Iron Hill Barleywine

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

Date: 06/10/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog 3D

muddy dark amber, fine beige head, drops of lace, sweet dark caramel aroma with a big earthy character, lots of dry bitter earthy flavor, touch of dark caramel adds richness but no sweetness, slight tart edge,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

750ml bottle-pours a light tan head and copper color. Aroma is very nice, medium malt-caramel, medium fruit, fragrant. Taste is medium malt-caramel, medium fruit, fragrant, finishes with earthy hops. Occasional. OK carbonation.

Creamy off-white head mounts the dark amber hue to remain there. Potent caramel flavors come from the developped maltiness. Biscuity, toffeeish undertones accompany the orangey and floral hops on first level, but the 2nd level is the affair of the formidable peachy, banana and apricot fruits of the great english barleywines. Smokey in its finish, long, strong, heady and sweet. Medium to full bodied, slow carbonation. Its sheer complexity and fitting mouthfeel put it among the numerous good examples.

GABF 2004 bottled sample for judging: Clean and clear light copper with a lacey white head. Fresh English hoppy aroma and a touch of sweet caramel malt. Body is pretty thin for a barleywine with only mild sweetness and not too much hop balance. Finish is also thin. (7, 4, 7, 3, 14)... GABF 2004 Bourbon Barrel Aged: Cloudy dark copper color with an off-white head. Aroma is a subtle mix of vanilla and caramel malt, but is not very pronounced. Starts rich and caramely sweet with lots of oaky vanilla flavor and a dry vanilla bean finish with some warming alcohol. A nice, complex barrel-aged brew. (7, 4, 8, 4, 15)

Tap at Lancaster location. Hazy amber beer with a thin head. Aroma is lightly sweet and a little bit honeyish as well. Toasty and toffeeish with some apricot/peach. Sweety and quite chewy. Fruity sweet and a little bit orangey. Sweet and a little bit herbal on the back. Fuggles/Goldings aroma. Quite a rich tasty barleywine in the UK-style.

750 ml vintage bottle from Phoenixville. Pours ruddy, muddy caramelly ruby brownish in color, with almost no head. The aroma is big and complex, very fruity, with notes of caramel malt, black pepper, big figs, plums, tobacco, blackberry, slight white grapes, prune, Bartlett pear. The flavor is richly malty and the palate heft and complexity is apparent. I got flavor notes of fine tobacco, figs, berries, pear, apple, white grapes, and some earthy peaty finishing notes. Dense and complex palate, with well hidden alcohol, this oe is great.

This barleywine pours a medium brown color forma 750ml bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is brown sugar, molasses and brown sugar. Medium bodied barley wine. Malts are caramel and sweet. Hops are earthy and floral. Nice carbonation. Good balance. Hides the 10% alcohol fairly well, there is a touch of a bite at the finish. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

2004 sampled Wilmington 3/05... Poured a dark amber color with a small, of white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of carmel malt, port, raisins, citrus hoppiness, and a touch of alcohol. Still rather young, the dried fruits, grapefruit hops, and sweet caramel dominated, alcohol is also pretty hot. Decent now, but at 3 yrs old, this can compete with some of the best barleywines out there. Look for bottles of this soon!