Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine

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

Bomber. Clear orange with a medium head; nice lacing. Aroma of pine and citrus hops, pineapple, caramel and sweet cherries. A bit warm, but nicely drinkable for the high ABV. Mostly sweet with a slightly bitter/grape-skin finish. I’m always amazed at the number of good beers that Lagunitas puts out at bargain prices. Here’s another one.

Bottle. Pours a briliant deep amber with a large long lasting light tan head that leaves great lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel, toffee, and a hint of citrus. Taste is the same as aroma with a touch of dark fruit and a hint of smooth alcohol. Full mouthfeel with a moderate well balanced bitterness and well hiden alcohol. Very good.

Flaske: Flot mørk ravfarvet øl med et lækkert lille skumhoved. Kraftig duft af karamel og en anelse port. Stadig en del humle i smagen selv efter et års lagring men potentialet til mere lagring er der. Suveræn balance imellem den resterende humle og karamemalten. Dejlig øl.

On tap at Oldsmar Tap House. Poured a dark reddish copper, with a small creamy head and very sticky lacing. Subdued molasses and raisins in the nose. Hoppy flavors, and caramel and rich brown sugar. Malty, spicy finish. Balanced, soft and gentle on the tongue. Easy to sip and enjoy slowly.

5-14-08 bottle
Semi thick amber maroon color with a nice huge ivory colored thick head. Smell is sweet caramel and brown sugar. Flavor is sweet and syprup like with some alcohol present. Palate is thick and creamy and matches the flavor and theme nicely. Overall, quite drinkable but just a hint too much burning sugar in the flavor for me - in addition to the hefty alcohol that becomes much more prominent in the aftertaste.

Not a bad one. Poured brownish red color with good size head and okay lacing. Aroma was pine hops some fruits in there and a caramel. Flavor was a little to much sugar and hot but other then that followed the aroma. Needed more hops I think to cut down the sweetness.

No doubt about it, this is one mighty fine barleywine. Spot on for the style and rather similar to a year old SN Bigfoot. Clear amber/copper color, thin off white head and plenty of good lacing. Underlying grainy aroma with a robust sweetness of rich, hearty malts. Sugary plums, thick toffee, and floral/perfume like hop scents. A thick, smooth sipping beer. Sweet and mildly bittering with a great finish and prolonged aftertaste. Flavorful with a mixture of burnt toast, raisins, toffee, bitter flowers and dark cherries. A touch of pine along with a woody, fibrous taste. An overall mellow blend of aromas and flavors that tickle the senses. I liked this one a lot, it really is what I look forward to in a well crafted barleywine.

Had this at Brickskellar in Washington, D.C. Pours a clear mahagony color with minimal head. Hoppy aroma with a hint of brown sugar and caramel. Very sweet taste. I kind of liked it. Malty caramel taste with a kick of hops. Nice light, but dry finish. One of the better barley wine’s I’ve had.