Middle Ages Druid Fluid

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

22 oz. bottle. Did I drink the same beer described in the commercial description? Pours a cloudy amber with a moderate, almost creamy yellow/white head that lasted through mid-glass. Pleasant aroma of caramel malt and a surprisingly strong aroma of citrus. The flavor is in a word, harsh. There is a very light caramel malt backbone, but it is way too light. Lots of pine, bitter pine. If they wanted to make an IPA or a hop bomb, then do that. This barley wine is way overhopped and completely out of balance, especially for the style.

Date: January 10, 2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: light amber, fine tan head, tiny bubbles
Aroma: sweet carmel malt aroma with light floral hops
Flavor: well balanced with good carmel sweetness tempered by lots of hop flavor but low bitterness

Date: August 19, 2004
Mode: bottle
Source: harry’s
Score: ii to iiii
Appearance: hazy burnt orange, scant head
Aroma: big malty aroma with lots of sweet fruity character mixed with pleasant grapefruit
Flavor: big bold flavor, lots of complexity, fruity malt, well balanced earthly bitterness, amazing rich flavor through to the end, no aparent alcohol

Date: November 05, 2004
Aroma: floral hop aroma
Flavor: lots more hop flavor overshadowing the malt

Date: September 08, 2006
Mode: bottle
Vintage: 2004
Appearance: bits of drippy lace
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma
Body: creamy body
Flavor: sweet fruity malt flavor with a nice lasting bitterness in the finish to balance

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

22oz bottle
Mostly clear garnet colored body with a medium to dark tan head, containing mostly large bubbles but more patchy as it settles out. Nose of resinous pine hops, some caramel and nutty resin scents, cherry flavored tobacco, and a light boozy note. Syrupy up front, it hints at sodapop sweetness right up front but that is quickly killed by a brash bitterness and a lighter note of caramelized black cherries and cedar wood. Black cherry skins show up near the finish, along with more of an oak wood flavor instead of cedar which is present in the nose. Bitterness is moderately high, a little too brash and assertive. Finishes with the previously mentioned black cherry skins, lingering dried, woody hops, dry ash, and a merlot (red grapes and oak) character. Body is perhaps thinner than it could be, but overall it stands out as fairly unique.

2005. A thin, fully diminishing beige head tops a murky amber and crimson tinted body. Looks very oily and pretty thick. The nose is definitely English in style, old ale in inspiration. Notes of toasty caramel malt, sweet vanilla, orange marmalade and allspice, dough and cirtrus arrange themselves nicely in the aromatic procession. Hints of cereal grains andd lesser alcohol round out the nose. The flavor is toasty and moderately bitter, nearing heavily bitter. Sweetness is mild but pleasantly balancing. Light Madiera wine flavors and woody notes are introduced. Cabernet style, tannic biting graininess invades the mouthfeel. This is very pleasant and quite easy to drink. Over two years of cellaring, fruit notes have subsided, but the dropoff in hop bitterness is only minimally evident. This is a style/recipe of barleywine that greatly benefits from oxidation and the onset of inevitable sherry notes, though that has barely begun in this sample. Bitterness increases in the finish. That, coupled with soft alcohol warmtrh, brings to finale to a soft but very dry pinnacle, only very mildly astringent. The mouthfeel is softly but adequately carbonated, medium-full bodied, lightly syrupy and sticky. Very easygoing, a beer that I’d definitely sample again. Actually, I have, since this is the last of a thoroughly enjoed four-pack purchased a few years ago. Solid outing.

Pours a cloudy orange amber with a small off tan head. Big caramel malt aroma, some bitterness detected, with maybe some fruity hop characters as well. The taste is pretty sharp, the malts are definitely there, but the bitter hoppiness is more up front in the taste. There is some caramel and grapefruit citrus in there too, but more in the background. The finish is semi-sweet with a bitter aftertaste. Balanced pretty well, decent little barleywine.

Purchased in West Springfield, MA and this 22 oz bomber was poured into a tulip glass furnished by the restaurant in this BYOB town of Vineyard Haven (yes its dry). Poured red with a nice off-white head good lacing. Nose of caramel malts and citrus hops. Good rich mouthfeel. Flavor is complex, and there are touches of flowers, fruit, citrus, and spices. Nice long dry finish. Good Barley Wine. Wish I purchsed more than one so I could cellar it.

22 oz thanks to drewbeerme for this sample. Pours a red brown with a beige head. Aroms is yeasty and doughy with a hint of raisins/dark fruits. Chocolate yeasty bready, flavors, with citrus and pine coming through. I didn’t know this was a barley wine, it lacks the malt and fruitiness that barley wines are none for, as well as any bitterness. But drinking it not knowing, its pretty decent.

22oz, thanks to el jefe for this nice extra. pours dense glowing amber with off white head. flavor has some faint fruity-grapefruity hop notes but sorta soapy too. flavor is an odd piney-apricot-peach hop notes that’s also sorta soapy, malt backbone is really lacking, some caramel and cotton candy notes. this leaves a lot to be desired.