Great Lakes Barley Wine

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Shared at Cornboys Barley Wine Blind. Wow did I dislike this one. Poured a rather flat brownish amber with virtually no head. Aroma honey, brown sugar, grain and garlic. Thin watery body with very light carbonation. The aroma left no indication of the horrible flavor to follow. I think I actually dumped this one an couldn’t even finish my two ounce sample. Yuck.

On tap at the brewery. Nice amber brew, clean body with lively carbonation and nothing cloudy detectable. Resiny hops detectable in the nose, as well as some apricot and brandy. Definitely hot and boozy, and a strongly hop forward BW like Old Guardian. I found it enjoyable and fairly impressive, but it would definitely benefit from aging (bottle it!).

Poured a clear amber color with a small, white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of toffee malts, floral hops, citrus fruits, light honey, vanilla, and some alcohol in the finish. Taste of sweeter caramel up front, citrus fruits, toffee, pine, toasty dough, and moderate bitterness, with a bit of alcohol in the finish.

This was the 9th tasted in a 28 bottle bw blind tasting. Poured an almost clear light copper color with a minimal head. Aroma of body odor, citrus , dirty hops, caramel and golden apples. Light malt on the flavor. Citrus hop with a moderate bitterness on the finish. Some alcohol pepper on the end. Light-medium body.

On tap @ the brewery 3/15/08: Cloudy chestnut brown w/ a medium sized lasting dark cream colored tight head. Citrusy and piney hops when chilled, some perfumey alcohol with caramel and toasted malt when warmed. Also a lightly floral and fruity ester. Alcohol gets stronger as it warms, a hint of raisiny fruit, and a moderate bready malt aroma. The flavor starts citrusy (grapefruit) juice like when chilled, but toasty and bready malts balance the hop flavors. Also lightly bitter in balance, but pleasant. Finish is bitter and herbal flavored, and there is also a touch of acidity from the carbonation. Aftertaste is herbal and bitter. It’s warming and dry on the palate from the alcohol, and a touch from the hops. Fuller body, and medium carbonation. Not a great barleywine, but a pretty decent one. Alcohol is a touch up front for my taste, but a nice little sipper. I would imagine this will age well, but the fact that it’s only available on tap may prevent that from happening unless GLBC holds a couple back for future verticals or festivals.

Hazy off red pour with basically no head at all. Aroma is sweet malts and some fruity esters. Flavor is caramel malt and fruits raisens, berries and even a touch of apple/pear going on. Hoppy finish with a fresh leafy taste. But the problem is the body is too thin and undercarbonated which leads to a syrupy like aftertaste, seems too young and just not big enough.

Tap at the brewpub - very hazy strawberry-colored beer, with substantial head/lacing - apparent hop bitterness in the aroma, with some very bright fruity esters (strawberry and other berries, light notes of citrus) - the first sip is quite off-putting - there is an odd, mossy, dry, bitter character, with some strong marris otter or golden promise malt flavor and a juniper/gin-like character - very odd - underneath this are the high sweetness and fruity flavors characteristic of most middle-of-the-road American barleywines - rather lacking in the complexity department, but it is quite smooth aside from the bitter gin-like flavor.

At Brewpub 2/15/08. Pour is murky brown with virtually no head. Aroma of sweet malt and a good amount of hops. A bit of booze too. Very soft carbonation and sweet up front. Bitter/sweet in the middle and finish. Get a leathery/pepper quality. Nice body, but missing something.