Pelican The Perfect Storm

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

I love barrel-aged barleywines and have been wanting to try this for some time. Kicked myself for not going out to the mall in Portland when it was available as late as February 2009, and thankfully to a generous trader, I was able to acquire a bottle which I still hold. My review is for a 2009 bottle which I consider myself lucky enough to have gotten a few bottles of, thus affording me the opportunity to open one up. The 2009 StormWatcher batch was aged in the same Evan Williams barrels as the 2008 batch was. Whoa, this beer’s aroma is pungent with vapors of vanilla, alcohol, and sweet malts as I removed the gold foil and opened it. A dark ruby/mahogany color fills my glass with a little head but there’s some carbonation and lacing. Viscous, creamy, chewy, nutty, caramelly, toffee, and very bready. Can taste the oak character and bourbon as well. This is definitely an easy sipping beer, if only to enjoy the complexities and enormity of this beer’s character. I found myself inhaling the aroma each time I would sip, just to appreciate it. The alcohol presence is there but very drinkable in a smooth warming sense on the finish. I wouldn’t have known it was a 13% abv. The buzz around this beer seems to be picking up. It’s no longer a NW secret, and it shouldn’t be because this is an absolutely fantastic barrel-aged barleywine. It’s a keeper.

Got to try a bottle of this this past weekend. Colour... a very dark garnet brown with no head at all. Nose... kind of musty at first, then, lots of toffee and caramel! Palate... exceptionally sweet! I haven’t been diabetic, but I may be after this tipple! Tonnes of tropical fruits, Medjool dates, dried stone fruits, English toffee, golden sirup, caramel twist, turkish delight, and a G.D. long finish that I wish would not end!

Man am I ever glad that I took the time out of my day to run down to Pelican and pick up a couple cases of this stuff. Not only is it a beautiful place, but this beer is just phenomenal. The smell is all various bourbon notes, with the vanilla and oak that you expect. Taste is more of the same with a wonderful malty backbone just behind it. The only BA beer that I’ve ever had that took this much flavor off the barrels is Bourbon County Stout, but this one is a little less sweet, and yet still seems to have more flavor.

Bottle from the Otown throwdown. Cheese brought this via JMFG I think. Brown pour. Aroma is full of bourbon, liquor soaked raisins, madiera wine, caramel, molasses, prunes and vanilla. Flavor is sweet with caramel, bourbon, wood, vanilla and a good balance of hops. This is one bad ass beer.

22oz bottle from hannont, big thanks Todd. Rating #36. Dark red, maybe a little brown, no head really. Notes of bourbon and rich dark malts. Flavor is spectacular, more rich malts, a little chocolate, just exquisite. (1070)

Fresh from the 2009 batch, shared by a generous friend. Extremely dark amber brown body with a diminishing tan head and heavy spotty lacing. This beer is big and robust with a smooth blended quality from the beginning. I can only imagine what a fair amount of cellar time could do to this beauty. It’s a big sipping beer with a sweet and creamy finish. Peaty aroma with dark fruits galore including raisins, currants and a hint of star anise. Nice tobacco and oat bran scent, the woody bourbon opens up as time passes. Lots of oatmeal and granola in the flavor followed by plum, raisin and port wine. Woody and nutty with mild tobacco and cocoa hints. A good dash of vanilla and a subtle rich bourbon quality. Reminiscent of a young J.W. Lees, extremely complex and very soothing. Thoroughly enjoyable over a stretch of time.

Ruby garnet color. Fruit cellar aroma--flowers and citrus. There’s the bourbon on the nose and then hazlenut and vanilla around the flavor too. Lots of alcohol but it is still a delightful beer.

Bottle. Pours a deep ruby-amber color with a tan head. Rich whiskey aroma, tannins, sweet malts, pepper, all nicely melded. A bit of heat on the taste, as to be expected for 13.5%, but really the barrel integrates so nicely the beer that it ends up tasting very smooth for a strong BA barleywine. Tannic, reined in sweet maltiness, heat more on the back end, an overall fantastic barleywine and one of the best BA barleywines I’ve had.