Victory Old Horizontal

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

Reddish brown color w/ very little head, this is a strong one. It’s flavor is very rich w/ a slightly bitter finish. Loved it.

Color was orange-brown; smallish white head. Aroma of citrus, dark fruit, malt, alcohol, some raisin, and hop peppering. Good mouthfeel; alcohol well hidden. Flavor was of caramel malt, brown sugar, raisin, some dark fruit and some pepper. Nice hop presence. Enjoyed this, but not nearly as much as 3Floyds Behemoth which i had quite recently. (+.01 after having it at the Blind Tiger in January 2008).

Great Barley Wine. Quite yeasty actually. Fruit and citrus notes. A real winter warmer. Nice complexity.

Rating #1 9/27/02 Bottle (9 4 8 5 18). A rich red-brown color. The aroma invites you in deeper and deeper, but too strong of a whiff will burn your nose like alcohol laced with pepper. Malt, hops, alcohol, and dark sweet fruits dominate the aroma. The flavor is intense and bites the sides of my tongue, yet it lacks some degree of complexity and depth of flavor. Maybe this needs to age longer. The flavor is sweet, malty, earthy, and full of fruit and hops. Rating #2 7/9/08 that was bottled on 12/17/2002 (8 4 8 3 18). A dark murky brown color with a laced tan head. A rich fruity, maple, fig, and raisin aroma. Cherry, caramel, and light berries at the finish of the flavor. This one aged well over 5+ years. Hats off to Victory.

I had two barleywines yesterday, tonight, only the one. What will tomorrow bring? More barleywines, I hope! A perfect name, this, as it's it's the most perfect nightcap, certain to shut out anyone's lights. Lovely ruby red hue, just gorgeous, with a thick, creamy, tapioca-ish, eggnog-colored head. A dream to look at, and to sniff? Heavenly! Dark fruits pervade, cherries, grapes, berries, very much like the fruit of the vine, ripe, lush, arousing, with a brandyish feel, alcohol softly exuding, becomes more prominent further on...in a realm of it's own, this nose, near perfection. A pluckier thing on the tongue, full fruit, full malt, bits of caramel, too, thick, candyish sweetness, ever-present cognac feel, with the booze factor weighing heavier every inch in. Terribly sweet, and strong, ridiculously full in body and heavy on the palate, coats the senses well, and never leaves any doubt of it's solid, delectable flavor, it's unending twang, it's predominant feel of brandy-doused cherries, mixed up with malt and hops. A scintillating, stellar acheivement from one of America's top breweries. Among the top echelon of barleywines. A masterpiece.

Nice medium brown with red highlights, rapidly diminishing head, which is OK for this style. You can smell the hops a foot away, nice and spicy. Upon sticking your nose into the glass, a mild cooked brocolli aroma emerges. The palate is good, not cloying. Very well done balance of malt and hops. This to me is the trick to making a good Barley Wine. I'm not a huge fan of the style, but this is a beer worthy of respect.

Pours a murky tan/orange/brownish with a moderate off-white head that has decent staying power. Aroma is fruity--maybe peaches/apricots? Berries too? Start is a sweet fruityness like the aroma, which then turns into a lillte hoppiness/alcohol burn very briefly, then turns into the pleasant sweet fruityness at the end. A very smooth and drinkable beer with a great palate. 11% is hidden very nicely.

06.25.04 Bottle (11.18.03) Cloudy amber; no head. Aromas betray a keen balance of malt and hop. Flowers and bread, butter and honey. Flavors are full of barley goodness. Nice sweetness and ample but not over the top hop presence. Spiced apples, oak notes. Bitter, not biting finish. Alcohol is well incorporated into the flavors and aromas so it becomes an integral part of the experience. Wow, what a beer!