Victory Old Horizontal

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

BONUS from the RealBastard, (Thanks Brent!) Pours typical BW opaque mahogony with a tight bubbled head that quickly dissipates to a halo. Nose is rich and malty with a bit of bready yeast in there too. Flavor is a bit tart, but at the same time dried fruit, caramel and molasses, along with a smooth yeasty, almost spice influence. Nice finish of dried fruit and brown sugar. Very good brew.

Very clear amber and exceptionally weak head. Nice aroma, candylike with notes of caramel. The flavor was a bit too overpowering though, I didn’t think that this was nearly as good as the other top 10’s.

acquired from cquiroga...bottled 12/17/02. deep caramel, light amber color, hazy. a head can be achieved with a fair amount of swirling. the aroma is loaded with buttery toffee, caramel, brown sugar and spicy piney hops. mouthfeel is thick!!!! flavor is loaded with toffee, and spicy hops, the alcohol is so well hidden in this beer, i just can't believe it. flavor is pretty sweet. the only time even a tiny bit of alcohol is detected is in the finish. thanks to cquiroga for this one!

Bottle at the RBG Low Countries 2005 tasting session
Amber to black, muddy body. Fully, diminishing head. No lace. Nose of molasses, straw, flowers, liquor, ... Heavly sweet initial flavour. Moderately sweet long intense finish. Quite good balanced. Very fully bodied and a little bit astringent. Lively carbonation. A little bit to alcoholic and intense for me, but yeah, that’s what barley wines supposed to be, aren’t they?

12oz bottle….poured dark amber brown with decent amount of off-whitish brown head….inital aroma is hoppy and then lots of caramal malt…taste has a sharp pine-hop bite with a good amount of malt trying to balance it out although imo, it never really does. there could be a better balance between the two. and the alcohol is evident at 10.5 abv. it does. however, get better as it warms...all in all though, i would prefer a more balanced barley wine.

Color is a deep maroon with mellow carbonation and a thin tight head. Aroma is rich and hoppy. Taste is like the aroma, rich, hoppy and bitter. Starting with a bold medium body it goes down with a crisp bite. Finish is rich with a sweet dried fruit flavor followed by a bright hop taste and then an even bitterness. In the after taste the bitterness builds then leaves you with a faint citrus taste. Overall its another good brew from Victor, but like too many other Barley Wines lately its a bit hoppier then I think it should be.

Bottle thanks to BMan1113VR. Small off white head that is merely a ring sits atop a tawny colored body. Some lacing that cascades down the side of the glass. Nose is styrofoam, medicine, and fruity hops. Taste is burnt caramel, and a grainy sort of taste that I can only think of calling scratchy. Medium to thick mouthfeel and a medium length finish. Not really a fan.

I sampled a one year old and just couldn't groove on it too much. I just love British Barley wine, but once again I find American BW too hoppy. The nose was beautiful I have to admit with peaches, raspberries and whiffs of chocolate. However, the body was not rounded at all and was a total hopfest while the malt only gave off cloying caramel attributes. Finishing nice and bitter. Not bad, but somewhat overrated in IMO.