Richbrau Barleywine

Brewed by Richbrau Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Richmond, Virginia USA

On tap at Brewpub (2008 vintage 12.3%)
Appearance: deep , clean brown , mahogany with dark aged copper , light top. 3-
Nose: big , ripe , rich fruit , plenty of plum with shot of vodka. Prunes.
Flavor/Palate : Heavy , sticky , oily body with smooth qualities. Mild with warming alcohol on prune spread. Brown malts and candy sugar. Well executed for such size. Neat winter warmer.

08 Barleywine-on hand pump-pours a light tan head and dark amber color. Aroma is medium/dark malt-toffee, dark fruit-raisin. Taste is medium/dark malt-toffee, dark fruit-raisin/cherry, some hops bite.

Reddish brown. Aroma was sweet cereal, molasses. and fruit. Flavor was bitter,spicy and alcohol.Finish was hot.

2009 version served on draft at the brewpub. Pours a deep, dark ruby red color with a thin head. Poor head retention and lacing, Big, huge malty aroma with notes of butter toffee, brown sugar, toffee, berries and booze. Taste is molasses, toffee, dates, raisin, vanilla, bitter citrus hops and lots of very hot alcohol which pretty much kills the beer. Medium-full bodied. 8/3/6/2/12/3.1

2008 version on draft at the brewpub. Pours a thick looking reddish brown color with no head. Aroma of molasses, dark fruits, caramel and alcohol (this version 12.3% abv). Taste is very similar but with a more pronounced alcohol presence. Full bodied. 6/3/7/4/13/3.3

Date: 9/10/2008 Source:Richbrau Brewery Reserve bottles courtesy of the brewers. THANKS MIKE 2002 - Raisin plum with some grainy astringency. Hop flavors still come through and lots of bitterness 7,4,6,3,13,3.3 2003 - Aroma rich and malty, dark fruits with spicy alcohol warming 6,4,6,4,17,3.7 2005 - Caramel, dark fruits, even a nice pipe tobacco note. Big spicy hop bitterness and lots of alcohol. 6,3,7,3,15,3.5

1995 Bottle on 12/06/2008 at the James River Homebrew Club Christmas Party. Slightly hazy copper amber body with a small creamy off-white head. Sweet caramel and wine notes in the aroma. Swet caramel flavor with wine hints and somewhat sour. Medium body with moderate carbonation. 7/3/7/3/14 - 3.4 2002 Bottle on 12/06/2008 at the James River Homebrew Club Christmas Party. Murky dark amber body wtih a small creamy head. Sweet caramel and light molassas aroma. Very sweet caramel and molassas flavor. Full body with moderate carbonation 7/4/8/3/16 - 3.8 On tap at the brewpub on 10/31/2008. Slightly hazy deep amber body wtih a small tan head. Sweet caramel, molassas, fruit and sugar aroma. Big fruit and molassas flavor with banana hints and caramel. Full body with moderately low carbonation. 8/4/7/3/15 - 3.7 Bottle vintage 2005 on 09/13/2008. Cloudy dark amber body with a medium creamy tan head. Caramel, molassas, yeast and dry floral hop aroma. Dry caramel, yeast, molassas, fruit and dry floral hop flavor. Medium body with moderate carbonation. 7/4/7/3/14 - 3.5 Bottle vintage 2003 on 09/13/2008. Hazy dark amber body with a small poff-white head Caramel molassas and dry hop aroma. Sweet molassas, caramel, and dry floral hop flavor. Medium full body with low carbonation. 7/4/8/4/16 - 3.9 Bottle vintage 2002 on 09/13/2008. Hazy dark amber body with a small off-white head. Big sweet malty caramel and american hop aroma. Bitter dry caramel and light molassas flavor. Medium full body with low carbonation. 7/3/7/3/15 - 3.5 Bomber, purchased from the brewpub 01/27/2007 bottle states it was brewed on 08/26/2005. Clear ruby body with no head and some thin legs. Rum soaked fruit aroma, molassas, caramel, and some almost maple hints. Heavy molassas and maple-like flavors. Some earthy hop hints. Upon reading the bottle, apparently brown sugar was added, and thats quite apparent. Medium body and nearly no carbonation. Fairly smooth syrupy finish. 7/3/73/14 - 3.4

2005 bottle. Brownish mahogony body with very minimal head. Heavy malt based aroma, lots of sugar. Very sweet taste, brown sugar with a light fruit hint. Warm ending. Very tasty.

Bomber. Bought this about a year ago at the brewpub, the label says it was brewed on 08/26/05. Pours a lightly hazed dark amber with no head. Very sweet, somewhat boozy nose, spicy and malty, brown sugar is apparent, some berrylike notes. More bitter than expected, an earthy, nutty flavor over dark malt. Slightly astringent, not pleasant, really. The bitter medicinal flavor lasts through the finish. Meh.