Iron Hill Bourbon (Tom) Barleywine

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

Whiskey Barrel Aged, 2002, sampled 12/04... Poured a lightly hazy, reddish brown color, with a thin, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla oak and sweet malty, caramel. Taste was sweet and sticky malts, vanilla, bourbon, cherry, light citrus hops, and finished with very light alcohol. This was an amazing beer!

Cloudy genuine caramelised auburn pour, presenting little head. Powerful and smokey nose approaches the notion of caramel like it wants every other beer to beg for forgiveness for ever hinting at caramel. Humongous focus on toffee, caramel, earth and cookie richness. A real concentrated sweet malt opus. Enormous vanilla notes allow underlying oatmeal-like hints to pear through. The bourbon aging proposes gentle whiskey overtones, but they fit and never dominate, letting their woodiness take the top. Very full bodied, creamy texture, minerally and engaging carbonation. Growing pleasure with every sip despite the growing alcohol awareness as it warms and the obviously fatiguing sweetness. Superb sipper. Just when I thought I was tired of bourbon-aging, Iron Hill comes in with this jewel and proves me unworthy!

GABF 2005. I counted them....I had twelve one ounce samples. My favorite beer from the festival. This was legendary and unforgettable. Brown color. Big time buttery and oaked nose, with hints of bourbon, vanilla and rich malts. Insanely thick and creamy body. Perfect medley of oak, giving vanilla, wood and bourbon flavors, and wonderfully rich malts, which gave hints of chocolate, mocha, caramel, butter and fruit. One of the best I’ve had.

Draft @ Media. Nice Reddish color with a medium beige head. Aroma is sweet, but not excessively so with lots of candy, vanilla, wood, and rich sugar. Flavor is quite robust with the bourbon and wood hitting in the middle, but without being overwhelming. Sweet with candy, citrus, sugar, and a slight alcohol bite. Very well done here and definitely the best BA beer from Iron Hill I’ve had to date.

Buttery oaky nose. Medium brown body with no head. Taste-butter, light wood, spiced rum, vanilla, molasses, sweet figs. Excellent in every way.

Sampled @ GABF- Pours a murky brown, small white head. Aroma is cherries, strong toffee nuts, musty with more dark fruit. Flavor is sweet and thick, barrel does not overpower and actually compliments this brew. More earthy notes with a sweet finish. Awesome brew.

On draft at the Wilmington location. Pours a dark hazy amber with a medium light beige head. Beautiful aroma of bourbon, vanilla, caramel and candied sugar. Taste of bourbon, vanilla, caramel and candied sugar. Very nicely done and Id give this a nod over the oak aged Tom.

GABF 2004. Labeled as "Bourbon Barleywine." For a while, this was vying for top-5 status in my Beers of the Fest list. Wonderfully different than other barley wines I’ve had, yet retaining certain familiar characteristics. Smell of bourbon, smoked wood, and watery raisins. Piss brown in the glass with a small light brown head. Robust flavors of honey and raisin gave way to cotton candy sweetness, which morphed into a Chupa-Chup finish of vanilla: phenomenal. Great body for the strength of the flavors, this didn’t feel flat or watery like some barley wines do. Good beer.