Left Hand Oak Aged Widdershins

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Longmont, Colorado USA

750ml bottle 2007. Got thre pours from bottle. First was more fresh citrus, second more sweet malts and third oak and dried fruits. Darker orange body first pour had big head and has covered my glass with lacing. Citrus orange and apricot flavors , malted caramel and some toast and oak as well. Some dyness lingers on palate along with a mild sweetness, good winter sipping brew.

2007. amber beer with slow moving lace giving it a viscous appearance. large off-white head. fruity citrus aroma with notes of vanilla, hops and spices. flavor has notes of hops, lots of oak, spices, apricot and something similar to smoked peat. dry finish. med-full bodied.

My bottle of 2007 Widdershins said oak aged, which the clarification in the blurb below the title indicated to be a 50-50 blend of oak aged and regular beer (or malt beverage as they put it). The loud pop of the cork made me suspect that this was highly carbonated for the style, and the four finger thick gigantic, foamy, head confirmed it. The smell was quite oaky with clear vanilla tilt. There also seemed to be a smoky note coming through. The taste had a lot of peppery and blue cheese flavors which made me wonder if the oak barrels had somehow been inoculated with Brettanomyces. There was hoppiness (with the promotional paragraph silk screened on the back aptly summarized as earthy), and the malty fruitiness that was promised there was barely poking its head above the funk. Not much evidence of the alcohol, and the body felt thinned out. A different take on the style for sure, and one that is bound to get better with aging, but won’t really become spectacular I’m afraid.

Thanks to Brewfiend for sharing this 750 ml bomber at Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in St. Paul, Minnesota. Pours a hazy orange amber brew with a thick off-white head that has excellent retention and lacing. Aroma of roasted caramel malt, strong citrus zest hop character, brown sugar, toffee and some dark pitted fruits. Taste is medium to full bodied, a smokey caramel malt and brown sugar flavor with some dark fruit. Finish has a semi-sweet caramel and citrus hop aftertaste along with some alcohol warmth. I would enjoy seeing what a little aging could do to this barley wine.

Much thanks to Brewfiend for sharing. Pours a super cloudy orangish brownish hue, with a big creamy white head. Very hoppy aroma with a good dose of dark candi sugar, brown sugar, and a nice toasty oaky touch. Very powerful mouthfeel with a good dose of creamy oakiness, as well as some sugary sweetness and roasted malts., The hops are definatly there, and show even more on the finish. There is an almost medicinal smokiness on the hops with a light touch of citrus and melon.

Pours old copper penny w/ a tall, lasting froth that sits there like a dead horse. Snail tracks and a thick, downy canopy are leftover. Aromas of sweet malts and leathered hops. Nice! Full nectar w/ mellow residual effers. The texture is slippery. A big malt body supports a strict hop profile creating a perfect balance. Flavors of caramel, leather, butterscotch, and beef jerkey. The finish is long and savory with a strict asprin bittering component that leaves the palate clean and ready for another assult. It’s warming, generous, and the oak age really shows in the flavor profile giving this brew a remarkable flavor to experience. Highly recommended. This thing is so hoppy it’s headed down the DIPA highway and just swerves to catch the Barleyine Turn Pike. Close call man. Delicious!

2007 750 ml bottle shared by a friend - Pours a cloudy amber color with a medium size off white head. Light lacing. Aroma is oak and esters. Flavor is smoked malt, oak, and esters. Palate has a lingering smokiness to it. Medium to full body. A decent BW, but I wasn’t expecting to smoke. Worth a try. Thanks Chris.

2004 750 ml bottle. Pours a cloudy caramel with a small white bubbly head. Aroma of caramel, toffee, dark fruit and vanilla. Taste of caramel, dark fruit, wet wood with a hint of bitterness. Not bad, but was expecting more.