Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

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

I’ll readily admit that I’m no conniseur when it comes to barley wines. I’ve tried a few others (Lagunitas most recently) and certainly enjoyed the 3F Behemoth. As usually with 3F, the citrus flavors are very strong from a taste perspective and the floral is most noticeable in the aroma. Definitely hoppy with some IPA characteristics but not so much with the palate, which is thicker and very nice. Most impressive is how smooth and tasty it is while carrying such a high ABV. You could drink quite a few of these and not realize what you’ve done.

2007 (yellow wax bottle) - Nice looking darker color with a pretty head (hard to descrble, beautiful beer). Aroma is enchanting - citrusy hops, borwn sugar, dark, springish, and tripical fruits - taste has all of this and is a wonderful honey/citrus hop mix. Sugary, bitter, bold, and delicious. Mouthfeel that is sticky and satisfying. Along with Doggie Claws, this ties for first among non-BA barleywines. Wonderful - exactly what this style of beer should be.

2008. Aroma is hoppy-citrus (orange). Nice sweet malt, almond. Taste: moderately sweet, yet pretty dry. Very nicely balanced. Got some a bit of unexpected pizazz.

2008 vintage. It pours a nice dark amber with a smallish head that leaves nice lacing. The aroma is a kick of citrus hops, but it’s not just some hop monster! It’s got some beautiful caramel malt. The flavor is out of this world though. I expected something one dimensional and overly hoppy, but the hop hits you immediately, but then there are these mild fruity flavors. Maybe plums? Not sure, but it’s nice. It finishes sweet and a little dry. Very nice. Clean and lightly carbonated. Quite tasty brew.

Purple wax. Pours a solid reddish amber with a thin off-white head. The aroma is very malty, caramel, molasses, balanced by a slightly sour hop bitterness. The flavor is awesome. Big, sweet, fruity malt/hop combination. Apricot, peach, pine, caramel. Outstanding balance. I cant believe how smooth this beer is. I can’t even taste the alcohol. Outstanding beer.

2005 bottle sampled with Mad_indian. Pours deep amber with a small beige head. Aroma of caramel malts, citrus, a floral hops. The flavor is exeptionally smooth, sweet caramel, citus, and a good amount of floral biterness. The alcohol is asked amazingly, and this brew is perfectly blended. Excellent brew.

Yellow wax. Thanks Jason (BOLTZ7555) the IPOD master. I knew it. This gluttonous pig pours headless and with just a sparse lace but never mind that. The mucus that spewed forth was as thick as beaver vomit after a long day of dam building. Thick I say. The color is a bit hazed and amber/apricot. Strong aromas of acidic bile, caramel, and citrus. Like I said this is a thick and viscous brew with creamy carbonation. Bacon fat decadence, chewy caramel from a candy bar, aged citrus meat, old boot leather. This brew is surprisingly balanced. I can’t believe I said that. The finish has a strong peach pit bittering component that digs in quietly and is only revealed after the medicine goes down. This is very generous and keeps on giving even after the bottle is empty.

Drank alongside Victory Old Horizontal and Lagunitas Gnarly Wine. Pours golden-red with small head. Scents include grapefruit, roasted malt, sugary syrup (label says caramel and molasses) and a surprising abundance of hop bitter. Taste is similar. This is a barley wine masquerading as an IPA. Nice balance and full body. Overall, a great beer, but I think the dominant hop characteristics kill the subtleties found in Old Horizontal.