Pyramid 5,000 Year Ale

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

This was indeed a special beer. Lots of cherry and raspberry wrapped up in the alcohol.

Deep crimson. Creamy foam of tiny bubbles. Excellent lacework. Delightfully rich, balanced aroma of prunes and cream, candied black currant, wax, mild dark bread notes, coconut, faint caramel and coffee, and leather; very vinous, estery, and sweet. Mellow, round bottle conditioned carbonation. Very unfamilar initial flavors of sweet dark malts, leather, soggy bread, soured prunes, fig, and concord grape. Acidic twang continues to build long after the finish and further emphasizes the dried plum notes. I commend these guys for having the courage to produce such a unique and flavorful barleywine. Perhaps I left this in the cellar a tad too long. I liked the acidity; but if it were a bit less pronounced this would be divine.

This barley wine intrigued me, as they always do, with its deep maroon color and candy-wine smell. However, unlike many barleywines, this beer smacked of incredible balance attributable to fine craftmanship. Sweet, lovely candy/fruity flavor, but not a bit cloying--nor alcohol tasting. Unlike typical barleywines, this beer is exceptional even when cold--which is how it was served to me. Superbly balanced--this barleywine definitely warms me up to the style--but in the meantime--I will be content to drink this one.

12 oz. bottle in the cellar since 1999. Pours a burnt orange color with a slight tan head. Has a sweet cinnamin roll smell. Full bodied with a super smooth mouthfeel. Taste is sweet raisons, caramel, and grapes; not unlike a port wine. No hint of oxidation or off flavors. Finishes with a sweet alcohol taste on the breath. Average as a fresh beer in 1999, it has aged surprisingly well over the last five years into an excellent brew.oct 2004

Nice balance. Rich. Not something I’d want more than 1 of. Tried at the brewery before a Mariners game.

Intersting barleywine, fruity malt flavors balnce almost perfectly with the hops, one of the few barleywines that does this. nice color and flavor, complex malt profile!

I heard big things about this beer, then had it on tap once, and decided it wasn't too special after all. Definitely very good, but not one of the best.

This beer was bottled in 1999 and has been lovingly cellared since that time. The box that the beer came in says this is bottle #8798. The beer is an opaque , rusty red-brown color with a very slight amount of sediment. Head still looks good, considering it is a vintage. Aroma is definitely on the alcoholic side, with some malty sweetness, too. This beer has quite a unique flavor. The alcohol is on top of all the other flavors the entire way. There is some typical barleywine sweetness, but mostly the flavor is fruity, with some berry and wine-like red grape flavors. The hops have likely been tamed considerably throughout the aging process, although they are here. They do add some flavor, but also seem to serve to make the body and finish a bit astringent. The mouthfeel is also very different, going through several stages. Low in carbonation, overall, to be sure. Aftertaste has some bitterness and a little bit of bitey tartness as well, which was unexpected. So far I can definitely see where the comments are coming from that state that they wouldn’t want more than one of these at a sitting, I’m thinking the same thing, which is very rare for me. Overall there is some complexity and I like the way the flavors come together. The mouthfeel and body are...interesting. This beer generally improves and becomes more expressive as it nears room temperature. This was quite a different beer experience, and I have legion242 to thank for it! Cheers, man! I just realized that a few years ago I most likely would have hated this beer. Something to be said, then, for experiencing as many beers as you can; it leads to a wider appreciation.