Free State Old Backus Barleywine

Brewed by Free State Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Lawrence, Kansas USA

Slighty hazy warm color with a small layer of off white head. Initially a lot of grapefruit hop character, but as the glass warms, the hops ebb considerably to the point they seem to be almost absent. Tons of dried fruit and caramel notes. Flavor started out a little rough. Quite a bit of bitterness, a lot of sweet. But halfway through the glass things just seemed to click. Maybe it needs to be warmer and have the even modest level of carbonation dissapated. At any rate, the last half of the glass was great. Leathery dried fruit, smooth port like sweetness, a bit of tartness to clean up the finish. A barleywine that kind of snuck up on me, and I dig it.

Served in a snifter. Deep cherry wood red/brown. Very dense head. Huge toffee malt aroma. Very nice balance between malt sweetness and bitterness. Some fruitiness. Creamy and mouth filling with a nice bitter finish. This beer has been taking a beating lately. Nothing wrong with the beer I was served.

On tap/growler from the brewery. The 2005 batch. An opaque dark brown color with little head but a big malty/raisiny aroma. Full-bodied, with a slgithly chewy mouthfeel. Intense malty flavor matched with a formidable hop bitterness and big alcohol character in the finish. Well done and well recieved.

On Tap: Outstanding! An amazing beer that I can’t truely believe I’ve had the opportunity to sample. It wasn’t a very prety beer and I might be genrous in giving it a 3 on the appearance, but man was it tasty! A smooth, sweet beer that had some spices, some malty flavors with more of a hppy taste, some citrus and fruity flavors, defintly some caramel flavors, maybe some chocolate and toffee flavors. Great beer!

From a Growler provided by csbosox, marked 03! Aroma is very sweet, like prune juice. It has sort of the appearance of prune juice to. Flavor of rotting leaves, toffee, raisons, dates, figs with a tartness lurcking in background. Well made. Sweet finish.

2003 vintage, courtesy of heemer77, thanks Eric! Rummy brandyish aroma, sweet fruity and alcoholic aroma. Some nuts and figs. Appley with medium body. Cherry and oranges, rather like liquid fruitcake--glace cherries. Mellow with a long sweet fruity finish. Thanks again Eric!

12 oz hand bottled via trade with Duane - Thanks Duane! - Pours dark brown with no head at all. Aroma is caramel, chocolate, toffee,wood, and some faint hops. Flavor is very full, more caramel, chocolate, raisin, wood, some smoke, and a brief hop finish with a lingering sweet finish. Palate is full bodied smooth and drinkable. Tasty and complex. I enjoyed this and I’m glad I got to try it!

many thanks to Eric ( heemer77 ) for sharing the growler.

2003 vintage

wow! if more barleywines were like this, I might not ever drink anything else. dangerously smooth and drinkable, the only hint of the 10.5% abv was my slurred speech when I finished my glass :) a murky light brown on the pour with an aroma and flavor of mild caramel, toffee and some light fruit. I’m sure the hops have mellowed some over the past couple of years, putting this wonderful brew in its prime. Thanks Eric, this is a winner!