Thomas Hooker Old Marley Barleywine

Brewed by Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Bloomfield, Connecticut USA

2005 bottle. Great looking bottle. I’d like to age this a bit longer, but I’m leary of that pop-top. Pours much darker than I was expecting. Dark mahogany with no head. At cellar temp, it had a bit of a metallic character to it’s nose, but as it approached room temp the burnt malts and grassy hops really presented themselves. Strong alcohol presence in the mouth. Grassy hops and the burnt malts are the first things you notice in the mouth, and they don’t really play nice at first, but reach a truce around mid glass. Toward the end, there’s a bit of baker’s chocolate, smoke and an earthiness that’s very reminiscent of peat, which seems to fins it’s way into all big Hooker beers. Dry and astringent finish. It’s not for the weak palate and it’s a little like a fresh Arrogant Bastard, just not as sweet.

Cool bottle. Thick, muddy-brown appearance, with barely a head at all. Refreshing and fairly thin-bodied for a barleywine, despite its alcohol content. Decently hopped, malty, with hints of cherries and caramel. Chocolately finish.

Thanks to ClarkVV for this bottle - 2004 vintage (labeled as Troutbrook) - very cloudy amber/chestnut with very minimal white lace - very musty, almost funky/cheesy aroma, with hints of vanilla, bourbon and oak - the funky/cheesy quality appears in the flavor as well, along with bourbon, toffee, a hint of smoke, nutmeg and cinnimon - the beginnings of oxidation are apparent in this sample - very flat, which works for some barleywines, but not this one - decent, but I was expecting more.

This beer pours a dark brown that leaves a thin tan lace that foams on the glass like frothy whipped cream. As I smell this beer the rum soaked fruit smells just come out. I smell plum, grape, figs, raisins man this beer is fantastic smelling. As I put this beer on my palate the rum like alcohal quality just bursts onto the tongue and makes my palate dance with happiness. I can just smell the alcohal in a good way like a nice port and the vanilla taste just rounds it out. I think this beer could use a year of cellaring to tone down some of the alcohal but you can def drink now. Man this is one of the best Barley wine styles I’ve ever had and will def go back to so I can cellar for awhile.

Poured a brown-orange color with an off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt, vanilla and wood. Flavor matched aroma. Malty caramel, sweet, woody, some bourbon notes but it is in the background. Dull carbonation.

Mildly hazy, very red. I wrote in my notes "I would swear that this is barrel aged"--and then I learned that it is! Very aged quality, beautifully, giving almond and vanilla. Smooth, easy drinking. Very, very good.

Fantastic barley wine, with hints of the traditional molasses and citrus hops, but mixed with a green/grassy undertone that is hard to pin down. Excellent.

(500ml bottle) Minimal tan head atop a murky dark brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel/cookie, grapefruit, some pine, light wood. Taste is moderately sweet, raisin, grapefruit, caramel, cookie, light pine, wood. Alcohol warming. Watery full body with minimal carbonation.