Southern Tier Back Burner

RateBeer Rating, Style and Glass: 95, BWSA, Snifter ABV, Volume & Calories: 10 % in 22 fl oz. estimated at 400 C Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $4.99 (sale) Aroma: amazing, delicious, tea, herbs, alluring. 10 out of 10. Visuals: beautiful, blood red moon, quickly thinning, off white head, interesting lace. 5 out of 5. Taste: blunt, delicious, silky, mild, surprising, very well crafted. 10 out of 10. Palate: dull, numbing, medium to long bitter finish. 5 out of 5. Overall: Taste is smooth and alcohol is amazingly disguised. Very interesting aroma — more than inviting. I would have it again, and it is a favorite. It was very well crafted. 20 out of 20.

Pours a dark amber, with a average head that forms great great lacing down the glass. Smell is of fruits and figs, but I sense no strong alcohol prescense. There is great balanced between bitters and sweetness. Though, both flavors are at the max here. Strong hop bitterness stays on the tongue for a couple of lip smacks (LOVE IT). Mouthfeel is very silky and velvet like all the way down. This is a super sipper beer for sure, one bottle will be enough for most. I’m really impressed by Southern Tier lately. They have awsome Imperial IPAs, Stouts, and now a Barley Wine. TWO PINTS UP FOR THIS BREW.

Deep brandy hue with no head. Aroma is sweet caramel, honey, malt, dried dark fruit. Sweet flavor with a well hidden alcohol finish. Oily flat and sticky. Full bodied. Just incredible.

Really dark red with an off-white head that has excellent retention and lacing. Sweet caramel, dark fruits, and toffee are balanced with piney and orange-y hops in the nose. Sweet malt all over the tongue; caramel, dark fruit, and a large amount of bitter, but flavorful hops come through with some pineapple and tangerine. This drinks incredibly smooth to me with a full body and about medium carbonation. I’ll be getting more of this. Extra point added to overall because the flavor is above 8, but not quite a 9 for me.

On tap at RnH (NYC): Pours a deep, ruby colour, and the aroma is of sweet greatness. I know this is going to be one damn good beer. And I’m right. Southern Tier just doesn’t let down. Sweet and fruity throughout (cherry and oak), bitter finish. Goes down smooth. Simply a Bomber.

from crackedkettle.com - quite clear dark brown colour, little beige foam; the nose shows a nice balance between malts and hops; mint prune and quince; full-bodied and with some sweet malt backbone; the palate remains quite velvety; bitter and long aftertaste of prunes and hops - superb and dangerously drinkable at this alcohol level

Poured a cloudy mahogany with a fizzy off-white head. Rich aroma of ruby-red grapefruit, pine forest, sweet wildberries, a bit of cinnamon. Taste is very well balanced with some citrusy hops nestling against some sweet and tart fruitiness, toffee, and a touch of brown sugar. A bit of tartness as well as some earthy hoppiness and some slight dryness, though nowhere near indicative of 10% ABV. A bit of hoppy tartness remains at the back of the palate after the swallow to serve as a reminder of the delectably balanced strong ale you have just enjoyed. I can’t completely put my finger on it, but everything here just really clicked. An excellent barley wine.

Appearance: Pours a nice clear dark amber color. It does have nice heard as well shows off a lot of carbonation. Smell: Hoppy with hints of mint and cocoa. Very much floural smell. Not at all what I would expect from a Barleywine. Taste: Very interesting taste here. Starts off bitter from the hops. As the taste settles you get a sweet after taste. Finishes dry leaving nothing left to taste Overall: When I saw Imperial Barleywine on the bottle, I thought to myself how do you take a beer that is already strong and go over the top on it? Well Southern Tier certainly figured it out. The hops they use blend very well together. The smell leads you to believe you are enjoying an Imperial IPA but the taste lets you know otherwise. I never thought someone would go further with my favorite style of beer. I am glad Southern Tier did.