrusy hops, hint of cherries and vanilla, hint of rum and brandy. Flavor is malty, lots of caramel, touch of cherry, vanilla. FInish is sweet, thick. A nice barley wine.

Bottle, Batch No. 5. Poured a muddy brown with an off white head. Head was full at first but quickly diminishes. Head leaves an average lacing along the outside of the glass. Aroma is malty. A faint chocolate smell with hoppy scents. Dry throughout from start to finish. Flavor is malty with some hoppy finish. I can taste what seems to be chocolate covered nuts. Very dry finish. Nothing too exciting about it.

Unfiltered orange color with an ok initial head with no retention. Lacing was weak. Aroma was hoppy (citrus and resinous) and malty both. Hard to pick up exact scents. Flavor was citrus hops, some pine resin, lots of bandaid and chipotle pepper accents in the hops. Mouthfeel was full. Touch of zing in the finish.

Ugly, murky brown pour with almost no head. Looks like really dirty water. One of the ugliest BWs I’ve ever seen. Aroma is sweet malts, with raisins and candy, and, uhhh, nacho cheese doritos playing a strong part. Taste is a watery version of the same but has a really bad, unbalanced hop bitterness to it. This beer is a complete train wreck, IMO.