Tyranena Bourbon Barrel Spank Me Baby! Barley Wine

Brewed by Tyranena Brewing
Style: Barley Wine
Lake Mills, Wisconsin USA

2006 vintage on tap at Tyranena’s 10th anniversary party. Pours a murky red brown with a thin head that quickly fades. Aroma is caramel, dark fruits, brown sugar and bourbon. Flavor. is similar, very complex. Starts sweet and caramel, moving to fruits and bourbon sneaking in, finishing very smooth with no burn at all. The ageing only made this one better. This is the main reason that I went to the party, and it did not disappoint!

2006 vintage on tap at Tyranena’s 10th anniversary party - This beer was the reason I made it out to Lake Mills, and it didn’t disappoint. Poured deep brown with nary a head. Smell is sweet bourbon, caramel, vanilla, and raisins. It’s pretty straightforward, but smooth as hell and without any of the booziness that the original had. Taste is more of the same, but all the rough edges have been smoothed out, and all that’s left is dangerously easy-drinking sweetness. It’s not over the top though--it doesn’t feel too sweet or syrupy, just very rich. Definitely a sipper both because of taste and the 13%, but this was everything I thought it would be. Stupendous.

On tap at the Great Taste of the Midwest (8/9/08): Clear copper bronze with a thin, wispy-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramely bourbon and a touch of butterscotch. Body starts fairly full and sweet with good assertive bourbon notes and sweet caramel balance. Well aged and enjoyable.

2006 vintage sampled from a growler shared by Joebrew at Beer Geek Christmas at Heritage Liquors. Pours a slightly hazy burnt caramel with little/no head. Aroma is more vanilla and oak than bourbon, with a little bit of oxidation and some caramel malts. The flavor possesses a lot more of the bourbon that was absent on the nose, a bit of hops and hop bitterness, and some caramel. May have been drank a little on the cold side, but the mouthfeel was a little thin, but I suppose the beer is probably starting to show its age. Delicious nonetheless.

Draft @ Tyranena, 2006 vintage. Pours a murky, orange-brown color; light-tan head with fine-bubbled lacing. Very dense and generous aroma, showing chewy sweet bourbon notes, toasty vanilla, butterscotch, and maple syrup; reasonably soft edges on this, with earthy and citrus bitterness; solid, rounded nose. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: lots of chewy, toasty bourbon notes from the beginning: charred wood, dried dark fruits, with touches of butterscotch and sweet vanilla; well-hidden alcohol, with a solid perimeter of spicy, citrus hop bitterness; solid, softly-aged barrel beer; the earthiness and hops beneath remain apparent. Lengthy finish: long earthy and spicy bitterness, toasty, charred wood, with some dried orange peel present with vanilla at the far end.

2006 version on tap at the brewery - Spank Me Baby with Wood. Dark golden to amber in color. Small tight head. Aromas of light fruit, caramel, oak, and mild bourbon vanilla. Full round sweet malt flavors in the front, with oak, bourbon, light fruit, and vanilla in the background. Hints of alcohol with a light warmth on the throat. A really nice barley wine. One meant to have on the porch on a cool evening or in front of a fire on a cold winter day. Age has smoothed this one.

great taste of the midwest! Hazy brown pour with a small white head. Heavy raisin and caramel aroma. Flavor had tons of bourbon, more raisin and caramel, just a touch of vanilla. Slightly syrupy sweet finish with a noticeable booze punch.

Name: Spank Me Baby with Wood
Date: 08/07/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewery

Appearance: muddy burnt orange, wispy dirty white head, streaks of drippy lace,
Aroma: sweet caramel and vanilla aroma, touch of bourbon, touch of fruityness,
Flavor: sweet dark caramel malt flavor, lots of oaky character balances the sweetness, light bitterness rises out of the oak, touch of hot caramel, sticky sweetness comes and goes, bourbon is present but not over the top, fatuges after a while,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***+/4