Gold Label (formerly Whitbread)

Brewed by Samlesbury (InBev UK - InBev)
Style: Barley Wine
Preston, England

Amber colour with a amall, fine-beaded head. Aroma: peach, alcohol. Sweet/bitter taste with honey, caramel, nettle, pine, Very bitter, astringent finish, with hop, resin, butter and aspirin aromas. A much better beer than you would expect, especially out of a can and brewed by Inbev. Despite being a car crash of contradictory flavours - malty sweetness and fruit pitched against resiny, even numbing hoppiness - it’s overall impression is harmonious and balanced. A rare case of a multinational having a product with extreme flavours. I suppose that’s the writing on the wall for its future. I tasted this immediately after Heavyweight Old Salty, which came ouit very badly in comparison. Possibly the last time time I will ever publicly praise an Inbev beer

The DM & Hotstuff’s European Honeymoon trip beer number 114. This bottled brew marked best before 11/04 poured a large sized head of frothy fine to medium sized mostly lasting light brown colored bubbles that left behind an unnoted lacing. The body contained soft carbonation, was transparent and golden brown in color. Its aroma contained notes of vinous malts. Its mouth feel is initially smooth with a lingering vinous palate and a malty aftertaste. Its flavor contained vinuous malty doughy notes that really sneak up on you buzz wise. An above average brew.

No head; clear brown body. Strong harmonic aroma of lacquer and sherry. Strong taste of fruit, perhaps apple, and port. No aftertaste to speak of. Slight bitterness. Very nice. One to sip. (On bottle.)

Bottled. Don’t know if it is the brewery or the lack of cellaring, but this fresh bottle is too much on the alcohol side. Other than that, it is a little sharper on the edges, but the aroma and flavor is very much the same. My rating on the fresh bottled would be 6-3-6-4-13-3.2. (060712)

Bottled. I had this one in my celler for a couple of years, and before that it has been in two other cellars where it has probably been stored at almost room-temperature. There’s no date-marking on the bottled, it’s very dusty, and Whitbread is noted as brewer. The aroma is lovely, almost like a discount-version of Thomas Hardy. Sweet malts, prunes and alcohol is the most noticables. It looks pleasant with its copper color and an almost non-existing off-white head. It has some floaties, and I don’t think that looks too good, but it is as expected. It has a vinous and yet sweet flavor, light roasted, burnt sugar and alcohol. A bit too much on the alcohol, though. Sweet, medium to full body and an strong but yet mellow alcohol finish. Definately not one to quench thirst with, but sitting down by the fire with it is nice. (060116)

Fruity, winey and beery, a good combination. Put the embarrassment of ordering a beer of this type aside, it worth a try.

An amber beer with a fine head. The aroma is dominated by alcohol and sweet malt with hints caramel and raisins. The flavor is very simple of sweet malt, alcohol, and plums. It has a very dry end.

Caramel and mango aroma. Full bodied. Sweet, somewhat buttery. The alcohol is all around. Fruity flavor (mango and peach) and a hint of cherry. Nice barley wine, fairly well balanced.

Apart from the excuse of beer hunting I’d have never given this beer a try. I view it as an old persons drink (despite its strength) and has probably been sitting on your pubs bar for the last 10 years. Check its best before date! Saying that - the beers not that bad. Golden colour, with a bit of spice about it. Its a shame you get so little of it, otherwise it might be a more appealing drink.