Victory Old Horizontal

This was my first barleywine. Nice frothy head and cloudy in the mug. The taste was very punguent & complex, almost like bitter, sweet, malty, and alcohol all hitting your tastebuds at once. Definitely an acquired taste. I winced at the first sip, and until the alcohol numbed my palate it was really quite difficult to drink. I don’t think I even need to mention the walloping 11% ABV. Good beer, but I can’t drink often.

Thanks to ogglethorp for sharing. ’05 bottle: Pours ruby brown, frothy head. Tastes of earthy, caramel malts. Full mouthfeel, finishes warm and bitter.

Bottle. Poured deep amber browh with a lot of froth. Caramel and hops aroma. Full malty flavour with a bit of bitterness but much caramel sweetness.Lasting malt finish with alcohol warmth.

Bottle in trade from Snojerk321... yeah!!! Poured transparent dark amber/brown color, white ring around the glass for a head. Aroma of sweetened malt with a small note of floral hops and earth. Hits the mouth with a defined medium body, malt with sweetness is the texture and is very appealing, finish has an enjoyable mild burn (alcohol and hops). I likely.

Reddish-mahogany color, small yellowish-white head, oily texture. It smells like a hoppy spring morning mixed with toast, loads of burnt sugar, and slight alcohol and caramel. The flavor starts of with bitter hops, but continues with alcohol and huge malts, dark fruit, and alcohol as it warms. This is a fantastic barley wine, both times I’ve had this.

it doesn’t smell badly, but I gave it a 5 because it doesn’t smell too much at all. overall, I was expecting more. it was an excellent beer but not as robust and complex as I expected.

swirly aroma of bubblegum, pine, bitter, caramel--unsettled. fine sherry toned shiny clear, tan head that goes quickly. tinlgey & drying inthe mouth, hops at play. flavors of maple, pine, oak, (woodsy?), alcohol, plum--finely balanced. approaches light bourbon tone, crisp yet a little lingering

Bottle - rating No. 1000 for this beer! Have been sitting on this sucker for a while now, though it’s still from the most recent batch. Lots and lots of clumpy yeast floating around at the bottom of the bottle. Huge, thickly malty aroma, prominent alcohol with raisins and black currants, doughy caramel and subtle yeast, floral tones and a strong, piney burst of PNW hops. Sugary though, barely dives under the cloying mark. Pours a gorgeous, luminescent ruby red with a rocky tanned head. Taste is strongly bitter but not bracing, accompanied by gradual warmth and light sweetness (all of which disappears by the end, in an orgy of bready, saliva-inducing dryness). Loads of malt, dark and caramel-rich, with subtle wooden tones but not dirty or earthy; no, this is both clean and complex. Hop presence is strong but not abusive (as in some (I)IPAs), adding a lot of heft and power to an already full body and robust flavor. Pine needles and dates in with the everpresent floral hop oils. Yeast backs off considerably but catches an occasional nook in the teeth during the finish. Malt is thick and seductive and smooth, and there’s a sense of complimentary blending here that is often lost in other barleywines - a true Gestalt. I’d have guessed the abv at closer to 8%. Superb, superb brew - classy, slow-drinking sipper that wants to go much faster! and not overrated in the least.

One of America’s great Barleywines; how lucky we are that it is cheap and easy to come by!