Smuttynose Oak-Aged Barleywine

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

Date: 02/10/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Extreme Beer

hazy amber, wispy beige head, nice sweet aroma with lots of oak and traces of vanilla in addition to the dark caramel malts and earthy hops followed by an abundanceof ripe dark fruit, rich dark malt flavor, sweet fruit, nice earthy hops, lasting bitter finish, only half the character found in the wonderful aroma but over a full pint the results would probably be much better,

Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

on tap @Blind Tiger-pours a white ring for a head and cloudy yellow/orange color. Aroma is sweet medium malt, medium fruit, some alcohol. Taste is sweet medium malt, medium fruit, some alcohol, slight syrupy.

Tap at Blind Tiger. Deep amber-brown beer. Thin white head. Aroma is quite nice. Sweet rich caramelly malts, vanilla and toffee with lots of soft oakiness. It’s got a nice balance of rich sweet malts, sweet bourbon. Chewy and toffeeish with good integration of the oak and the beer itself. Nice PNW hops that are a bit faded but still make their presence known. Very tasty.

On tap at 3rd Annual FoBAB in Chicago. Medium copper pour with a light off-white head. Nose of sweet caramel, oak, chocolate, vanilla, and a solid amount of bourbon. Aroma carried through very well to the flavor... and the the bourbon complemented the other flavors very well. Medium-bodied and sticky-sweet on the palate, with a smooth caramel, dark fruit, and bourbon finish. Enjoyed this one.

Drinkable and the barley taste is there, it’s a typical American barleywine, hopped up on C hop, with citrus taste, a barley dominated substantial aroma. Peachy colour with small and significant head.

Poured a hazy, dark red color with a thin off white head that left very light lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla, bourbon, citrus, dried fruits, caramel malts, and a bit of oxidized sherry. Taste was more vanilla, with caramel, bourbon, dried fruits, smoke, green apple, and light alcohol. One of my favorites from STS yesterday.

Tap at Mugs for STS 07. Pours a nice medium clear amber with a thin film of a head with some lacing. Aroma is rich in sweet caramel malts, lots of oak, nuts, vanilla, very light on the bourbon which was nice, and slight ester profile. More candied dark fruits in the flavor complimenting the sweet but restrained malts, more oak and vanilla, light bourbon increases as it warms and has a nice smooth lasting finish.

Tap at Mug’s Split Thy Skull - this sucker was all oak, boozy sweetness, and alcohol burn - bright red out of the tap - alcohol assaults the nasal passages - the barrel did a real number on this one.