Sprecher Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine

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

Last bottle in the store (probably the state). Nice dark brown color with faint head. Sweet bourbon nose witha little raison. Some funk too, but that’s more from what happened to the bottle than the beer itself. Sweet bourbon flavor that’s a bit milder than the other BAs I’ve tried from Sprecher.

1 liter swing top bottle, 2006 vintage. Pours to a murky, light caramel color, with a tight, soapy white head that fades to nothing, and a very soft carbonation. The nose on this beer is slightly sweet and malty with aromas of sweet malts, caramel, toffee, and light vanilla notes. Surprisingly little character is gained in the nose from the use of the bourbon barrel. I was expecting much more. The palate is soft and fat on the tongue, with lots of good sweet malt, toffee, and caramel flavors that are slick on the tongue. Hints of vanilla and light oak can be detected on the palate, but like with the nose, very slight. This beer finishes up sweet and malty up front, then ends with some light, warming alcohol that lingers. A nice, warming, deliciously malty beer. I enjoyed this one, but found it really did not gain much character from the bourbon barrel, and in that sense I found it to be a little dissapointing. Worth trying, but a bit pricey at $16 a liter.

Bottled shared at Sombeast’s tasting via Jason. They’re getting a little better at the whole bourbon-barrel thing. Still, unfortunately, using an extremely sweet barley wine base which lends a bit of a cloying character. Although, the red wine yeast strain that they use is something I’d like to see more beer makers use. Some very interesting esters are produced which lend a certain unique complexity that saves the whole rating. That, and the overall improvement in their barrel-aging.

Not much of a pop on the flip top. LIght orange umber color with a small, but stable creamy taupe head. Buttery caramel and oak aromas. Not overly complex, but quite sniffable without much alcohol or overbearing sweetness that I found in the regular BW. Lots of buttery caramel and light toffee in the front of this one. Light rum, prunes, figs, vanilla and other fruits and sweet spices seem to float about. While still sweet, this one has enough complexity to help carry the sweetness and not get cloying. This one has picked up the oak without being overly bourbon like. I was a skeptic when I saw the rating on this one. Just the thought of the "plain" BW sent shivers down my spine. But they seem to have nailed this one. Nice job. I have been less than pleased with most of the offerings from Sprecher lately. I see a glimmer of hope.

Pours a wonderful rich amber with dark orange highlights. What a nose! Notes of Raisins, malt, spice, candied fruits and port wine. Quite rich on the palate. Dry initially, but finishes quite malty and sweet. Notes of cereal grains, caramel, coffee cake and milk chocolate balanced nicely by a slightly hoppy backbone. Finishes rich malty and long. Good stuff!

1.0 L bottle from Liquorama. Liquorama is sold out I believe, but Hi Time just put this on their website if you are interested. Bronze color with a lovely head. Aroma is very light, not much to describe. Sweet flavors with cinnamon and rock candy hints, as well as light hints of caramel and toffee. The barrel provides very light notes of vanilla and bourbon. All the flavors however, are rather vague not super expressive or complex. Mouth feel could be heavier and a bit more complex as well and might elevate the flavors a bit. I really wouldn’t recommend this beer, however, i love that it comes in a massive liter bottle.

Loud pop as the hinge swings off, pouring to a pristine scarlet amber hue with mini pin heads and bubbles floating on the surface. Conspiring depth lies inside the nose, as alcohol reverence and bing cherries pool around in a plum port sauce. Brandy and caramel hum with a never-ending liquod liquor pull of wonder. Thick juice pools about with concord, red currant and boysenberry oil. Plums and their figgy filling continue the flavor conquest. Dates get plucked out of brandy and enduringly drip caramel onto the tongue. Carbonation supports the bourbon accented sherry-plum-port persona. Prunes and craisins excrete some brighter accent flavors to the steady red and black stream. Oily, boozy balance with a toasted coconut and new oak appeal. Caramel and port continue the masterful presentation all the way through the finale. Thanks much, Jason!

Brought a bottle to the National Brewery Museum meeting. Very well received barley wine! Pours an amber/copper in glass and holds a nice creamy head. Sweet! Hints of apple, light cherry, and (of course) bourbon. Even though this is already sweet, we’re keeping one in the cellar for five years. Very nicely done.