Great Lakes Barley Wine

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

On tap at the brewpub: Pours a hazy copper color with a small white head. Aroma, earthy and citrus hops galore, some pine as it warms, and some pale and caramel malts. Flavor, smooth caramel and bready malts flavors up front, sweet to start with the citrus and earthy hops coming in strong on the finish, some pine flavors also developed as it warmed up. Very smooth with quite the bitter kick on the finish.

Aroma of dates wafts out of the glass. Nice flavor, classic hops, thick mouthfeel. Light alcohol burn on the finish; I don’t believe them that this is only 10%. Could use some time to mellow.

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.

Served in a snifter glass at the brewery. Clear dark copper pour with a generous frothy head. Nice grapefruit and pine nose with caramel in the background. Sweet caramel and marshmallow show up first in the flavor and they support a hefty citrus (grapefruit) and strong pine hop presence. A bit fruity with orange flavors that is does get just a touch cloying. Full bodied and sticky with a semi-dry finish. A solid American barley wine.

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.

Draft at Great Lakes gathering at the Dilly Deli. Poured clear orange copper color with a minimal off-white creamy head that was mostly diminished with fair lacing. Moderate tart fruit, sour citrus hop and alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth sticky texture. Medium to heavy tart bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of long duration. First version, high IBU. I will look for next version to be more balanced for bottle production.

Final rating from my trip up the this year’s Winter Warmer Festival. Solid beer, but nothing really stood out for me. Golden copper pour, creamy head, and little lace. Inviting aroma of plain cereal, honey, and fresh fruits. Medium bodied, sort of easy for a barley wine. Very sweet, malty taste. Snappy with a fresh fruit quality. Enjoyable but not memorable....I’m off for another glass of the Chophouse’s Bourbon Barrel Barleywine!

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.