Ølfabrikken Gæstebryg #1 - Mikes Barleywine

Formerly brewed at Bryggeriet Ølfabrikken (Gourmetbryggeriet)
Style: American Strong Ale
Roskilde, Denmark

Bottled. Strong aroma of hops and citrus. A lot of power in this. Very bitter finish. Quite sweet body. A magnificant beer. Soft and dry but still well balanced.

Draft @ Plan B, Cph. Very malty nose, with lots of caramel and toffee, then it becomes very hoppy, very piney. Muddy dark brown to reddish body with a big frothy tan head on top. Flavor starts out malty, very chewy, then a big shot of hops and a nice biting bitterness in the finish. A very nice barley wine from the best danish brewery at the moment.

Thanks again to sk8viking! Bottle 0.5L BB Nov ’05. Beautiful hazy reddish-brown pour with a tall, dense, and creamy light caramel head. Full dense lacing as this went down. Dark berries, roasted malt, and alcohol hit the nose first... followed by a huge dose of northwestern hops. Creamy mouthfeel and hop presence toward the back of the mouth. Flavor was sweet overall.. with berries and caramel... once again followed by the great Cascade hoppy presence. Grapefruit and alcohol-tipped pine needles provided a long and somewhat dry finish. Excellent brew all around!

Extreamly surprisingly good beer. Very tastefull and enjoyable beer. The label is also very nice.

Deep reddish/ brown beer with a small dense light brown head. Light roasted malty aroma with chocolate notes and a nice hoppy bitterness. Light chocolate sweet flavor with a faint coffee note. Dry hoppy finish, a very wellbalanced beer.

Draught. Dark red brown colour with a big baige head. Sweet caramel malty cascade hoppy aroma and taste. Medium to full body and a dry finish.

Shadowed crimson. Creamy light beige head subsides to an ample ring. Balanced nose of cardboard, plums, star anise, pineapple, and alcoholic esters. Lightly vinous and roasty. Softly carbonated. Slippery but weighty with bright, bready grains. Rounded citric acidity blends remarkably well with the body’s softness. Poignant, yet restrained, pinewood backdrop. Tasty hint of roast couples with supple mandarin orange textures and flavors to perfectly temper the Crystal and maintain an even sweetness. Hint of minty alcohol, but it’s otherwise well concealed. Hops are succulently resinous, and help reinforce the body’s softness, but the late emergence of Cascades deposit harsh, leafy acidity at the back of the throat. Displeasing apple fruitiness conflicts with the leafiness, and the body suffers as a result. Malts remain refined, nuanced, and deeply rooted, though. Finishes deceptively bitter due to the immense softness, as a whisper of roast continues to accentuate the lingering notes of caramel and bread. Aside from the slightly oxidized nose, acetaldehyde?, and rigidly leafy Cascade acidity, this is a shining example. Wonderfully balanced and characterful. All this needs to go alongside is a healthy hunk of Stilton. Thanks, ChristianSA.

Dark color; gian thick head. The aroma is malty and fruity (sweet oranges, light apricots, some old hops; excellent. Good mouthfeel, malt, loads of caramel, quite sweet, with a strong resiny bitterness, making of it an Ale closer to an American than a classic Barley Wine. The final has too much caramel and shorter bitterness than expected. Overall, perfumy but with too much caramel.
Thanks Jørgen for trading this bottle, which was in excellent conditions despite the BBE.