Pelican Stormwatchers Winterfest 2008

Brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Pacific City, Oregon USA

C&PLYFOTD: Bottle, courtesy JMFG. Dark reddish brown pour, creamy tan lacing. Strong notes of dry, grainy caramel and a slight soy component, but not oxidized. Very spicy, full of flavors, tons of caramel, vanilla and some oak, as well as some smoke. Alcohol is hidden well, but still has a touch of heat. Full-bodied, very awesome.

2008 vintage. Pours a deep reddish brown that shows through as a clear copper when held up to light. The head is small and leaves a small collar with little lacing. The aroma is thick and sweet with caramelized malts, brown sugar and toffee. There are all kinds of dark fruits as well, figs and raisins The taste is also chock full of caramel malts sweetness, brown sugar and some run-soaked fruits. But I also get a deep earthy hop bitterness up front and in the finish. The alcohol starts to show up after a few sips and starts to leave a pleasant burn. The mouthfeel is full bodied and chewy with low, soft carbonation and a completely decadent, dessert-like mouthfeel. Super smooth. I’m a sucker for a great English barleywine and that’s exactly what this is. The sweetness is dominant but with a hop profile that makes things more complex and a completely massive mouthfeel. A fantastic dessert beer.

Bottle from the Otown throwdown. JMFG. Dark brown pour with aromas of caramel, sweet spices, honey, sugar and fruits. Flavor has some nice caramel malt, fruit, vanilla and a good hit of hop bitterness. Nice.

Bottle at pilsnerPeter’s Spring Gathering. Aroma is consists of caramel, raisin, spices and plum. Appearance is deep brown but not opaque

Bottle at PilsnerPeter’s Spring Ratebeer Gathering. Big brash aroma. Chewy sweet malts, caramel and dried fruit. Rich cherry fruitiness and a long lingering hoppy/fruity finish.

Rudy red pour with brown head and lace. Aroma of dates, raisins, toasted malt, and brown sugar. Flavor is molasses and dates and a very nice abv warmth. Medium full bodied beer with very good carbonation. Nice.

CPLYFO 09. Thanks to JMFG. Pours a nice slightly hazy deep amber with a thin and lasting head- some lace. Aroma is intensely malty- huge toasted , caramel, and bready malts, toffee, and tons of fruity esters- big raisin and fig, with sugar coated dates, honey and nicely floral and fruity hops. More raisin and fruits in the flavor without becoming too syrupy sweet or cloying but still lots of big complex sugars, honey, some maple, floral hops, and tons of big bready dark toasty malts, caramel and some molasses. Very rich big and smooth and surprisingly easy tpo sip on despite the huge abv. Awesome. 2007 was quite a bit better, but this was still great stuff.

Bottle. Deep amber-red pour with a thin dense light tan head. Aroma-wise, a bit less complex than the 2007 - more of a sweet malt and alcohol show. The taste was hoppier and still had its edges as compared to the 2007. Still a damn good barleywine though.