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Midnight Sun M

 (RETIRED)

Midnight Sun M

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 Percentile 
100
overall
A Barley Wine formerly brewed by
Midnight Sun Brewing Company

Anchorage, Alaska USA

bottling
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on tap
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distribution
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834.25/5.04.22/5.0Special11.6%99.4Snifter P  Stats

Commercial Description:
On this 10-year mark, Midnight Sun Brewing Company proudly releases its 1000th batch of beer - a larger-than-life Belgian-style Barley Wine (if such a style exists) simply called M - in commemoration of the enduring spirit that founded and sustains this little brewery in the extreme Northwest. Making M required a massive grain bill - seven seductive malts - boosted by strength-inducing Belgian candi sugar. Once original gravity hit 37 Plato, a frenzied fermentation ensued: four completely fabulous yeast strains, two of Belgian origin, transformed this sweet concoction into all that is beer. But not just any beer. A beer of madcap magnitude - 11.6% ABV. Character and complexity increased exponentialy while M meddled and mellowed for several months in all-American bourbon oak barrels. Blending the aged beer before bottling ascertained smoothness. M is mesmerizing, pouring dark and silky. Caramel and spice waft up from the glass; bourbon, molasses, leather and vanilla follow. The first taste proffers tobacco, burnt sugar and raisin with a sublime port-like finish, but bourbon - smooth, sensuous, brooding bourdon - is ever-present. The finish, a bit edgy like an American take on barley wine, provides the necessary leap toward overall balance. M is a precious gift to ourselves as well as you, seekers of beer-that-is-beyond-beer adventures... We are but mere mortals in the presence of M.

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 Papsoe (10267), Frederiksberg, Denmark
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/513/20

Apr 14, 2006  
(Bottle 65 cl) Dark brown with a reddish glow and a creamy, off-white head. Sweetish aroma with lots of dried fruits. Very full-bodied, lots of roasted malt, lots of dried fruit and some vinous, port-like accents. Extremely - almost cloyingly - sweet, making this hard to drink. Tasted at the Oklahoma Beer tasting March 06 hosted by mjames and lilannie. 240306

 miketd (372), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/519/20
Sep 24, 2008  
Thanks to Mojuck for bringing this to the Cleveland Tasting. I have never seen more rare/retired beers at a tasting. Pour dark brown...color of tree bark with a small white head. Aroma of oak, chocolate, toffee, ripe fruit, leather and booze. Tastes amazing...dark roasted malts with complimentary bourbon. Still had a great body and was very smooth. Another beer figured to be overrated, but it was great.


ygtbsm94 (10), Ellicott City, Maryland, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/510/105/518/20
Sep 15, 2008  
Thanks to Moejuck for sharing this outstanding brew! 22oz bomber pours a dark brown, opaque, with slight ruby hue in the glass. It has a very port-like nose of dark fruit, vanilla, bourbon, oak gooey malts you can almost taste through your nose. The mouth feel is smooth as silk with very light carbonation. The taste is rich and buttery with molasses, a long sweet finish loaded with dark fruit and bourbon; gotta love this taste. This brew is still very drinkable with the alcohol in the stealth mode; an outstanding finish, kind of like drinking a glass of port wine. Would love to have this superb brew again some day.


 Ughsmash (3071), Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/104/59/104/518/20
Sep 6, 2008  
Bottled, thanks to someone quite generous! Rating #3,000!

Poured damn near black with a viscous body that absorbed any semblance of head.. still and alluring. The aroma was deep and engaging, showcasing bourbon and vinous port characteristics.. treacle, vanilla, and candi sugar on the 2nd impression.. sweeter chocolates and brown sugar deeper yet.. perfectly integrated! The flavor opened with syrupy molasses, vinous notes, and bourbon backed by sweeter chocolates and candi sugar.. bourbon presence increased toward the back with vanilla, toasted oak, and peppery warmth.. finished with tobacco, lightly sour bourbon, and dry-roasted chocolates. Heavier-bodied with low carbonation on the palate.. rather syrupy feel overall.. sourness worked well.. near-perfect balance. Great one!!


 arjoseph (557), Chicago, Illinois, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/510/105/518/20
Aug 30, 2008  
Generously brought to one of our hotel room tastings, GABF 2007. Thanks to whoever did bring it, because it was one of the best beers I had at the fest (I think it might have been cquiroga, as usual bestowing dopeness on the collected beer geeks in his vicinity). Big sudsy taupe head. Smells like buttery vanilla with oakey oily bourbon a well-proportioned accent. Wonderful mouthfeel: silky, full, and smooth. Flavors are so full; DOPE: rich, melted Belgian chocolate is the main thing, fruity bourbon blending perfectly with the rich thick maltiness of chocolate, porty plums, and toffee. Really, this is one of the best uses of bourbon as an accent rather than a mainline that I have ever experienced. All the goodness persists in a clean, malty finish. Wow. Blessed be the dopeness that is M. I hope I get another sip during my lifetime.


 tertons (100), East Providence, Rhode Island, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/510/105/513/20
Aug 25, 2008  
Thanks to Moejuck. Super malty rich with the mix of chocolate, candy sugar, and molasses mixed in. Full body and thick with flavor and yet thin when settling. The barrel component works well with the bourbon. High drinkability with little trace of alcohol. Would love to see a higher abv M in the future since I think this might be fitting.




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