Third Coast Old Ale

I was fortunate to find this at Vintage Cellar as this is one of the better barleywines I’ve had. Deep amber color, nice clarity, with a thin head. Thin patches and a foam ring sticks around to provide some spotty lacing. Sweet caramel malt flavor with generous doses of molasses and brown sugar. Faint traces of dark fruit and oak and the beer finishes a bit peppery but smooth. Hints of most of that is in the aroma which isn’t over-powering but is quite complex. The alcohol is hidden remarkably well. A great drink.

Hazy brown pour. Malt heavy on the nose, very sweet smelling. Tastes like fruit cake. Very nice beer.

pours a dark copper-almost mahogany colour. Heavy sediment. Aroma is very sweet and malty, fruity raisin and fig tones, brandy like alc. & light vanilla. Flavour is initially quite sweet. Fruitcake dried dates and cherries with a cakey malt transitions into a cherry brandy like alc, and finishes with a slightly mettalic bitterness.

Pours a light ruby color with a minimal filmy head. Aroma is sweet malt, raisin, cherry, toffee and nuts.. Flavor is rich, sweet and fruity yet surprisingly bitter. Long full bodied finish, sticky texture.

Pours a medium amber. Thin head. Aroma like a Christmas fruitcake - very sweet - also somewhat malty, nutty. Taste is good, sweet at first, with maybe some fig/date to it, very nice. Then a half-second later the alcohol kicks in with a nice burn. Then the finish is a bit tinny and bitter. Overall a good barleywine, maybe even a great one, but not quite a spectacular one.