Fish Tale Leviathan Barleywine (Batch 5+)

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

Darker amber color, moderate sized head that lasts and coats the glass nicely. Aroma is sweet caramel malts, somewhat sticky, with other notes of toast, vanilla, wood and a little bit of chocolate. Medium to full body, yet it drinks light. Fairly sweet, no alcohol in the finish. Nice, now I wanna try the BA version.

Bottle shared with and courtesy of Maniac. Batch 5. Bottled November 2004. Mostly clear copper/amber with small off-white head. Rich aroma of carmelized malts with some woodiness, raisins, plums, touch of alchohol, roasty almost dark burnt creosote notes. Flavor follows aroma closly with wood and aged hop bitterness and some alchohol warming. Medium mouthfeel with some residual bitterness in the finish. Excellent.

Batch 5. November 2004. Dark amber body with some floaties and a medium creamy tan head. Heavy caramel, molassas amd rum soaked fruit aroma. Lots of caramel flavor, more rum soaked fruit, some light molassas, vanilla, and a bit of floral and earthy hops with a fairly hefty bitter finish that quickly fades. Full body with moderately low carbonation and a syrupy bitter ending.

Pours a clear brown with a frothy head and nice lacings. Sweet with a some bitterness. Quite malty with aromas of molasses and a hint of toasted malts. Medium hoppyness with aromas of spruce. Some alcohol aromas. Also a hints of port and wood. Medium to full bodied with a soft carboantion. Dry finish with aroamas of residual sugars.

12oz. bottle, with thanks to Tyler (tytoanderso) for this great bonus! Pours a clear golden orange with a fluffy white head that sits around a while, good lacing. Aroma is sweet caramel malts, with some overripe dark fruits, toffee, and candied fruits. Flavor is more subtle, with caramel malts, candied fruits and a gentle hops nip at the end. Not overly complex and a bit thin, but pleasant and drinkable just the same. Thanks again Tyler!

22oz bottle. Pours a murky mud puddle brown with a thin tan head. Pronounced malt aroma with a nice bitter hoppiness. Smooth maltiness with a nice hop balance makes for a really nice smooth sipping BW. One of the easiest barley wines I have ever had. Finishes with a smooth citrus hop aftertaste.

(22 oz. bottle via trade with <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=3 target=blank>TheCheeseMan, thanks Daniel!) Pours quite cloudy dark amber with only about 1/4" or less of biege head that recedes mostly to edges. Aroma is candyish sweet - toffee and cotton candy. Mouthfeel is fairly smooth, very lightly prickly, maybe just a hair thin, sticky. Tiny dabs of lacing along with a syrupy film inside of snifter. Taste is candyish, some candy apple glaze, caramel and cotton candy - but really not over the top sweet. A lightly piney bitter bite overlays keeping some of the sweetness in check. Slight alcohol burn in finish. A pretty nice barleywine but just a little lacking in oomph.

bottle from pizza port. Deep mahogany color with a fizzy head. Sweet molasses aroma. Sweet, mild orange, and bitter hops to the taste with some mild spice.