Rock Art Vermonster

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

I think this one came from the expansive catacomb cellars of Celticbrew. Shared with the mystical DrBayern, Uncle Steve and Brian the Beer Pimp. This beer has a malty aroma. It pours a dark copper color, is clear, and has a light lacy head. First sip reveals a very nice malty flavor. Very easy to drink. There is some nice bite on the back side.

Very dark brown pour with garnet tints and a 1.5 finger frothy tight beige head. Lacing is lattice-like a sticks feverishly. Aroma is bursting with hoppy goodness, manifesting in such ways as pine sap, citrus, cherry, and grass. Quite the huge character in the nasal arrangement... Malt complexities come forth with dark sugars such as caramel and molasses, as well as a subtle note of biscuit... yeah definite biscuit. Upon finishing all my aromatic observations, I noticed that the dead had dies down a bit. A light swirl of the snifter brought her back up with renewed vigor. As for the flavor: Its sweet...and very bitter. With further sniffs I concluded that this could be likened to a arrogant bastard, though the addition of a bit of residual sweetness sets it one off without losing the aggressiveness. The dichotomy of malt-sugar and hop-resin is palpable. Huge blasts of caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and dark fruit combine with spruce sap and grapefruit juice to make for quite the intriguing barleywine journey. Subtle notes of roasted barley creep onto the palate as well, and although I wasn’t expecting such notes from the style, I was pleasantly surprised. Palate is rich, thick, viscous, and resinous with pillowy effervescence and a smackingly sticky finish. The belligerent nature of this sipper punishes the tongue and leaves the palate numb, but I’m not complaining...

Pours a very dark orange, almost brown. Cloudy and opaque. Barely tan head foams and clings to the glass. Aroma heavy of citrus hops. A little dark fruit in there. Very malty backbone. Caramel, raisin, alcohol. Very complex. Potent hop finish. Very heavy on the palate. Definitely some specific gravity to this baby. Carbonation mingles great with the hops. Fairly well balanced. A little on the sweet side. Very good.

pours deep rich brown with small white head. aroma is very hoppy and surprised me for a barley wine. very floral and citrus. drinks with tons of pine and citrus and a massive sweet malt throughout. slightly boozy but not overwhelming. fantastic

Pours a dark brown with 2 finger head. Nice malt and hop(100btu) smell. Taste of hops and sweet carmel malt. 10%abv but I didn’t find it overpowering. Very well done barleywine at a great price

@Mr Pickwicks VT-on tap-pours a light tan head that laces and copper color. Aroma is tea/herbal bite, alcohol, secondary medium malt. Taste is tea/herbal bite, alcohol, wood, secondary medium malt/peat (ESA?). A bit rough/unbalanced but enjoyable.

22 oz bottle from Spirits RB. Poured a deep dirty looking chcolate brown with an average to slightly large foamy light beige head. Aroma started off with some strong chcolate aromas blended in with melted toffee, molassess and grain and finished with some grapefruit citrus rind. The body on this one has some alcohol heat on the back end and a harshly bitter finish with a medium body and strong carbonation for a barley wine. The flavor had some alcohol, caramel, wax, and even though this is a new bottle there seems to be some oxidation aready. As a barleywine this one is so-so but for a Rock Art it’s solid.

Pours a deep orangey hue, forming a light craggy head of foam. Aroma of tropical fruit, grapefruits, and hops. Complete hop bomb, grapefruit goodness. Has a juicy quality, unbelievable beer!