Southern Tier Back Burner

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Lakewood, New York USA

Cloudy redish-mahogany body topped by a long-lasting beige head. Rather fruity on the nose with dark grapes, citrus fruits and why not some kiwis. Taste is basic but effective basic very sweet malts balanced by a generous dosage of leafy citrusy hops. Sticky body and alcohol well hidden. I also had this floral aroma and taste all along I drank my glass that I’d describe as “tulip-ish”. A very good beer but this is one of the rare beer that would benefit from a little aging. Next bottle I get I’ll let it stand there for a while before opening it, I’ll put it on the back burner, how ironic.

Celar red, thick offwhite head. aroma is hoppy, spicyt, stingy. flavor is sweet, hoppy, balanced.

22. Thanks, GoldTwins! Pours a gorgeous clear deeply rubied mahogany with a thick, surging, moussy tan head that falls quickly away to film. Leaves nice sedimentary rings of lace on its way down. Sweet and sugary nose; caramel and dark tree fruit. Thick but very drinkable and finished body; nice soft carb and not a hint of rawness. Mid-palate’s a roiling stew of malt sugars: caramel, dates, brown bread, black bread, just a smash-em-up derby of grainy delights. I honestly think I should have laid this one down a while longer, but I’m not regretting for a second the pleasures of drinking it now (I think it’s less than a year old). Nice sticky roast caramel nougat finish. Good stuff.

Courtesy GMCC2181 via sweet trade bonus, thanks Gabe. Pours clear crisp amber with thin tan head. The aroma is musty dark fruity esters, some pine and grassy hops followed by a note of alcohol heat. The taste actually feels a bit thin to start flowing into notes of prunes, raisins, followed by pine and grassy hop bitterness. Some moderate alcohol rises up toward the finish as a tasty roasted malt note brings this to closure. Feels like more age might help this some.

Bottle from Goldtwins. Thanks man! Pours a great bright auburn with a lasting beige head. Aromas of sweet caramel, toffee, dates, plums, brown sugar, and floral hops. Complex layers of sweetness consisting of ripe dark fruits, caramel, faint roast, apples, brown sugar, and a nice floral finish. The big sweetness is balanced by a nice hop profile and never becomes cloying. Alcohol is noticeable but light for 10%. A creamy, smooth body that drinks very well.

Fine sipping barleywine. Pours nicely but not in any distinguished way. Has a bright hop aspect with a substantial sweetness and average all around profile for a barleywine. Doesn’t slap you in the face with either alcohol or bitterness. Warms nicely and warms me nicely. A great beer to drink with a great friend.

Stevofest, courtesy of stevo. At this point, my notes reflect a lot enthusiasm, but not really a lot of description. So, I can say that I thoroghly enjoyed this one, I can’t really say why. I think I’ll need to get some more...

22 oz bottle; Nose of dark fruit, caramel, wheaties cereal, alcohol, and hops; dark rusty brown with a small beige head; flavor of dark fruit, bourbon, and light hop bitterness.