Moylans Old Blarney Barley Wine

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

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.

Bottle from Once Upon A Vine - North on 08/08/2008. Slightly hazy copper body with a medium creamy off-white head. Big caramel and malt aroma with some earthy hops. Sweet caramel, molassas, and grainy flavor with grassy and earthy hops. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation.

The heavy on the caramel aroma makes a promise that the beer itself doesn’t deliver, but I’ll forgive it this time. Was really expecting more strength to the flavour- this is a barleywine after all. But it’s tasty nonetheless. Almost too tasty given the alcohol content.

<b>In short: </b>A big brutally sweet messy barley wine. Not very good but somewhat entertaining.
<b>How: </b>Bottle 22oz, 6 months to a year old
<b>The look: </b>Murky brown body topped by beige head that quickly diminishes to a little ring of foam
<b>In long: </b>Uninviting nose of construction wood dipped in caramel. I didn’t care much for the taste and I know there wasn’t anything wrong with the bottle. I had it many times at tasting sessions and never cared for it and a full bottle by myself didn’t improve my opinion of this messy barley wine. The two dominant flavours were plywood and brown sugar, ouch! Very sweet indeed, too sweet. Creamy sugar, stale leafy hops with a cheesy undertone, orange pulps, lactic notes, whatever. I stopped taking notes when each sip brought a new weird flavour that probably wasn’t even there. It’s just that the beer is really messy and can taste anything when you try to pick up of flavour. At least the alcohol is well hidden. This brew truly is a mess, but at least it is a big over-the-top mess that kept me entertained, the Plane 9 From Outer Space of beer.

Bottle drunk on election night ’08. Hazy deep ruddy-amber beer. The aroma is quite lovely. Rich caramel, toasted barley and a touch of cocoaish character as well. Lots of grapefruity hops over the top, but also a kiss of tangerine. As it warms a bit more sweet cocoa comes to the fore. Sweet but not sticky. Great balance of malt and hops. Fairly complex with lots of caramelly sweetness, but without being sticky. Fruity hops, some light esters as well. Soft but assertive lingering bitterness as well. There is even a bit of smoke as it warms. Quite a lovely brew... one of the more bitter barleywines I’ve had recently, but it’s quite tasty.

Bottle courtesy of sebletitje. Pours a clear amber color with a thin creamy off-white head. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of caramel, floral hops, herbs, some spice. Flavor is much of the same with a stronger hop note, some honey and caramel, citrus notes. Generally medium body with a hoppy and malty finish.

courtesy of beerbeagle. Pours orange with beige/tan head Aroma is malty, caramel Taste, some herbal hops, very matly with nice addition of caramel. Finish of light bitter hops. Full body, thick mouthfeel with a subtle dark sugar tone. Moylans just never lets you down. Good stuff.

Bottle Pours out a nice amber topped with a sand head. Aroma of sweet caramel and rich malts. Tast more of the sweetness maybe even a little brown sugar. A very nice bodie. Thanks Jake.