Mendocino Talon Barley Wine

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

Glowing mahogony color, hazy, with a small off-white head. The aroma was HUGE...citrusy/piney hops tones with a caramel background. The flavor was quite a bit sweeter than I had expected...caramel, pine, citrus, alcohol, and wood. The feel was slightly crisp on the tongue, smooth, with a semi-dry feel.

It was pretty unbalanced, a bit too much of an alcohol taste, quite malty. Fruity, an a bit of a anis taste. It would probably be better when aged.

The Lure:
Biting herbal and orange-y hops wrap around candied malts and alcohol diffusion.

The Festivities:
Chalky, resinous, piney and orange-y hops team up on the candy sweetness and berry fruitiness, all in a creamy yet somewhat rambunctious harmony. A quintessential American barleywine this is, rough and hoppy when young, and quite possibly smoothing out after 4-5 years. This one did not perform any task spectacularly enough for me to choose it over another though.

Transcendence:
A field full of giants is indeed hard to see through, but can still be an impressive sight to behold.

Pours a cleat amber color with a ring of white lace. Aroma and flavor of hops, malt and burnt caramel with a mild bitter finish. Light body, creamy and dry texture, soft carbonation. It’s well done but very standard and unimaginative.

Copper to dark reddish hue. Light off-white head, not lasting, dully clear. Direct hoppy and fruity aroma comes out orangey, earthy. Light ntoes of sand, apricot, grapes and dry dark fruits top it all and seem to all aim together to make the straightest and less exciting/original interpretation of the style. Citric hops feed a fruity palate, not very complex, bitter and chocolatey. Thin to medium bodied, foamy creamy bubbles tingling on the tongue. Very straigtforward barleywine, rather unexciting ultimately.

Pours a very deep ruby color. Aroma is a little bit hoppy and malty. Some plum and spice in there as well. Alcohol seems to be noticable as well. Has a very rich dark fruity sort of a flavor to it. Malt and hops and spice. Alcohol is not too strong. Not the best from Mendocino in my opinion. But certainly alright.

Pours with a two-finger light tan head, fades quickly and leaves traces of lace. Clear red/amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is malt and alcohol. Starts with a sweet flavor but the alcohol is there and ends with a lingering alcohol aftertaste. $4.75 for a 22oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

This was pretty good. A nice rich amber body with no head. Nice hop aroma. Tastes a little sweet and warming at first but is cut off by some hop bite. Pretty good.