Mendocino Talon Barley Wine

Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Hopland, California USA

A slightly hazed dark reddish amber with a silky smooth thin film of a light tan head, starting out as something relatively hoppy. The nose is sweet with rich malt. A bit of alcohol tempered by the round caramel malt. This kind of reminds me of my first experience with Bigfoot. Creamy and well balanced. A bit thick on the palate with a nice gentle carbonation giving this some bit of smooth creaminess. The flavor is unforunately a bit astringent. A bit let down from the rich malty caramel. Much more unclean toast, perhaps a bit of oak. Too much acidity. A bit of cherry. Some roasty sort of astringency seems to linger. Some bit of diacetyl. The lingering woody toasty astringency lingers with some alcohol up front well into the aftertaste. Such a bummer after that lovely nose. Most rich full malt, perhaps a bit less alcohol.

Pours a clear, deep amber colour with a quickly diminishing head that leaves no film and no lacing at all. The aroma is overtly booze. Behind the booze I detect some molasses, dark fuits, sour hops, and a touch of honey. The flavour is very similar to the smell. There are some vanilla burbon flavours coming through possibly from the aging. The body is a little on the thin side considering the description on the bottle says, "full robust body." The is nice and warming and dry from the hops. This is kinda weak though for a barley wine

Rated 12/31/06: For some crazy reason this brewer keeps drawing me in. Every time I see a new Mendocino product I grab it, no doubt due to tantalizing abv’s and very competetive pricing. Generally it’s the hop profile that turns me off but not this time. Halfway through the bomber this barleywind began to grow on me but now towards the finish line I’m second guessing. Aroma is decent, very sweet with an alcohol push. Dark amber pour with a medium brown tint, minimal head and no lacing. Drinking this makes my pucker and the alcohol really stands out as it warms, hate to admit but the alcohol is almost too overpowering. Flavor is very sweet with a touch of sour fruit, has a cheap red wine quality to it once it hits room temperature. The strong alcohol is really too much to bear. Sturdy son of a gun and decent for the clams, but it’ll make a man out of ya in a hurry.

bomber. poured a nice garnet with a light khaki head. aroma, molasses come out strong with hops and than malt than some alcohol, dark fruits. flavor alcohol and hops, fruity, malt, honey. not to bad

22 oz bottle. pours a dark amber color. malty aroma tempered with hops. malty caramel taste with a strong aftertaste of alcohol. thick body and satisfying finish.

drank one that has been sitting around for over three years. had a strong sweet taste. don’t under estimate this one, a few of these will put you on your you know what

Pours a reddish brown with a light tan head. Has hints of caramel, sweet fruits, and sugar. Has a nice sweet taste that masks the alcohol. Finishes sweet and fruity.

22 oz bomber. Pours a clear reddish amber color with a medium thick yellowish beige head. Aroma of dark fruit, malts and candied sugar. Taste is syrupy sweet with undertones of malts and caramelized sugar. Average barley wine.