Speakeasy Old Godfather Barleywine

Brewed by Speakeasy Ales and Lagers
Style: Barley Wine
San Francisco, California USA

Fresh bottle.

Pours a clear orange with a moderate white head. The aroma is raisin, sweet grapefruit, some vinous notes; the flavor is caramelly but not too sweet, lots of nice citrus, a bit of cardboard oxidation, some dried fruit, a well-balanced hop finish that I prefer to some of the overhopped Californian barleywines. The mouthfeel is astonishingly quaffable - very little hint of the 10.2% (I would have guessed more like 8%), not too sticky, dangerously easy to drink.

This is a simple barleywine; there’s not a lot of complexity underneath and it certainly doesn’t bring the malts out to any sizable degree. Perhaps that explains the low average that it seems to be pulling here on this site. But I like it; I really like it. This is a very drinkable beer, a session barleywine if such thing exists; it reminds of many of the Californian renditions of an American Strong Ale. but more drinkable. Think any of the Lagunitas limited releases, but much better balanced. It could easily serve as a house beer for me.

12 ounce bottle (2006 vintage) purchased at the Nugget on Mace in Davis, CA. Nice, pleasant hoppy, floral aroma with some booze present. Light vinousness as well. I do detect a bit of diacetyl as well. Kind of reminiscent of Bigfoot, but just a little more harsh in terms of the aroma. Transparent amber-tea colored body with a decent little off-yellowish head and fair legs. Light floral hoppiness to start, followed by dry, roasted cardboardy flavors. Very cardboardy. Finishes surprisingly thin, but the aclohol is somehow not overly apparent. This is a bizarre beer. The cardboard sucks and it happens to be somewhat watery. This must distract me from picking up any alcohol presence. Nevertheless, a professional brewery should not be selling such an inferior beer to the public. Thankfully it was only $1.89 for the bottle. I guess I got what I paid for...

Bottle: Courtesy of DarkElf via trade. Aroma is very weak. Caramel, light fruit, and muted citrus and flowery hops. Pours a bright transparent with a minimal off-white head. Flavor is very weak and watery. Weak caramel up front followed by a muted flowery and citrus hopped finish with some mild alcohol. Very boring and bland.

Pours dark amber with a small white head. Smells of coffe and strongly of caramel and barley. Taste is a smooth barley sweetness with some caramel and coffeee notes, not as intense as some barleywines but nice. Despite being quite alcoholic there is no taste of alcohol and it’s quite easy to drink. Enjoyable beer, not ground breaking but quite nice.

Abit blander flavor for a barley wine, even though its 10% alcohol, its not too noticable, and flavor was middle of the road. Usually takes me at least 1 hour to drink a barley wine, this one took me 15 minutes! Malty, not too much in the way of hops as I was expecting, maybe an older bottle that had mellowed, ok drink, but drank too easy! lol!

Color is a dark amber copper color with perfect whtie head. Small aroma and based off malt and light hop. A strong delivery of caramel malts and pine hop but they sort of cross cancel each other out and balance it out even though it still gives a jolt of character. The high alochol is well masked but apparent in its effect.

bottle at the final heavyweight open house. light clear copper color. light tan head. aroma is hoppy and vinuous. flavor is hot and vinuous. a little malty sweet in the finish.

Crisp, clear flavor - it is sweet, filled with raisins and sugar-candy, with slight hints of bitterness. The high alcohol leaves a fairly harsh burn. The body is very thin for a barleywine. No meat to it. It’s OK, but probably I wouldn’t look for this again.