Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

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

Yellow Wax / 07 bottle. Pours a nice copper amber color. Tiny acidic head that quickly turns to just a slick on the surface of the beer. Smells of sugar, hops, malt, a just a bit of bread. Tastes very thick in the mouth feel like syrup on the tongue and the alcohol presence is totally absent. Taste is fruity, dark fruits, hop oil, and caramel. Truly a terrific barley wine, I don’t have the best descrption.

Provided by Alldaydrinker; Jeff, you’re the man. Pours a hazy transluscent orange with a short-lived off-white head. Intense, stinging nose of high-alpha and earthy hops, barley, alcohol, butterscotch, and port with resin and herbal notes. The initial flavours of herbal, resin-like hops and peppery, alcohol spice differs greatly from the finish and aftertaste. The finish is mostly chewy caramel and orange citrus. The balance here is incredible, but the complexity is low. I was expecting more of a NW hop profile with brutal bitterness, but what I got was a pleasant, balanced brew that highlighted hop flavour over hop sting; a nice surprise. This is a nice barleywine, but I feel it is overrated and over-hyped. The mouthfeel is slightly chewy with gentle carbonation and a high alcohol presence.

Once dumped into a snifter it had a merky and cloudy orange amber color, with some minor laceing and there was no head at all, but the beer was a little bit opaque. It has a really strong aroma with rich hops and caramle malt that really stings your nose when you put it to the glass and take a sniff. As it warmed up and i took my first sip you could really taste the citrus hops and there was a nice pepper like bitterness on the tip of your tounge. The more i drink it it mellowed out and the caramel really comes out with the presance of booze.

2007 Bottle Release Bomber Pours a murky amber colour with a small off white that diminished to a ring. Nose of dark fruits, caramel, brown sugar and touch hop character. Initial taste of caramel and toffee overlay that is chewy touched my bitter hops that swarm the sides the mouth. As warmed alcohol becomes more present and is definitely a backbone of the beer. Moving into a mid palate of resin and smokey hints. Finishing with a spicy mouthful. Good palate duration. Sticky lips and mouthfeel. Medium body. Good head retention and lacing of the glass.

In July I bought this (with a few other Three Floyds) while visiting friends in Indiana. Since then, I’ve been waiting for someone to share it with. Some friends wanted to drink their homebrew (which was great). Some brought me another barley wine (so we drank that). Finally, with the season upon us, I opened the Three Floyds. The alcohol is strong. The malts rich. The sweetness is subtle. But it’s strong. Much stronger then, let’s say, Lagunitas Brown Sugga. But not as kick ass as Bell’s Third Coast. Worth the wait, but I wish I was sharing. The wife can’t stand barley wines.

Shared at Lava Lounge, thanks to hero27. Beer pours a very deep ruby red as described on the bottle, excellant lacing. This is very hoppy as you might expect from an American barley wine, but there is a strong pineapple aroma as well as plum and dark fruits. Taste is much like the aroma with a strong hop and pineapple presence paired with a nice bit of alcohol warmth. Did I say this is hoppy? Mouthfeel is very smooth. Drinkable, yes, but limit how much you have. I would definately like to see this beer after a year or two of aging, can’t wait to see what else is in store for this, enjoy. Dec. 29, 2007 Review. Dark pink wax, purchased from Brewpub in Jan. 2007. Perfectly clear ruby red color. Off-white head that retains well and leaves bits of lacing. Sweet candi sugar in the smell, caramel, and some cherry. The pineapple aromas seem to have fallen off almost completely. Taste is sweet, but has some of the pineapple I remember jumping in there as well. Slight oxidation and dark fruit flavors also come into the equation. Sweet, pineapple like finish with an alcohol warmth to it. Less than medium carbonation with a thicker body that somehow refuses to be cloying. Darn good beer, but for the price I think you’ll be much happier with Bigfoot. 9-5-8-4-17=4.3

10" of snow on the way and my 100th rating, might as well crack something nice. Thanks to Puddintane for this yellow waxed behemoth. Pours deep amber with a thick white head. Heavy caramel malts in the nose, with the hops hiding underneath. Flavor is sweet caramel malts, hops, chocolate, dark fruits, and a hint of smoke. Finished thick and creamy with a nice alcohol bite. I’d like to try this fresh as well as aged for another year or two, but this was pretty darn good. Paired great with mixed nuts on my second glass. Thanks Puddintane!

Bottle massive thanks to secret santa. Aroma is balanced mix of toffee malts, and peppery citrus hop, biscuity richness. Taste is similar again well balanced and not as hoppy as perhaps expected but a very good barley wine.