Moylans Old Blarney Barley Wine

Brewed by Moylans Brewery & Restaurant
Style: Barley Wine
Novato, California USA

Pours clear ruby-red, fairly dense beige head with good retention and lacing. Very strong aroma of brown sugar, malt and a hint of feet. Flavour starts with a fruity sweetness then quickly develops an overwhelming spicy and herbal hop character. Long peppery hop finish with some boozy warmth, fairly rich mouthfeel.

Pours an amber-orange with a thin white had with great lacing. Aroma is sweet and lightly metallic, almost fishy. Oily metallic hops in the taste lend more of that fishy taste, however the nice astringent finish and sweet malting balance well to carry the finish into something pleasant. Flavour is a bit subdued, but well-balanced. Carbonation is fine with a lightly creamy body which coats lightly. Decent, if reserved barleywine.

Bomber, at least a few years old. Poured medium reddish-amber with a creamy cap of beige head. The aroma picked up aged caramel and redder fruits with a sweeter uptake and delightful balance.. the hop profile really mellowed out. The flavor had the same caramel with some pale malts at the core.. drier, grainy, broken down earthy and fruity bitterness on the edges carried through the rather bland finish.. picked up some brighter piney notes and tobacco toward the back. Medium-bodied and very dry on the palate with just OK flow.. age seemed to work well on the aroma, but didn’t carry through as well to the flavor or palate.

Dark orange-brown color, clear. Aromas of booze, nail polish/acetone, dark fruit. Leather and tobacco flavors, ash, cheap chocolate, not really what I was expecting. This is totally different than any barleywine I’ve ever had and I’m not sure i like it. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 08-10-2008 03:02:10

Draft @ the brewpub. Pours an amber color with a small off-white head. Has a malty hoppy fruity dark fruit aroma with hints of caramel. Malty hoppy bitter citrus and dark fruit flavor. Has a long malty hoppy bitter dark fruit finish.

I really don’t know how to rate this one. If you want to get fucked up quick drink this one, because there is no alcohol flavor to it. It actually has no flavor of anything resembling a barley wine. Very strange beer, doesn’t taste bad, but doesn’t have a taste to compare to? Almost like drinking 10% water that is thicker than normal. Very strange, could probably beer bong or shotgun this beer no problem. Easy drinker, just no flavor. Recommended!

Pours a slightly hazed dark copper with a finger toasty light tan head that has great retention. Aroma is caramel, toffee, orange, citrus hops, chocolate chip cookie dough and raspberry blossoms. Flavor is lots of toast, caramel, and grapefruit up front, middle is more caramel, grapefruit getting more pronounced and a hint of dark fruit. Finish is toffee, nuts, toasted malt, slightly medicinal, like many Moylan’s brews. Body is thin and smooth for the style with a slightly chalky and basic/coppery overalll feel. More of an ASA than a Barleywine to me.

Purchased a single 22-oz bomber from Bottleworks in Seattle, WA. Pours a semi-clear amber brew with a thin off-white head that quickly dissipates to a thin ring. Aroma of sweet caramel, some floral hops, tangerine zest, and a hint of honey. Taste is medium bodied, flavors of sweet caramel, orange zest, some floral hops, honey and a touch of pine. Finish is slightly bitter with a mild citrus zest aftertaste that lingers after the finish. Missing some of the raisin and powdery malt flavors but has the alcohol warmth and a little extra bitter kick to it.