Mickey Finns Bourbon-Barrel Aged Barley Wine

Brewed by Mickey Finns Brewery & Pub
Style: Barley Wine
Libertyville, Illinois USA

Cask (Night of the Living Ales!): outrageously dark mahogany with almost red corners and a seriously opaque muddy body. Thick malty aroma; dense raisins, a bit of chocolate and a honey/mead alcohol. Astringent bourbon flavour takes control and over-powers the more subtle malts that should be shinning. A tangy malt flavour finishes one that went down a bit easier than I would have thought, but is remembered for being overpowering…

Cask at Night of the Living Ales. Incredibly dark and completely opaque with a fair-sized brown head. Big malty aroma with some sweet barrel effects. Vanilla, coconut, bourbon, caramel, burnt coffee, chocolate, caramel and some ripe fruit. The body is thick, smooth and creamy. The flavor is sweet and malty with caramel and bourbon all over the place. Warming in the finish, this is an extremely interesting barleywine that seems, at times, closer to stout than Barley Wine.