Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Petaluma, California USA

hapjydeuce brought this to the PP bottle shop. I can’t believe I haven’t tried/rated this yet. Thanks Justin! Deep amber color. Lots of carmelization/melanoidins. Sweet. Bitterness is mild. It’s a bit young fresh and needs some aging to take the bite off.

Pours a clear ruby copper with a moderate tan head, lasting pretty long. Aroma is fairly subtle, but otherwise what I expect: prominant citrus (orange) hops, caramel, brown sugar, and maybe something that reminds me of a raspberry-flavored (or other dark fruit) vodka. Much more pleasing flavor with prominant brown sugar, sweet doughy bread, caramel, flowery, almost orange juice-like bitter hop flavor, and some butterscotch. Finish evolves to a nice well rounded bitterness with a sort of "burnt lavender" mix of hop characteristics that I find strange. That odd finish seems to happen fairly often with Lagunitas beers. Very drinkable overall though, creamy mouthfeel and very well rounded. Don’t let it sit out too long though, that alcohol burns when it’s warm.

"Twenty ’Aught-8’ Bottle’. Burnt orange beer with an initial cover that dies away quickly. The aroma is orange-soapy, but hints at the high gravity. Once you sip this, there’s no doubt that there’s an alcohol kick lingering here ... this goes down your gullet burning like heated oil. Once you get past that, you start to detect the flavors of rich orange, grape, and smooth sugary malt. Beautiful brew. (#3443, 5/1/2008)

Amber with touches of ruby and a thin white head. Big malty nose. Flavor is sweet and malty with a rather big hop presence for a barley wine. Nicely balanced, though. Potent, but smooth and refined. Nice.

Bomber shared with Lee and Aaron. Pours amber red with a thin white head. Aroma is big and malty with a huge hop nose. Powerful malty taste with tons hops trying to balance it all out. Hops are much more bitter than I expected, but still a very smooth barley wine. Finishes with a big bitter hop finish.

Soft pine and floral nose, some fruity cinnamon in there too. Deep copper, clear, with a frothy medium head that lasted a long time--nice lacing too. Deep sweet malt, with a smooth transition into hop bitterness--excellent balance! Full body, tight carbonation, the finish lasts forever. Very well put together beer, possibly the best Barley Wine I can remember tasting.

Very pleasant draught. Lots of fruity flavor and piney flavors - reminded me of a FFF brew. Dark red pour with decent mouthfeel.

Pours a brown reddish color with a nice fairly thick off white head. Piney hops, tangy fruits and balanced nicely with some caramel malts. A little sugary with some alcohol showing but not a lot. A pretty smooth and easy drinking barleywine but with enough complexity. This is solid. An excellent price for what you get too... about half the price as some others I’ve had recently. Recommended!