Smuttynose Barleywine Style Ale

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

Murky orange light brown amber. Large foamy off white head. Soggy wood, alcohol and diacetyl in the aroma. Cloying sweetness combines with a very evident alcohol presence and a musky rotting plum flavor. Some hop bitterness and astringent mouthcoat appear in the finish, but it is too little too late. Mouthfeel is decently chewy.

03’ bottle Pours a deep copper/amber color with a foamy, off-white nose. Lots of hops in the aroma. Somewhat on the bland side for a barleywine. No where near the hop that were present in the nose. Some Some syrupy malts with brown sugar flavors with a little alcohol in the finish. I’m surprised that there’s not more alcohol flavor. I mean, where’s it hiding?

So bitter. This was a good one (not great), but I got sick that night so I don’t think I’ll be drinking it again anytime soon.

I thought this was a really pleasant and smooth Barleywine. A very drinkable beer for what can be a not so drinkable style. While I liked it, I would counsel against the advice on the label - I would not lay this beer down to cellar, I would definitely recommend drinking now. It poured a rich amber color, and the aroma was some pleasantly mild malt sweatness, alcohol esters, pears, and some hoppiness. Flavor was the same. Mouthfeel was very dry. This is a pretty serious beer, but a very approachable one. I would recommend this beer. I bought this bottle at Discount Liquor in Milwaukee.

Year unknown. Translucent amber with some tiny specs floating about. Foamy and sticky off white head. Light and thinly spread carbonation. Aroma of cherries, pomegranate and pineapple (very acidicly fruity and sharp). Fruity on the first sip with a juicy edge and immediate hop bitterness. Not much malt, in flavor or body. Spicy alcohol taste lingers like cough syrup and warms the throat. Thinnish body, more like a weakly malty English Strong Ale. Mild bitterness follows suit thru and thru but this is one dimensional with zero malt balance or heft. Finishes resinous and bitter. Relatively uninteresting from mid bottle thru the end. Average on all counts. Why are these guys so inconsistent?

Auburn with an off white head. Sweet caramel nose. Flavor is sweet with a sharp bitter finish. This is a straightforward American barleywine--just hops and malt, no funky esters, beautiful in its simplicity.

Bottle @ Oliver Twist, Stockholm
Dry aroma, initially chocolate and soy sauce. Quite dry palate. I doubt it will develop beyond two years in the cellar. Sweet cherries in alcohol in finsih/aftertaste along with some hops. Interesting combo.

Pours a dark coppery color with abundant amounts of yeast floating about. Aroma is light caramel, pine and citrus hops and a bit of earth. Taste is fruitier then most barley-wines with a good amount of citrus in it and less emphasis on the rich caramel/malt aspect. Still, the alcohol is well hidden and it ends up being a quite enjoyable experience.