Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine

In the bomber bottle at The Brickskeller. 2006 vintage. Pours a clear dark amber with an abundant, but fleeting off-white head. The residual head after die-off is a thin but impermeable layer. The first aroma is of chocolate and alcohol. There’s an essence of wheat in there as well. Little to no lacing remains. The esophageal burn is extreme. This is just too green to drink in its first year of life. The flavor is medicinal. It is thick for sure, but not so thick that you have to chip it out of the glass. You get heartburn from this beer immediately. Aroma of apricots. I think this vintage will mellow nicely with time. The strong hop bitterness is totally lost inside this beer. It seems much stronger than the promised 9.7% ABV. This is a barleywine with a rough edge of still being a child. I’d say 1-2 years of mellowing will do it good. Dave is such a big shot that he should buy these up and store them for a couple of years before even allowing goobers like me to stroll in and order it off the Brick book. It has an outrageous bitter chocolate aroma and flavor. The taste is in fact not far from Gran Marnier. You need a cautious discipline when you drink this. An odd saltiness emerges at mid bottle, or am I just getting drunk? Seems quite bicarbonate in character. Now I’m getting lots of Tootsie Roll candy out of it. Rivlets of alcohol can be seen in the light through the beer. This begins to dehydrate you after awhile. Leaves you with chocolate chip cookie dough burps.

Had this awhile back outta bottle, Smelled decent but tastes better than it smells, this tasty beverage packs a punch and its taste is pleasing, a good solid beer.this really was the first "real" beer i had so..

bottle: Pours amber in color with a small mostly white head. Smell is a bit of caramel, with maybe a hint pineness to it. Taste has a bit of caramel sweetness to it, maybe some fruit to it, but I can’t place it. Taste is very creamy.

Bottle: Pours a ruddy red amber with little off white head. Aroma is clean and sharp with a malty sweetness and hints of alcohol. Taste is pleasantly smooth with notes of plum, caramels, malty sweetness, sugars, and just a bit of hops. Not nearly as harsh as some barleywines. Very nicely done!

Aroma:alcohol,ligh caramel... Appearance:CLear cooper,good small head... Flavor:strong alcohol,good bitterness,light caramel...

Bottle acquired in a trade. Brown/copper ruby body, amazing pillow head for something this strong. Nose is brown sugar, plenty of dark fruits, some tobacco, rich caramel malt. Flavor is plum, brown sugar, alcohol. Hops have mostly faded. Some honey. Great creamy body.

Bottle.Poured hazy copper with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate caramel tart citrus aroma. Medium body. Medium sweet flavor with a medium complex sweet finish of moderate duration. This is a standout beer.

Pours a maroon brownish color, cloudy in appearance that leaves a thick tan head. The aroma is fresh hops, citrus, earthy spices, cinnamon, nutmeg...wow this is a fantastic nose reminds me of chai tea. The taste is just lovely, caramel malt backbone with a chocolate bittersweet bite, followed by sugared spices of nutmeg and cinnamon bark. This is a malty barleywine balanced with a fresh hop bite. This is now one of my favorite barleywines I’ve ever had. Great job Lagunitas!