Mendocino Talon Barley Wine

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

Purchased 7/30/04, opened 7/9/08. Pours a crystal clear dark amber color with a thin tan head, that had almost no retention, with very long legs. Aroma is caramel and raisins. Taste is not as sweet as most reviewers, but this has aged awhile now, still sweet though but not inappropriate for a English Style barlewine. Thin body but with a nice mouthfeel, odd in that respect. Noble hops seem to subdue the sweetness and alcohol nicely. I’m impressed that this is 10.5 ABV because it is covered well. Aftertaste is a bit vinous with some grapefruit, but does not last long. Overall a very nice beer, would buy and sit on for 4 years again, LOL!!

22oz purchased @Total Wine for $3.49 w/ -1.00 coupon. Served @room temp in wine glass (had to make due) Malty and sweet throughout, almost too sweet for my preference in Barleywines. (the keyword being almost) On the palate it treats you the same as most other barleywines. Unlike many other barleywines poors a respectable brownish head. This one is odd but not bad.

Color is dar/amber. Malty barley, and I mean a lot of barley, some caramel, sugary. The strong presence of malt/barley was a little too mch for my taste.

Bottle. Aroma has notes of tea, pear, dried fruit, caramel and alcohol. Dark amber hue with an average off-white head that mostly diminished and left little lace. Flavor is a bit off. Flavor has a toffee and roasted caramel malt tone but is over shadowed by a tea-like earthy musk and alcohol. Palate is medium-full bodied and oily flat. Quite smooth. The most surprising thing about this brew is the high rating for such a below average barely wine. Not an enjoyable experience. Had to pour out.

22 oz bottle at Bev Mo. I think something went horribly wrong with my bottle. Tea and toffee notes fought rancid and burnt flavors in this brew, and I’m afraid the rancid and burnt flavors won. Looked OK, smelled OK, but I was surprised Mendocino Brewing, a solid brewery, put out something that seemed to misfire badly. Might consider re-rating someday in light of the many positive reviews here.

Bottle from Sam’s Quik Shop in Durham (I think). Pours a cloudy orangish-brown with a medium head and moderate lacing. Aroma of alcohol and big malts. Odd taste. Very malty but bland and with almost no bitterness. Totally not what I was expecting given the aroma.

The problems with drinking and rating, almost another tossed rating for poor handwriting! Bottle. Huge alcohol nose. Amber. Tasted very tea-like. Dry and very light alcohol presence.

22. Thanks, Colin! Very cool to get to try this--even to get to see it. Cool label. Pours a dark brown with a thin but dense and creamy tan head. Big sweet cookie dough nose. Creamy, rich body. Dates, figs, cookie dough, malty sweetness on the mid-palate. This could use a couple years to dry out.