Middle Ages Druid Fluid

Brewed by Middle Ages Brewing
Style: Barley Wine
Syracuse, New York USA

April 2006 - Beer poured with the look of a not so cloudy apple cider with fluffy head. A piney aroma was present, but not overwhelming. The flavor tasted like a watered down version of Old Ruffian from Great Divide...piney but not that piney...hoppy but not that hoppy and maybe a little bit of sweetness in there from the malts if you concentrate enough. Overall, it was a subdued mild barleywine which there’s nothing wrong with, just a little weak in every way. If there was a "session barleywine", this could be it.

12oz bottle. Poured a medium to deeper orange color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, citrus, dark fruits, and a light nuttiness. Tastes of citrus, caramel, fruity, and some brown sugary sweetness. Thin body with a light to medium alcohol finish. Lacing left on the glass.

Bouteille 650ml, courtoisie de Blankboy. De couleur ambrée rouge et aux notes voilées. Nez de houblon floral, citrique et aux notes résineuses et herbeuses, malté de caramel sucré et légèrement rôti, fruité (agrumes, notes d’abricots) et léger d’alcool. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture riche et légèrement crémeuse et aux notes sirupeuses. Goût amer de houblon floral, moyennement citrique (pamplemousse) et légèrement herbeux (présent jusqu’en finale) accompagné d’un goût moyennement fruité (agrumes, notes d’abricots et de pêche) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût malté de caramel sucré (léger de toffee) légèrement rôti avec des notes de biscuits parallèlement à un moyen goût d’alcool réchauffant puis en finale l’on retrouve un regain d’amertume d’un houblon plus asséchant, plus herbeux, aux petites notes résineuses et boisées (fût de chêne). Post-goût long et moyennement sec, amer de houblon floral, herbeux, légèrement citrique et aux notes résineuses avec un goût d’alcool ainsi qu’un léger goût fruité (zest d’agrumes pelures d’abricots) et boisé.

Bottle. Pours coppery/ruby color with a thin white head. Aroma is sweet malts, herbal, floral, alcohol. Flavor is sweet caramel, herbal, hops. Palate is medium but thin for a BW, medium carbonation, finished very hot and bitter. Not one of my favs.

[2005 Cask @ Barcade] Poured a hazy red amber color with a small, creamy, light tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of sherry, dried fruits, sweeter caramel malt, citrus, very sticky, decadent and fruity. Taste was more on the bland side. With nuts, caramel, light oxidation and fruits, and a mild alcohol finish. If only it lived up to that aroma!

Bottle purchased at Sam the Beer Man in Binghamton, NY. Pours opaque apricot cider, off white head. Aroma is dried fruit, malt, grass, toffee. Flavor is the same with caramel & vanilla. On the sweet side, but not too bad.

22oz’er. Poured a rusty orange, with a head of foam that has some substantial staying power. The aroma is sweet and quite fruity, almost like an orange grove at harvest time. That orange-blossom thing is in the flavor, but somewhat in the background. It’s a nice changeup from the over-the-top alcohol-laced, cooked-sugary barleywines that are far more common. This is easy to drink, which may be a bit dangerous at 9.5% and 22 oz. (#3174, 11/5/2007)

Bottle shared by Ogglethorp at Cbus tasting #9! Poured a cloudy orange color. Smelled much like whisky! Taste was sweet carmel and alcohol. Decent barley wine. Not sweet enough for me.