Schooners Olde Woody Barleywine

Brewed by Schooners Grille & Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Antioch, California USA

I have probably had this beer, in all its various vintages and permutations twenty times in the last 5 years. After sampling the 2004 edition at the April Northern California Beer Tasting I realized I have never rated this gem. Sorry to Sean and Craig, but I will now rectify this situation. This barley wine poured a amber gold color from the bottle, Small sized white foamy head. The aroma was caramel, brown sugar and dark fruit. A medium to full bodied Barleywine. The malts are caramel, toffee and fruity. Sweet but not cloying. The hops are earthy. Very smooth. Lots of complexity is this beer, there are hint of oak, vanilla and dark fruit. Hides the alcohol very well, there is that warming feeling and a touch of alcohol bite but not much. Excellent beer. This stuff ages wonderfully. Mouthfeel is very full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Pours a lovely amber-red with a small foam ring. Aroma is very assertive - lovely, sweet raisins and maple syrup. Very sweet taste - more maple with a touch of diacetyl, mild floral quality. Thick body with good carb. What a treat - this is very, very sweet and I’m a big fan. 2004 vintage, sampled at Oakes Christmas tasting party. Thanks!

’04 vintage. Pours a beautiful caramel brown with touches of garnet around the edges. Huge nose of caramel, dried fruits, oak, coconut, vanilla. Flavor was the same in all of its fullness with a smooth mouthfeel. Each sip I took grew smaller and smaller, as I tried to extend the experience of this jewel to last longer than the allotted amount in my glass. It reminded me of Angel’s Share with a smoother finish and a bit better balance. I even kept the bottle it came in. Thanks Sean & Craig! RE-RATE: So after having this again at the Sac brewfest yesterday, I can say that it definitely was the beer that warranted the rating, and not just the evening on which it was first rated. I definitely would say that it is the best Barlywine I have ever had. Try to get an even year vintage.

2006 Vintage. Can see why this won 1st place at the Bistro Barrel Aged Fest. Copper brown with a thin head. Aroma of sweet alcoholic candy. Oaky alcoholic notes with vanilla, sweet, but not cloying malt. I wish I could write more, but once again, I wont get this again and wanted to give it a number. Simply fantastic. Thanks Mike.

2004 vintage sampled Dec-07. Sherry and marzipan are strong in the nose along with vanilla and alcohol. Clear brown body is topped by a low and thin but lasting tan head. Very sweet marzipan-like flavour up front is quite alcoholic with vanilla, whisky, sherry overtones. Medium full body with strong alcohol warming and pointy effervescence. Bottle sampled at Oakes’ Xmas tasting 2007.

2005 Nip bottle from beastiefan2k: Amber pour with minimal head. Slightly oxidized nose. Has some rich sweet notes in the nose of vanilla, rum, and butterscotch. Body is slick and slightly boozy. Has some oak notes, sticky vanilla and a very subtle mint background from the subsiding hops. Has some butterscotch and peppery booze notes as well. Somewhat unique, and grows on you more with each sip.

Nip bottle shared by beastiefan2k. 2005 vintage. Deep orange beer. Smells great. Lightly oxidized and sherryish over sweet plummy malts, light orange peel. Some sweet fruity hops still in evidence. Flavour is sort of unusual though... fruity and raisiny/plummy with a touch of mintiness. Lots of peppery alcohol, some rummy sweetness. Unusual fruitiness on the back with some spicy hoppiness as well. I like it.

Big up’s go to stoutlover, thank you man. This 2005 barleywine pours with no head at all and a dark copper color. Really generic looking for high gravity barleywines nowadays. Aroma is strong, very strong sweet caramel malts, other sugars, and alcoholic raisins. Taste is a bit understated actually, well in comparison to the aroma anyway. Still sweet with light vanilla, and only faint cleaning product. Leaves a long rum-raisin sweet bread with a bit of heat at the end of the throat. Very good for sipping with a thick, viscous mouthfeel.
6oz nip, Russian River wine-like glass.