Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine

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

Release 2002: A beclouded burnished copper color on the pour, the head mastodonic in size, spumescent in texture, a winsome tan in color, the residual lace a thick and glutinous sheet to meld with the glass. Hints of pineapple, bubble gum, sweet malt, fresh and appetizing is this nose, start ambrosial, thick malt, the top middling in its feel to the palate. Finish is spitefully acidic, the hops biting in their spiciness, the aftertaste alcohol bitter, long lasting and a nice “Belly Warmer”, and a fine beer from a fine brewery.

2002 bottling. Bittersweet aroma, with very light toffee, orange peel, toasty malt, light berry, faint alcohol, something like sassafras(?!) and spicy hop. Clear, medium copper in color with a settling head and sparse lacing. Flavor is initially malty with some brown sugar sweetness, becoming a bit more fruity and spicy and then finishing with a nice addition of hops, spicy, resinous, very faintly citric and piney. Aftertaste is malty and sweet with abundant hop bitterness, faint orange and the warmth of alcohol. Very nice.

Dark amber ruby, slight haze. Dissapating, slightly persisting head and lace. Big nose of caramel, fat malts, overripe fruit, candy. Full body, creamy, rich, sweet, caramelly malts, fruit/candy notes, hops try to interrupt to balance and do a bit in the end but this is a big multilayered malt feast. Drinks very well, they nailed the carbonation, making the palette perfect for me, gives it vibrancy, addictivness. Good BW. Memorable.

Pours a light ruby color. Aroma is strong and fruity with some maltiness. Nice and smooth. Sweet fruity flavor with malts and hops and a little bit of alcohol to give it some punch. Lots of flavor. Very good.

2002. Pours more orange than red, nice translucent barleywine appearance. Blessed with a rush of white head made up of tiny white bubbles, yet the life span is very short. Aroma contains both hops and malts. A little bit more bitter than I like, but age could take care of that.

I really liked this beer. 9.7% kicks ass, and it is well masked. Surprisingly sweet taste. Took awhile to warm up to, but I can say I will soon have another. Rerate 10/02: Great beer. Would be an IPA if it wasn't for the sweetness. Loaded with hops aroma and taste. Great beer, great brewery.(had it off tap this time). ReRate 2003: Yes, this is one of the finest Lagunitas beers I've had. Very well done.

The most surprising aspect of this beer is its sheer drinkability - and later the impressive alchohol content as you find yourself slurring your words after a couple pints. Very ample caramel quality is never overpoweringly sweet but rather a nice balance with the very slight hops and barely noticeable alchohol. Burnt toffee, toasted bread, light wood chips...these were all there, but it’s difficult to slow down long enough to notice, The beer finishes like a dream and doesn’t get in the way of your meal (or lack thereof). Great barleywine.

Thick, smooth, and malty - a very full palate to deal with here; and it's brightened up by a huge amount of sharp citrusy hops.