Smuttynose Barleywine Style Ale

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Bottle shared with a bunch of folks at DougShoemaker’s Decemberfest 2006 - courtesy of DougShoemaker. Ruby-orange with a small head. Big aroma, sweet and hoppy, just as expected. Flavour is big and warm, with notes of licorice, orange and lots of hops. Finish is drying, with a bit too much alcohol coming through - aside from that, it’s wonderful stuff.

2006 vintage - 22oz bottle via trade with porterhouse! - Thanks Kevin! - Pours copper with a short tan head that fades quickly to a ring and laces a little from there. Aroma is a nice sweet caramel with definite grapefruit and other fruity hops. Flavor is big and caramel sweet as well with a big grapefruit hop presence as well. Some pine there too. Couldn’t find the alcohol as I drank this bottle smooth in the mouth but also big and sweet but not cloyingly so. Pretty nice BW. I’m guessing it will age well if you can wait!

A fine tasting, but little on the weak side barleywine. Nice amount of hops, really deep malt taste. Have only seen 5 220z bottles in my journeys.

At least a 2005 vintage bottle
Pours a brilliantly clear, ruby amber color that is toped by a frothy, one and a half finger thick light tan colored head. The aroma is rich and concentrated with notes of candied orange peel, toffee and caramel malts. The aroma is quite fruity once you explore it a bit more; notes of cherry, raisin, and a currant-like berry note are evident.

Ah, the taste has an omnipresent hoppiness to it. From the get go a gripping bitterness is present and it lingers on through to the finish, where it starts to become a bit more balanced by caramel malt notes. Sharp and biting with notes of menthol like pine that compliment the bitterness. There are some citrus notes noticeable as well, and this mix with a solid caramel malt note; the caramel note is more noticeable and makes one think of orange flavored caramels. Chewy, with a certain richness, yet not cloying. This beer is drinking really nicely, I was a bit wary of popping this tonight, but I am pleasantly surprised and really enjoying this beer right now.

01 Nov 07, BW Tasting. 22oz bottle, 2006 Vintage. Deep, hazy orange hue. Tan head. Aroma of musty bottle. Oak smell. Lots of vanilla. Big Alcohol. Big malts balanced by a huge hop. A big beer.

Dark copper body, a little hazy, fluffy white head, good lacing. Aroma is hops hops, pine, citrus, and some more hops. Taste is about the same - even though I love hops, this is kind of one dimensional - malts were far far in the background with a little touch of sweetness. Body ended up feeling thin and rough. It was harsh, would aging it help, I dunno.

Pours with a deep brownish-red body topped by a medium thick off-white head with good lace. Sweet and fruity malt aroma with hopy notes and a slight alcohol presence. Sweet and fruity malt flavor with good hoppy notes and a touch of alcohol. Full bodied and suprisingly smooth with a slight warmth.

Poured an amber color, slight copper hues, but not all that dark for a barleywine. The most impressive part of the appearance was the GREAT lacing, continuous (no rings). Really impressive at 10% levels. The aroma was mostly resinous and pine hops. The flavor followed suit with some caramel underneath, but no extreme fruit flavors or sweetness. A decent beer, but not overly complex or impressive. Mouthfeel was average for a barleywine, but well carbonated.