J.W. Lees Harvest Ale

Brewed by J.W. Lees
Style: Barley Wine
Middleton Junction, England

2000 275 ml bottle - Pours a hazy light brown color with a one and a half finger thick light tan head. Light lacing. Aroma is sweet doughy malt, esters, light herbal hops, and alcohol. Flavor is quite fruity (raisins). There is an odd aftertaste I can’t quite pin down. Surprisingly there is very little oxidation. Medium to full body. The alcohol is noticeable and warms the stomach a tad bit. A nice sipper.

Pours a ruby apple cider w/ minimal, but resilient creamy lemon zest head, aroma is HUGE with dried cherry, buttery papaya, dates, it’s a cliché but really too many elements to name here, like the best abt’s, very front heavy with almost zero finish, hits the pallate and dances off, somehow full-bodied and light at the same time: it fills the mouthfeel and is gone in the same instant, flavors are predominantly palm sugar and dates with zero bitterness, alcohol is completely indiscernible, a must-try if for no other reason that its uniqueness and depth

From the a bottle dated 1999. It pours a very dark amber, with minimal head. Aroma has dark fruits like figs and prunes, in addition to some candy sugar and caramel. The taste shows that the aroma was only a preview, as the taste expands on the sweetness with the heavy almost syrup like body of a beer. On the aftertaste, there is a very strong impression of burnt sugar. Despite all of the sweetness, its not overpowering like so many other desert beers. The alcohol? You almost forget that its even there to begin with. Quite delicious.

Bottle. Red-orange-brownish, slightly cloudy liquid. Aroma is quite sweet, rather acidic and fruity with lots of dried fruits. Taste is extremly sweet and dominated by malt, with notes of dried plums and a hint of smoked sausage. Palate is thick with a soft carbonation. Nice, but a bit too sweet.

I did not like this beer. I guess I’m not a fan of barley wines because I hated this. Tastes like a beer-aged whiskey. Too strong.

Deep mahogany pour with a nice size light tan head, good duration and lacing. Aroma consists of nuts, agave, caramel, and floral notes. Palate is smooth, velvety, low carbonation and moderate warmth. Heavy cloying sweetness, lightly bitter, with flavors of raisin, strawberry, vanilla, pear, and caramel. Brewed to style as an english barley wine. Very vinous and port-like. Very nice.

2007 Bottle. Poured clear and dark copper with some viscosity to it. A short cap of white foam appeared. No lacing. The aroma was herbal, earthy hops over a ton of sticky sweet malts and some alcohol. The flavor was old hops, toffee, malts, iced tea and alcohol. Borderline full bodied mouthfeel and on the verge of cloying sweetness.

22nd August 2008. 2000 Vintage. Hazy brown beer. Strong malt with a very distinct marmite flavour - but sweet. Sticky sweet finish. Sumptuous palate. A little salt in the aftertaste.