Three Floyds Mikkeller Oatgoop

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

Bottle sample as a precursor to Dogbrick’s Eurostash II tasting on 12/12/09. Clear amber pour with a medium tan head. Caramel malt aroma with cereal and some citrus. Grainy and caramelly flavor with some citrus and peach hops and a clean finish.

Pours a deep copper-walnut, ever-so-slightly hazed into the glass, with a nice sudsy head that diminishes to a thin ring of lace. The nose is of initial candied caramels (Werther’s Originals, etc.) with a hint of orange. The flavors are robust, with a thick, chewy mouthfeel and noted carbonation activity. Lots of rind, peel, zest, with pine hops and resin are immediately noted in the back palate, but only after a sweeter caramel malt upfront. The bitters definitely take over in the second half of the pull, but this is very well-balanced for a barleywine. Strong on the palate, indeed, it is a hoppier American version of the barleywine style than that of a sweeter, candied English style. I like this very much, and found that although the alcohol is slightly felt on the tongue, it is surprisingly easy to drink. Great for a relaxing nightcap!

Pours a dark mahogany copper color with dark golden ruby color when held to a light source and a two finger frothy, pillowy off white head with excellent retention, only slowly settling into a lasting cap that coats the glass with chunks of soapy lacing. Earthy floral hop aroma with subtle citrus and pine notes. Lots of earthy leathery malt in the nose as well along with some sweet alcohol and dark fruit character. Grainy oat presence with hints of toffee, fig, caramel, bready yeast, orange and biscuit. Also, there is a good bit of citrus peel and grapefruit. I was expecting this to smell "bigger" but the aromas are very subtle. Not as earthy and leathery as a barleywine and the hops seem to have faded as well. Slightly chewy medium body with subtle earthy hop bitterness up front with some dry pine character. Sweet citrus presence that goes along with the dry pine notes. Hints of lemon and orange peel as well as some grapefruit. These hoppy notes are quickly balanced by a leathery malt backbone and sweet alcohol presence. The oat character is present in the malt backbone making it much smoother than a typical barleywine. There is still some subtle alcohol heat but the ABV is very well masked making this beer dangerously drinkable. Hints of orange marmalde, biscuit, toffee, caramel and other sweet light fruit. Very well balanced and the hops that are so prominent up front actually linger into a slightly hot, dry finish.

Bottle sample at a tasting. Slightly hazy amber color with a white head. Strong aroma of pine needles and resin. Bitter flavor with some fruitiness, lots of resinous and piney hops, caramel and a bit of alcohol. Medium to full body.

Copper coloured with a tight white head that leaves some small lazing behind. Aroma is tropical fruits, peach, lemon and light passionfruit. Very hoppy with a small malt foundation shining through. Flavour is sweeter with less tropical fruit than the aroma promises, somewhat hot and quite bitter with a lingering malt sweetness. Ends on a fairly bitter and alcoholic note. Mouthfeel is rather full and creamy.

@ a tasting, thanks DSG, pours red to orange with a small tan head, aroma of citrus, tangerine and marmalade, pleasant bitterness in the nose, flavor is sweet, grapefruit, marmalade and caramel, zesty on tongue, bitter finish, medium to full bodied.

Pours a transparent deep copper orange with a well-lacing froth of white head. Aroma of fresh resiny grapefruity hops and sweet lightly toasted pale malt. Starts with good fullness and a rich malty sweetness with some light fruity esters and a creamy oatmeal palate along with fresh juicy hop balance before a drier bittersweet finish. A nice oatwine?

Bottled. Pours out in a deep ruby amber colour with a rich creamy tan-coloured foam. Rich hoppy aroma of resin, pine-apples, shampoo, Seville oranges, red grapefruit and rose-petals. Full-bodied with notes of resin, caramel, brown sugar, red grapefruit, pine-needles and oat. Long bitter and warming finish of bloodgrape, resin and pine-apples. Tastier than Hvedegoop.