Pyramid 5,000 Year Ale

Formerly brewed at Pyramid Breweries
Style: Barley Wine
Portland, Oregon USA

Bottle # 11290. I picked this one up from an on-line auction (gotta it pretty cheap). Poured a cloudy dark brown color with small sized off white head. Aromas of molasses, leather, light citrus and caramel. Tastes of molasses, citrus, caramel, and light alcohol. I was surprised by how much I liked this one (didn’t have high hopes for a Pyramid beer). You could tell this one mellowed a little over the years, but it is by far the best Pyramid beer I’ve had.

Small bottle shared by riversideAK. Little to no carbonation. Cola brown, light haze. Oxidized nose but works really well with the heavy caramelized toffee and bourbon. Smooth and heavy brandy and sweet tobacco. Love it. A little spicy in the long finish.

Poured a hazy mahogany color with no real head or lacing. Aroma of chocolate, wood, caramel, light citrus, soy, and a touch of dried fruits. Taste of lots of citrus, caramel, molassas, light hops, and a bit of alcohol as well. Very smooth and mellow after 5 years, probably the best Pyramid makes (made)! Thanks hopdog for sharing!

18-Jan-08 (Draft: 2008 Great Alaskan Beer and Barley Wine Festival in Anchorage, AK) Smooth, medium-sweet, and earthy maltiness is balanced nicely by light hop character. Some oxidation notes adds to the smooth, malty flavor. Medium-full body without being heavy or syrupy. Light carbonation, very easy to drink for such a malty beer. Wood, light earth and a hint of hops in the nose. Golden-amber in color shows nice clarity. Small, off-white head is filmy on the pour, settling to a thin ring. A nicely aged beer that will continue to age well if you like that sort of thing, which I do!

A friend gave me one from his private stash, as he stores most specials for conditioning. Big nose, big ABV, nice bite, will certainly warm your innards, not something I’d want to drink but once in a Blue Moon!

Bottle pours a dark dark amber, almost light brown, minor off-white head, with spotty lacing.   This one seems to have held up fairly well.   Citrus nose, sweet, light malts and light alcohol.   Much the same on the tongue.   Clean tasting, but fairly light.   Finishes sweet, with a fairly strong orange peel.   Surprisingly good after 5 years.   Thanks goes out to mattbob for sharing this gem.   Probably one of the better Pyramid brews I have had.   Why dont they brew more of this?!?!?

Exceptionally fruity barley wine with very strong alcohol heat which rather overshadows anything else

This beer didn't impress me all that much. The medium thick head sits atop a slighlty cloudy amber brown body and a good amount of lacing is left on the glass. Teh aroma is sweet, malty and full of caramel/toffee notes with a slightly old mustiness. The flavor is sweet yet sour with a wierd bitterness. Medium to full bodied and warming.