 GAManiac (1184), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 7, 2009
22oz bomber, 2009 vintage, poured into a snifter.
Pours a deep, clear copper with a short-lived cap of big bubbles that recedes to a small collar and leaves very little lacing, though there are boozy legs down the glass after each sip.
The aroma is massive and has plenty of bourbon sweetness and alcohol burn in the nose which mixes well with the sugary caramel malt and dark fruit in the nose.
The underlying caramel malts are the first thing I notice with some toffee and dark fruits. There is definitely plenty of bourbon especially in the finish where there is a noticeable burn in the throat. Overall, it’s like a caramel and chocolate dessert with raisins and plums soaked in bourbon.
The mouthfeel is stunning, one of the best I’ve ever felt, like velvet. It’s smooth with ample, but soft, carbonation and slightly dry and woody in the finish with a sweet bourbon presence on the palate as well.
I wasn’t sure what to expect on this one. I saw everyone raving about it but just figured it wouldn’t live up to the hype. Well, it lives up to the hype. It’s a wonderful beer that drinks fairly easy for the high ABV. The bourbon is strong right now and I think this one becomes even better with time. Superb.
jcwattsrugger (5550), Florida and, New Jersey, USA
| 3.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 3/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 |
Dec 19, 2009 @Tampa Wkly Gathering @tpd975s Thanks gillard-22oz bottle–pours a light tan ring with mahogany color. Aroma is sweet dark fruit, medium/dark malt. Taste is sweet dark fruit, medium/dark malt, earthy hops bite.
nickd717 (1383), Palo Alto, California, USA
| 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 19/20 |
Dec 14, 2009 22oz bottle. Pours a cloudy dark brown color with a medium tan head that fades to a ring and leaves good lacing. Aroma is caramel, bourbon, wood, toffee, dark fruit, and spice. Really pungent and awesome. Flavor is caramel and lots of toffee and wood, in addition to vanilla, spices, cherry raisin, fig, date, malted milk balls, and a little mildly boozy bourbon. Very complex and very, very tasty. Full body with a smooth mouthfeel, only ever so slightly boozy but very warming. This is easily one of the best barleywines I’ve ever tried.
punkrkr27 (639), Berkley, Michigan, USA
| 4.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Dec 10, 2009 2009 bottle. Deep mahogany pour with bright ruby highlights and no head. The aroma is Musty bourbon and caramelized dates rounded out with a hint of vanilla and charred oak. The flavor is awesome rich, buttery caramel with notes of fig, vanilla, an accent of char and smoke, and milk chocolate. It finishes with a nice little alcohol kick. The body is sticky and full with low carbonation.
SamGamgee (1460), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 |
Dec 6, 2009 Bottle brought down by Joel from the pub. Super dark red color with a small beige head. The aroma has a lot of bourbon influence and barrel character, like this spent some quality time on wood. Dark burnt sugars, charred oak, burnt vanilla, caramel, alcohol and old wood. The flavor is very hot with lots of bourbon, dark caramel, bunt fruit and charred wood. The finish is almost pure alcohol and very rich. The mouthfeel is very hot and alcoholic, full, and has a modest amount of prickly carbonation. A very big beer that is not very smooth at this point and could use a lot of time to mellow out. Dark and burnt for a barleywine. They really went for it with maximum barrel extraction, but it looks like its going to take a lot of time to really mellow back out.
illidurit (891), Santa Cruz, California, USA
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 5/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 |
Dec 6, 2009 Bottle courtesy Joel. Pours a gorgeous shimmering copper color with a fading beige head. Aroma is sharp bourbon, lots of heat here, charred oak, vanilla. This is more bourbony than any barrel-aged beer I’ve had. Over the top. Flavor is caramel and bourbon, vanilla, leather, and wood. I don’t know if I’m drinking beer or if a plane dropped a barrel on my face. Needs a lot of age to gain a modicum of drinkability. Also rather thin from the spirit influence.
corby112 (757), philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 19/20 |
Dec 5, 2009 Pours a very dark amber/chestnut brown color with ruby mahogany edges and a one finger light beige head that quickly fades into a lasting ring that leaves sporadic spots of lacing behind.
Sweet caramel malt aroma with hints of honey, toffee, hazelnut and earthy leathery malts. Sweet alcohol, earthy oak and a boat load of vanilla accompanying the subtle bourbon character. There was not as much bourbon in the nose as I had expected and this is a nice change of pace. Very complex with a lot of interesting aromas going on here.
Nice soft carbonation up front with a medium body that’s on the fuller end. Promient oaky tannis and a huge vanilla character from the oak aging. The bourbon is ore prominent in the flavor than in the aroma but again it isn’t overpowering but rather is a nice compliment to the other complex flavors. There’s also a bit of dark fruit, especially raisin, fig and date balancing out the earthy leathery malt notes. The bourbon presence provides a bit of alcohol warmth but this beer is dangerously drinkable considering how well the high ABV is masked. Extremely smooth and if I didn’t share this bottle with some other BAs I would have probably killed myself by drinking it too fast. This is one of the best beers I’ve ever had and I can’t recommend it and higher!
xmarcnolanx (798), Kirkwood, Missouri, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 20, 2009 Hot cocoa. Holy shit ths motherfucker is hot. Cocoa,caramel, alcohol. Yum!
Taste is sweet, slightly hot. Okay, really hot, cocoa, sweet chocolate. Wow. Drier than anticipated. Chocolate, raisins, etc.
Needs time. Good.
drewbeerme (2299), Chicago, Illinois, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Nov 20, 2009 22oz, pours dark ruby with small tan head. Nose of bourbon, nuts, caramel, touch of butterscotch. Flavors of caramel, vanilla, bourbon, raisin, nice toasted malt finish. This got a lot better as it warmed and let breathe.
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