Heavyweight Barrel Aged Old Salty

Formerly brewed at Heavyweight Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Ocean Township, New Jersey USA

Very nice barley wine. Lucky find at Baracde on tap at the 2nd Anniversery party night. Pours a deep amber with decent head. Has a surpisingly light aroma, pleasantly sweet & candy like. Very smooth maltyness upfront. Wet cardboard aspect. Viscous and syrupy body with a strong late sweetness. There’s a late bourbon like character with a flavor that has a smooth alcohol burn and an oakey/sweet earthyness. Complex and satisfying. Big barley-wine.

750 ml bottle thanks to JHop. Biggest head I have ever seen on a barleywine. 2/3 of the glass. Dark amber beer beneath the monster. The second pour was much improved now that I know. What a goregeous brew. Aromas were outsanding. Lots of wood and bourbon. Sweetness and fruit. Some hints of flanders at first. Lots of wood on the flavor too, along with all the dark fruit and molassas one would expect. Lot’s of Alcohol warming on the finish. Very Very good.

Any first impressions?
-A veil of foam shields the clear regal burgundy and mauve robe.
-Plenty of juicy berries sing in tune with star anise and bourbon sweetness.
-The bourbon barrel sweetness is very well integrated to the other flavors, humbly adding another dimension to the experience.
-The smooth, luscious mouthfeel (must be Maris Otter) is worthy of contemplation.

What if you dig deeper?
-Blackberries and raspberries evolve into candied sweetness towards the end.
-Alcohol is well proportioned for a barley wine of this gravity, heating the back up accordingly, but never burning.
-This is the kind of barley wine that got better and better, as examination turned into enjoyment.
-To me, this is the crowning achievement of the Old Salty series, a superb luxury product of utmost delicacy and refinement.

Bottles; 2005 vintage.

Bottle via trade with willblake, many many thanks go out to him! Burnt caramel pour with a light tan head. The aroma of bourbon, vanilla and caramel malts came to mind. Flavor was bourbon, sweet malt, vanilla. The body was still pretty thick...very rich and warming. Very good stuff.

Poured chestnut brown with a thin tan head. No lacing but a beautiful color. Smell had bourbon, caramel, chocolate, maple syrup and dark fruits. Syrupy and smooth taste with white wine, caramel, oak, chocolate and dark fruits. Palate had a great burn to it. Really awesome beer.

RBSG 2006 - DC Grand Tasting Lineup Dark brown, no head or lacing. Nose of bright hop and sweet syruppy malt, light bourbon and oak. The flavor is tart, not too acidic with the right amouth of oak, salt and bourbon/roast. The finish is nice and chewy, sweet, nice oaky beer.

Sample at Sleepy Bear tasting 09/30/06 - Nice one Hippie4beer - Aroma is bourbon, carmel, alcohol, vanillia and piney hops. Pours dark brown with a small head and little lacing. Flavor is luscious carmel, chocolate, vanilla, oak, roasted malts and lighter bourbon than aroma. Palate is sticky. A super tasty brew.

Columbus gathering. So excited to get this beer before it was all gone. One of the most unique barley wines ive eve had. Aroma of fruit and spice with a little pine. Flavor was smooth and the alcohol was well hidden.