Victory Old Horizontal

Brewed by Victory Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

Draft. 5 oz flight. Pours amber with a thin, tan head. Aroma of sweet fruits, cherries, malts, barley, and hops. Medium bodied with a smooth, delicious mouthfeel. Crisp, dry finish. Excellent barley wine. Recommended.

Garnet pour with a smallish white head. Aroma is outstanding even before going in for the first sniff. Lots of fruity esters, port, caramel, orange peel, and alcohol. Hop character is above average for the style. Flavor is luscious- copious caramel, toffee, and fruity sweetness, accompanied by some vinous quality and a very subtle roasted barley note. Again, hop character is high, yielding citrus and nectar. Palate is thick, silky, velvety, and rich. A slight effervescent quality sits on the tongue seemingly forever, eventually retreating and leaving behind a slightly warming boozy slippery smacking mouthfeel. Balance of flavors is incredible, every facet is covered amazingly.

500th rating, been looking forward to this brew for a while now. Dark garnet pour with a thin white veil of a head. Aroma holds raisin, caramel, wheat, fruity esters, dark vinous notes, and a bit of citrus. 10.5% ABV is certainly apparent on the nose; I expect it to be prevalent in the flavor as well. Flavor is delicious; starts with caramel sweetness with supplemental notes of raisin, wine, nectar fruit, and even a bit of roast. The second half of the flavor has a really nice hop character with a dry, bitter citrus note, followed with a bit of grain and definite booze at the finish. Complex flavor overall, a really solid American barley wine on that front. Palate is quite full and sticky, and the alcohol burn is subtle and welcomed. A really nice brew on the whole.

Bottle served in a snifter. A slight haze in the auburn-brown body. Minimal head. Sweet aroma sweet, caramel, over-ripe banana, and raisins. Creamy mouthfeel amonst little carbonation. Substantial body (medium-full) followed by plenty of hops. The finish, which is not real heavy, is a little bitter and lengthy.

Dark cherry color, mahogany red with hints of brown. Short lasting head. Glassy and shiny, but also thick and murky. The smell is heavy sweet red wine. Some sweet (but grainy) barley too. Hints of liqueur, but not sharp or unpleasant. Taste is heavy sweet barleywine flavor (heavy on the "wine" part). Has the tart, sour pungence of a sweet red wine. Also the grainy barley base. Strong! But well-balanced. Has some hard liquor. Feels thick and chewy. Alcohol bite on the way down, a real burn. It’s a strong beer, but limited in that its heavy and loaded with alcohol taste (11%).

Pours a deep murky dark amber with a frothy light tan head. Big malty aromas of raisin, caramel, some dark fruits, light pine hops, and a little candy. The flavors start with some raisin, dark fruits, and caramel, then some hops take over and an alcoholic bit! Sweet, bitter, and slightly rich. A warming beer from head to toe. This one will keep you warm in the winter :)

12oz bottle. Pours deep amber, nice off white head that lingers. Lacing is moderate. Aroma is fruity and sweet. Tastes of nice ripe fruit and hops. Alcohol taste is present as the brew warms, but doesn’t take away from the enjoyment. A great representation of the genre.

12oz bottle in Seattle. Definitely in the American style with the hops appearing in the aroma and flavour, but not overpowering. Sweet caramel and a touch of bourbon also there. Really didn’t notice the 10+ ABV.