Ithaca Excelsior! Old Habit

Brewed by Ithaca Beer Company
Style: Barley Wine
Ithaca, New York USA

Poured a hazy brown color with a very persistent beige head. The aroma was malty, fruity and spicy. The aroma was full with some vanilla notes as it warmed. The flavor was very spicy, rye spicy. the finish had a spicy bite that lasted a long time. Dry finish with a full body. Nice warmth.

750 from trade with MaxxDaddy. Dark muddy-chestnut brown with a light tan head. Sweet caramel, alcohol, some sherry. Aroma reminded me of an English Barleywine. Thankfully, the sickly sweet characteristics that I find off-putting in English Barleywines were absent from this brew. The taste was smooth with light spicy malts, a mild hop component, and a dark spicy finish. The palate was perfect - creamy and smooth.

Courtesy Jayg. Poured a ruby-red color. Aroma is big and malty, very english in style, with some burnt rang, treacle, toffee, almonds, spicy rye, and an oxidied component, much like that of an older Thomas Hardy’s. Very rich flavor, huge malts, with a doughy component. Rich and warming. Reminds me of a really well done Oloroso Sherry, very balanced.

Courtesy jayg. Pours a cloudy dark maroon color, with a small light tan head. Smells of big caramel malt, some dark sweet fruits, candy sugar, and bready yeast. The flavor has some decent caramel flavors to it, syrupy malts, and the yeast flavor really is noticeable too. The finish was sweet and slightly sticky on the palate. Not much bitterness in the finish and the aftertaste which was pleasant. Pretty standard flavors for this style, but solid.

Courtesy jayg. Hazy, thick, syrupy looking, dark ruby-red brown body. Wispy spots of thin film dot the top. A small, foamy rim encircles the top edge. The aroma shows sweet, dark caramel, rye malts, chocolate, faint figs, and light vinous fruit. The flavor is sweet up front, with dark brown sugar malts playing a big role. Lightly roasted rye makes a showing, as does some earthy wood and mildly bitter hops. Medium-full, syrupy body. Smooth, malty caramel finish. Not outstanding, but its a pretty solid barley wine.

Bottle shared with Jerc, Mabel, and Blankboy, courtesy of Mabel and Jerc, bottle 650. Very dark brown with small white head. Sweet aroma, mild alcohol. Lots of barrel vanilla in good taste, alcohol as well. Sweet. Oak is nicely worked in here not overpowering. Not terribly complex but very solid and enjoyable!

Bottle. Head is initially very small, fizzy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark amber, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (caramel, malt syrup, light chocolate), lightly hoppy (resin), with notes of wood, alcohol, sherry, plum. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium to full body, syrupy texture, soft carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. The syrupy texture, faint carbo, and clumsy, overbearing sweetness makes it very hard to drink. Somewhat dull aroma and kind of rough/raw too, but not without some pleasantries.

750 ml bottle. Released June, 2007, Bottle #1265. Purchased at the brewery. Pours a dark brown with some reddish highlights when held to light. Moderate light tan head that lasted almost to the bottom of the glass and left light lacing. Very pleasant aroma of caramel malt, whiskey and a bit of vanilla. The flavor is caramel malt, oak, whiskey and vanilla. The vanilla is stronger in the flavor than it is in the aroma. Medium bodied and with some light bitterness at the finish. Some warming from the alcohol, but in no way does it interfere with the experience. I enjoyed this one.