Sprecher Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine

Formerly brewed at Sprecher Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Glendale, Wisconsin USA

Bottle… RBSG 07… Hazy copper ale with a small, fizzy, off-white head. The aroma is a marriage of vinous port notes, creamy vanilla, bourbon, charred oak and English toffee. The flavor leans heavily on the malty side of balance with gobs of sweet caramel, toffee, fig, acidic bourbon and robust, but not overbearing, heat. Full-bodied with a 2%-milk mouthfeel and modest carbonation. Sweet caramel and warm bourbon finish.

1 Liter bottle acquired in trade with robertsreality (thanks!). Bottle labeled; Bottling Date Jan 01, Bottles of 185. Poured a medium to dark amberish color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of bourbon, lighter wood, citrus, caramel, fruits, and vanilla. Tastes of boubon, vanilla, citrus, caramel, and vanilla. Some alcohol in the finish, but overall well hidden.

Poured a hazy red amber color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus fruits, toffee malts, vanilla, bourbon, light spice, and passion fruits. Taste of more citrus fruits, a bit of caramel, some tart grapiness, more dry bourbon, and alcohol in the finish.

Thanks to hopdog for sharing this one. Pours a hazy ruby amber with a smaller bubbly off white head. Aroma of dark fruits, vanilla, twizzlers, woody, some light alcohol, Flavor of caramel, some cardboard, some oxidation, toasty malts, malty sweetness and some light hop bitterness.

RBSG 2007: Bottle: Poured a cloudy brown color with a tan head. Aroma, stale, bourbon notes, some assy qualities. Flavor, caramel, fruits, a bad barley wine usually doesn’t do well in a barrel.

January 2007 Bottle Date, Sampled June 2007
Pours with a frothy, three-finger thick, amber tinged, tan colored head that sits atop an absolutely brilliantly clear, fully reddish, amber colored brew. I immediately notice a pronounced, butter-oak aroma as I pour this brew, it is almost diacetyl like. The aroma is clearly dominated by bourbon barrel characteristics (notes of spicy oak, bourbon and butter), but there is a hint of malt underneath, but it leans towards a sticky, candy like aroma that I hop is not in the flavor. While the bourbon barrel certainly is dominant in the nose, it is not as big and powerful as some barrel aged beers, this is a good thing as it would be much too offensive if it was. In the end though the nose is a bit too one dimensional.

Quite sweet, with a simplistically candied malt flavor. In some ways it reminds me of cotton candy. It is fairly light bodied for a Barleywine, actually for a Barleywine it is quite light bodied. I do like that the bourbon barrel is not as prominent as it is in the nose, but unfortunately the complex marriage of malt and hops that one expects from a Barleywine is not here either. The bourbon barrel notes are here towards the late middle and finish of each sip. Buttery oak flavors are the most noticeable, but there are also touches of spicy oak, and a bit of warming bourbon flavors.

I never would have guessed that this was 11%, it hides the alcohol quite well and it is quite a bit more light bodied than I expected. My guess is that this was filtered way too tightly and it stripped a lot of malt complexity out of this brew. Thin, wan and a pale specter of what a Barleywine should be, though on the up side it does keep from being offensive.

RBSG 2007. Copper color with no head. Aroma of… sour apples? More apple in the flavor and the malt is slightly sour. What in the world happened to this beer? This will likely be in need of a re-rate.

A nice beer. The bourbon does not overwhelm the flavor but is certainly there. Low carbonation and on the sweet side. Hops are very light.