Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Munster, Indiana USA

Bottle at ØLbutikken - thanks Jeppe. Clear deep red/brown - offwhite head. High hoppy (American hoppy - Three Floyds hoppy...), sweetness, caramel, ryebread, nutty, dark fruits, choclate notes, pine, grass, pine needles, amber malts, citrus, light alcoholic, smooty body. Lovely.

Bottle. I tried the 2007 and 2005 vintages side by side. The 2005 vintage poured a hazy dark orange color and had an off white head. It smelled of cotton candy, toffee, caramel, and dark fruits such as black cherry and fig. Medium to full bodied and sweet with molasses and toffee flavors dominating. 7/4/7/4-16. The 2007 vintage was not quite as good. It poured a clear medium orange color and smelled of candle wax, cotton candy, and dog food. Medium to full body with brown sugar, subdued dog food, alcohol, cherry, and molasses flavors. 7/4/6/3-14.

OK, does it count if I’ve only tasted this as part of a recipe? Birreria Paradiso in Georgetown made a caramel sauce for an ice cream Sunday out of this beer, and paired it with a Moloko Stout during a Three Floyd’s tasting given by two f the brewers. Great combo, and delicious sauce. Thumbs up for beer-food pairings, and the use of beer in recipes.

2005 Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy deep amber with a small off-white head that leaves some lacing. Aroma is sweet caramel, candied fruit, citrus hops, and sweet malt. Taste is loaded with a tons of silky sweet caramel, citrus hops, and a fruity finish. Medium full mouthfeel with a moderate amount of bitterness and smooth alcohol. Very good.

Thanks to kylefleeger for cracking this bottle of 2008. Pours a warm amber color from the bomber with a creamy off-white head. Looks as great as it tastes. Brimming with the sweet flavors of gingerbread, brown sugar, spiced citrus, and vanilla. Almost a dessert in itself except for the trademark measure of hops by FFF. Great stuff.

Bottle, 2007. Pours a nice amberish color with a very small head. Aroma is wonderful and I could sit and smell this for a very long time. Vanilla, caramel, cookies, malts, dried fruits and some fruity and floral hops. Flavor is not as hoppy as I expected and that is fine with me. Vanilla, fruit, malts, caramel, toffee...lots of toffee. This is afine beer!!

2007 bottle shared at tasting. Poured clear amber with slight offwhtie head. Aroma of malt, fruit, light hop. Not as hoppy as I was expecting, though this was brewed two years ago. Taste was similar with lots of malt, some fruit, and heavy sweetness. Finish is, again, not as hop bitter as expected, though pretty nice. Overalll, a solid effort, though a little below expectation.

08 Bottle from dpjuart, thanks Dave! Poured a clear amber color with a moderate off-white head that faded to a ring. Earthy, hoppy aroma with some caramel malts and pine, and a hint of citrus fruit. Smooth, lightly sweet entry with some caramel, brown sugar, and a bit of hoppy spice including some pine and a light citrus fruitiness (orange, tangerine). Finishes moderately bitter. Moderate carbonation, decent bite on the palate.