Mendocino Talon Barley Wine

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

Poured a deep red with a thin head that quickly subsided. Aroma is very dominant with thick caramel and brown sugar along side a moderate american and english? hop character. Plenty of residual sweetness left over in this one, an abundance of crystal malts leave a chewy malty brown sugar taste that is combined with a very worthy hop bite. Both american and english hops seem to be present and used quite well. Finish is thick and syrupy but not more so than a barley wine should have.

22oz bomber-A red clear color with a head that dissipates quicly with some lacing. An aroma of malt and hops. Nice taste that is not too overpowering at 10.5 ABV. The alcohol is masked very well with malts and caramel. I don’t care for Barley Wines but this one may be mild but I enjoy it. Have not been a big fan of Mendocino but this is pretty good.

22-oz. bomber. Pours a clean and bubbly mahagony with a tan head that mostly dissipates, some faint spotty lacing. Aroma is fragrant floral and pine hops, sweet caramel malt, oak, vanilla and fruits (peach, pear). Moderately bitter and acidic, medium sweetness, oak, toasted malt, alcohol, finish is slightly dry. Medium to full bodied, warm, fizzy and dry palate.

22 oz bomber. Crystal clear, garnet coloured brew with a thin off-white head. Sweet rich malty aroma, piny and citrusy hops. A bit of orange and some molasses. Flavour is pretty straightforward, but well done. Molasses, pale malt, some crystal malt and big piny hoppiness. The body seems a bit thin, but there is some pleasant lingering dried fruit. Decent but not awesome.

Dark amber color, with a frothy head. The head is unusual compared to the other mendocino brews, which have almost no head. Anyway, this barley wine is loaded with alcohol, making it a favorite of the local college kids. Bit fruity, which isn’t necessarily bad, but not great either... Over all its good if you want to consume the alcohol...

Pours a deep clear amber with a nice white frothy head. Aroma is all piney resiny American hops. Body is med. with a fair amount of CO2. Flavor is heavily piny with little else going on. Hugely bitter finish that stays on the tongue for a while. Rather one-dimensional.

Bottle shared with blankboy, HogTownHarry & tupalev - courtesy of blankboy. The label made me think of The Colbert Report. Clear ruby colour with a small beige head. Aroma is quite sweet, with lots of brown sugar and molasses, and some mellow malt. Flavour is very sweet as well - lots of dark dried fruit and brown sugar - with an alcoholic undertone. A bit one-dimensional, but a decent enough attempt.

Malt dominates the flavor, I guess this is what makes it a "true style" bw. Its ruby red with a medium head and some hop aroma. Caramel, raisin, plum, chocolate. Very tasty, but I still prefer a bigfoot style.