Pelican Stormwatchers Winterfest 2007

Formerly brewed at Pelican Pub & Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Pacific City, Oregon USA

Bottle. Severe dark brown pour with a thin broken off-white head. Rich malty aroma, peppery hops, leather, alcohol. Robust malts on the taste, a light burn on the way down, molasses, white pepper. One of the better barleywines I’ve had in the last few years.

(22 oz. bottle via trade with explosivebeer, thanks Brandon!, cellared for 10 mos. after trade) Sweet, hot, licoricey...Pours slightly hazy red-auburn. Just a bit of tannish head around the edges. Aroma of candy-malt, licorice and pine. Palate is smooth but syrupy, minimal carbonation. Very light rings of lacing and a syrupy film inside snifter melt away quickly. Flavor of sweet candy-malt and a nasal-burning ABV presence. Light-medium bitterness overlays some other light notes of pine, licorice, tar and caramel. A bit too much alcohol and sort of a fatiguing beer in general.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with bitbucket (thanks!). I needed something strong to figure out Eric’s bike! Poured a deeper brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, dark fruits (raisins), and toffee. Tastes of dark fruits, caramel, nutty, and toffee. Some alcohol in the finish (but not 13%).

Poured a red brown color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of oxidized sherry, caramel malts, rum soaked raisins, dark fruits, and alcohol. Taste of dried fruits, caramel malts, toffee, nuts, raisins, some wood, and a sharp alcoholic finish. Thanks to Steve for sharing and helping me put together my new bike!

22oz bottle. Pours deep brown with a faint reddish hue. A small beige head with spotty lacing left behind. Big nose of sweet caramel, toffee, dates, raisins and other dark fruits. Flavor was mostly toffee, caramel, prunes, raisins, dates.....much like the nose but not quite as forward. A full bodied brew with some heat in the finish.

Bottle. Pours a dark amber/brown color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty dark fruit and caramel aroma. Sweetish malty molasses and dark fruit flavor with hints of toffee and caramel. Also some hoppy hints in the flavor. Has a sweetish malty dark fruit and toffee finish with some hoppy hints in the aftertaste.

Bottle shared by Crosling, thanks man! Poured a deep garnet-brown color with a thin off-white head that faded to a spotty layer. Aroma consists of some sweet caramel, brown sugar, raisin, a light hoppiness with some soft leafy citrus (light lemon peel, orange), and a bit of alcohol. Smooth, sweet entry with a bit of alcohol and some citrus fruit leads into a caramel sweetness paired with some molasses and light undertones of dark fruit (mostly raisin) that finishes with some lightly spicy hops and a bit of lingering alcohol. Low carbonation and average mouth feel. Overall, a decent brew, but neither the aroma nor the flavor really packed enough of a punch or enough complexity to get too excited over.

22oz. bottle. Pours a beautiful deep burgundy color with a fizzy orange-tan head that quickly dissipates. Aroma is dark fruits, sweet malts, and some raisin bread, mingled with caramel and toffee. Flavor is actually an improvement on the aroma, with a richer depth of sweet malts, dark fruits, caramel, and toffee. Just a touch of heat but not alcoholic, although it becomes slightly medicinal as it warms. Almost as enjoyable as the Perfect Storm, but not quite...