Rock Art Ridge Runner Ale

Brewed by Rock Art Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Morrisville, Vermont USA

Bottle. Clears a clear dark mahogany with a 2 finger tan head that leaves spotty lacing. The nose is molasses, caramel malt and chocolate. The taste is mainly caramel with some light cocoa and faint citrus hops in the finish. Lighter bodied. Very mellow barley wine.

on tap at papago. coppery brownish amber with a small white head and random spotty lacing. the aroma is faintly of chocolate, caramel and toasted nuts... that is about it. the flavor is faint as well but the palate is dry... chocolate, grain and caramel... little else. thin bodied which is not necessarily a bad thing... barley wine light! 5/3/5/2/10/2.5

Pours a deep brown caramel with a nice fluffy light brown head. Aroma is caramel, chocolate, nuts and malt. Flavor is nuts, caramel, a little earthy. A slightly chalky bitterness in the finish. Closer to a slightly bigger more bitte nut brown than a barleywine for me.

22oz. bomber: This one poured an opaque caramel color. There was a small tan head on it that dropped away immediately. I’m surprised that a Barley Wine is only 7.5% ABV. I guess that explains the lighter aroma. Some caramel malt, fruits and surprisingly alcohol to the nose. Definitely thin on the tongue for a barley wine. Just a hint of sweetness to the taste, followed by some dryness. A bit smoky and roasty up front, followed by some caramel and dark fruits. Not bad, but not what I’d consider a Barley Wine.

Easily the cheapest barley wine I have ever purchased at $2.55. It being so cheap I didn’t expect much form it and poured it into a shaker glass. Pours a dark, hazy amber topped by a half inch of head despite a very rough pour. Smells sweet and fruity, some toffee and an unplaceable chemical note as well. The taste is very nutty, mildly sweet with a hint of chocolate. Like others have said, the body is very thin. Has nothing going on in the finish. It is very smooth, highly drinkable, and certainly not terrible but when you label a beer a barley wine it comes with expectations. It does not meet those expectations but I would certainly drink it again. Nice one to have around when some BMC friends come over.

Dark red color, with sweet toffee, caramel and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Some citrus hop flavor in the finish.

Pours a golden/ruby color with a small tan head. Nose is grainy, earthy, hints of dark fruits and cocoa. Mouthfeel is thin and light. Initial taste of dark fruit, cocoa, caramel and touch of earthiness. Flavor is extremely mild making this barley wine more acceptable to common palates. A drinkable brew but nothing special. Good head retention and spot lacing of the glass. Palate duration is average but watery body brings it down.

This is probably the best of the four beers included in my variety case. But that’s not saying a whole lot. This barleywine doesn’t drink like a barleywine. It’s really thin and lacks a lot of body and strength. It pours a dark brown color with small tan head. There is a little bit of lacing left around the glass, but not a whole lot. The aroma is of chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, caramel and a touch of flowery hops. The flavors, as mentioned, are a little thin and watery, but included notes of toffee, caramel, light chocolate and a touch of grassy hops. The finish and aftertaste were really sour and undesireable. I was really disappointed with this entire variety case from Rock Art.