Iron Hill Barleywine

Brewed by Iron Hill Newark
Style: Barley Wine
Newark, Delaware USA

Bottle courtesy of Ibrew2or3. Pours a clear amber color with a foamy tan head. Aroma is malty and sweet with notes of caramel, toffee, floral hops, butterscotch, dark ripe fruit. Flavor is also malty and sweet with ripe fruit notes, some hints of coffee and wood, caramel and honey notes as well. Generally medium body with a slightly boozy finish.

Poured a deep brown and served in a goblet. This was very interesting beer in that I could detect some very fruity, cidery, apple notes, but they did not take away from the beer at all. The hops were blended in nicely and not over the top. The alchol is warming and very apparant. This is a great after meal beer.

courtesy of ibrew2or3 pours hazy brown with tan head. Aroma is caramelized / sugary malts. Taste sugary, thick mouthfeel, lots of malts and dark fruits. bottle read 9.6abv and was not overbearing.

Courtesy of GMCC2181. Pours amber copper with minute long tan head. The aroma has notes of raisins, prunes, figs, crystal malts and some mild alcohol heat. The taste is much the same as the nose with fruity esters like raisins, prunes, apricots and pears. Behind that are solid notes of sweet malts and mild caramel candy. Then a modest sense of alcohol murmurs up and hangs on into the finish. Nice brew that could use a few more years of age.

750ml bottle from trade. Pours a dark amber color with a small off white head. Aroma of caramel malt, figs, dates and brown sugar. Taste is sweet, lightly smoked and bold. Flavors of fermented fruit, toffee, caramel malt and alcohol. Has a semi sweet floral finish.

I purchased this bottle at the Newark, DE location, but the label on the bottle says Wilmington. 750 ml bottle. Pours a hazy dark amber with glowing reddish highlights when held against a light. Moderate-large off-white head that faded to a film at mid-glass and left only a trace of lace. Very pleasant aroma of caramel and a bit of sweet orange. The flavor backs off a bit from the aroma, with caramel up front and a moderate alcohol flavor towards the finish. The alcohol flavor stregthens as the beer warms, and a definite alcohol burn develops as well. This is a decent barley wine, but it lacks the depth and mouthfeel I associate with better barley wines. The strong alcohol finish also detracts from the flavor.

750 ml bottle. Pours a murky orange brown with a medium sized beige head. Aroma of caramel, candied sugar and toffee. Taste of lightly sweetened caramel, candied sugar and citrus hops. Very nice.

750 ml bottle via trade with hopdog - Pours a reddish-amber color with a thin off white head. Faint spotty lacing. It went South from here. I think the bottle was infected. Flavor was phenolic and bitter. Too bad. I was sitting on this bottle for quite some time and was looking forward to sharing it. Oh well, maybe I can get another bottle. Thanks Steve.