The Duck-Rabbit Barleywine

Brewed by The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Farmville, North Carolina USA

I had to go back and rerate this one after having it today. While it’s not a bad brew, it just doesn’t quite cut it for a barelywine lover like myself. It has flavor but is without the typical barleywine mouthfeel. It is also way too sweet for my liking. It’s not bad, but not something I would care to try again.

Sweaty nose of old cherries, old peaches, sweet, sugary bourbon and scotch, maybe some wood as well. Bitter and astringent and muddy with a lactic, foul yeast character, tastes of spoiled apples and old milk. Aggressive, coarse hops are unpleasent. The worst part is the pasty, foamy, yeasty texture.

Bottle shared by sliffy. Dark orange pour with a light tan head. Aroma of light earthy hops, soap, caramel and light coconut. Flavors of hot booze, earthy citrus and coconut. Thick body, bittersweet throughout with a bittersweet finish as well. Meh.

Bottle thanks to Bleacherbum: Copper in color with an off white head. Aroma, booze, caramel, and some earthy hops. Flavor, caramel malts, some earthy bitterness, but still on the sweet side.

Copper, big beige head. Nutty, mapley aroma. Vaguely sour flavor, with notes of caramel and toffee. Very "English hops" finish, if you know what I mean. Not a bad beer by any stretch, but DR has raised the bar so high with their other High-gravity beers I guess I was expecting a bit more. At the 2007 Hickory Hops.

Bottle courtesy of Ross. Pours mahogany with a generous tan head. Smells of citrus, oak, sweet malt, some fruity hints and warming alcohol. Tastes of citrus, oak, hints of cognac, tarte malt, some underlying sourness and vanilla. Mouthfeel is thick with a tangy finish. Very enjoyable.

12 oz bottle via TURDFERGUSON (thanks!). Pours a clear dark amber with a massive beige head. Nose is fruity and a little sour. Taste is....weird. Not like a Barleywine...more like a...strong ale? Everything is subdued..there are spicey/earthy hops, lots of yeasty fruity easters, some toffee...but it is all muted..almost like a barleywine on Nitro but without the silky mouthfeel, as the carbonation is moderate. Thin body for a BW....

Big thanks to my supplier Scubatrip. Clear ruby red with a huge head. Fair lacing. Aroma is a little off-putting; grass, alcohol, brown sugar, citrus and plums. It’s got a plethora of flavors, and none of them seem to go together. Slightly astringent finish.