Midnight Sun Big Slick

Brewed by Midnight Sun Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Anchorage, Alaska USA

Date: August 29, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Appearance: clear dark red, wispy beige head, streaks of lace
Aroma: sweet and fruity aroma, caramel sweetness, lots of fruity character
Flavor: sweet and fruity flavor, drying earthyness leaves a growing bitterness, long bitter finish
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Bottle… October ‘09 O-Town Throwdown!… Clear copper ale with a small, quickly dissipating, white head. The nose presents notes of maple syrup, praline and almond brittle. Full-bodied with a fatty mouthfeel and lazy carbonation. Sweet and caramely up front; bitter as Hell on the backside. The high ABV is not evident. Lengthy, bittersweet finish. Bottle courtesy of juiceisloose

Amber pour with a thick sticky head. The nose is really quite lovely. Rich sweet hoppiness with a mix of tropical fruit and some soft herbal notes. It’s very hoppy on the nose, but only moderately so on the palate. Warming brings out a sort of medicinal character. Kind of a mess of different things going on in here… big hoppy nose but there is a strange balance of flavours on the palate. I want to like it, but I sure don’t

Sampled from 22-oz bomber during Darkness Day 2009 in Brooklyn Center, MN. Pours a semi-clear copper colored brew with a fast dissolving off-white head that dissipates to a film top. Aroma of tropical fruits, some caramel malt, some maple syrup and a hint of maple syrup. Taste is full bodied, some light metallic profile from the higher alcohol presence with flavors of caramel malt, plums, some honey, dark pitted fruits and a hint of corn syrup. Finish is slightly metallic and a mild bitterness that slowly disappears. I would give this a little more aging.

Bottle. Pours a copper body with an off white head. Big hoppy aroma with pine, grapefruit, and some earthy toned notes. Malty as well, plenty of caramel giving it a hoppy fruity body with a moderate warming and a bitter finish. Decent enough, but not quite MS quality.

Another great beer opened by JW77...Jon is the shit!! Hopalicious. Hops are everywhere. Springing from the glass right into your nose and all over your tongue. Spicy, floral, citrus...hops and more hops. And a nice little malt bill to offer some balance and sweetness. Well done.

Bottle. Ruby-amber beer with a dark cream colored head. Rich malt and toffee aroma with grapefruit and light pine. Grapefruit and light pine flavor with light berry notes and caramel. Medium-plus bodied. Good bitterness. Pine, grapefruit, earth, and caramel lingers. Alcohol noticeable.

Bottle thanks to Americanbrew. Pours with a large, tan head over a ruby colored body. Aroma has lots of hops, caramel, toffee, dark fruits and raisins. Taste is big, boozy, bitter, a bit of fusel, and dark fruits. Big mouthfeel, and thick with medium carbonation.