Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine

Brewed by Pike Pub & Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Seattle, Washington USA

12oz. bottle, 2006 vintage. Only a faint hiss of escaping gas as the bottle is cracked. Strong aroma of toasted caramel malt sweetness with lighter notes of raisin and honey along with a touch of citrus and alcohol. Deep amber color, the faint head quickly subsiding entirely. Flavor is again strongly malty and sweet, with dark brown sugar and toasted, nearly roasted malt character in fact, and lighter additions of spicy hop bitterness, dried fruits and peppery, medicinal alcohol. Palate is smooth and sturdy, body is certainly full enough. This is one Ive been wanting to try for quite some time, it sure would be interesting to have some other vintage or a fresh bottle for the sake of comparison, younger bottles showing a much different hop profile, no doubt, if the 90 IBUs on the bottle is any measure.

Bottle (1998): Caramel in color, hazy, small off-white fizzy head, spotty lacing.   Sweet caramel malt nose... not much hop presence after all these years.   Sweet malty start, caramel and toffee, with a noticable floral like back end.   Seems to have mellowed out over the years, but it has held up rather well.   I wish I had more of this!   Medium to full body and mouthfeel.   Clean finish, lingering sweetness with a touch of that floral aspect.   Perhaps even a bit citrusy as well.   Quite tasty!   Oh how I love these impromptu back room tastings at Bottleworks.

Coppery clear rust body. Thin soapy off-white head. Sweet sticky hops over wheat crackers. Light perfume. Smells a like it is on the bitter end of the scale. Nice rich bitterness in a sweet background for moving the needle closer to the middle of balance. But the bitterness is nice and rich, along with some whisky and grass character. It has a nice natural complexity. Good overall.

Thanks to Oakes for sending this one my way. Deep orange coloured beer with a thin white head. Aroma of sweet caramel and fruity cherry. Lots of fresh hoppy aroma over the sweet malts. The flavour is fairly peppery with a good amount of bitterness on the back. The malts are bright and clean. Some soft orange peel and light candyish aromatics. There is a good interplay of sweet pale malt, some nice fruity complexity and loads of piny hops. Good balance and I think it will age well.

Bottle pours a slightly hazy amber with a nice white creamy head. Spotty lacing. Sweet caramel nutty brown sugar aroma. Some alcohol notes as well. Flavor is nutty, smooth sweet, and the ABV is apparent. Plenty of bitter piney hops. Lingering bitter bite. Thanks Jordan

Thanks to Jason for sharing. off orange to copper color w/ a full thick white head w/ some thick lacing. Smell is quite nice some hot hop flower a bit of alcohol and some nice carmels, a hint of strawberry and grass. Palate is well coated and full a little bit creamy. Flavor starts out nice but finishes a bit hot (alcohol) and overly piney. The starting flavor is some light fruits some grapefruit and strawberry w/ a good amount of carmel. A little age might make this very nice.

Pours a deep burnt orange with thin white head. Huge aroma of sweet malt dark fruit like plum and crisp apple. Big flavor too malty goodness and a good fruity balance. Good BW.

2006 bottle @ the brewpub. Pours a slightly hazy dark golden color with a small white head. Sweetish malty and very hoppy grapefruit aroma. Sweetish and very malty sugary dark fruit flavor with hoppy hints. Long warming malty dark fruit finish with some hoppy hints.