Marin Old Dipsea Barleywine Style Ale

Brewed by Marin Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Larkspur, California USA

Bottle courtesy of dahammer at Terrapin opening. 1999 vintage! Aroma was of very mild hops, malt, and musty(?) fruit. To me, fruit was almost like raisins and prunes. Taste was similar with a heavy malt presence. Fruit and booze were here as well. I need to try this fresh to compare, but I thought this was excellent and mellow. Poured amber with a small head. Body was smooth and lightly carbonated.

Amber body is slightly hazy with a medium sized creamy, beige head. The nose is toffee, pine, raisins and brown sugar. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter with caramel, pine and golden raisins. Medium/full body is soft with light carbonation.

Draft at Toronado. Darker amber body. Aroma is caramel, some wood, various darker fruits, somewhat grainy with darker sugars as well. Medium bodied, somewhat sweet. Interesting take on the style.

Bottle. Pours deep, barely translucent ruby brown, with thin, deep beige head. Aroma is rich caramel, thick-textured bread, deep down notes of vinuous fruit. Flavor has a subdued fruitiness, sweet wild berries, , tart fruit taste of fig and cherry. Raw vinuousness throughout, along with mldly sweet, lightly burnt grain. Light resiny hop bitterness in the finish. Palate is full, thick consistency. Flavor and texture mesh very well in this beer. A beer with definite wine characteristics.

On tap at Toronado’s 2008 Barleywine Festival. This was surprisingly dark brownish-red with a thick golden-tinted head. Aromas were very sweet and malty with of course an assault of spicy, fruity hops. Malt dominated the flavors initially, with loads of sweet caramel, brown sugar, ripe apples... finishing up with the bitter citrus/grapefruit rind quality of the hops. Sugary soft and syrupy mouthfeel but finished very astringent.

Darkest brown BW that I’ve ever had. Thin yellowish head that fades to nothing. Smells like a spiced winter ale cold and when it warms it smells sweet malty and hoppy. Tastes of big time red fruits and sweet hops. Thick mouthfeel and subdued carbonation. Could use more carb. Ehhh.

From bottle into Duvel tulip. Pours a dark brown with some dark orange and red and practically no head. Big, sweet caramel with dark fruit and wet paper on the nose. The flavor is more of the same with toffee in the finish. Body is somewhat thin initially but became thicker further along into the bottle as sweetness and some alcohol presence really take over.

Original sample courtesy of Pailhead. Also tried at Hard Liver, update those in due time. Brown with tannish/off-white head, fades to thin film. Heavy lacing. Huge toffee and caramel aroma up front, pretty big pine resin background, hints of citrus. Flavor exactly as aroma indicates, slight cardboard character through the middle is the only difference. Well balanced for a big beer. Mouthfeel/palate very thick and syrup like. I’m against the grain, but really dig it.