Weyerbacher Insanity

Brewed by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Easton, Pennsylvania USA

Ok, this was the fifth big bottle of big beers Haukur shared with me (bless his collar button). My notes had become hard to read because of my writing – bad when I’m sober, worse than a 5 year old on crack when drunk. Now, if anybody has stopped in that small town in Tennessee where Jack Daniel’s is made, he might have bought some Whiskey candy. He might even have tasted it. I did. Now, drinking Jack Daniels in much too big quantities, around the time I started drinking, almost ruined my ability to drink whiskey. I’m getting better, but I only drink single malt now. However, this Insanity brought back the Jack Daniel’s candy. Both the aroma and flavour. My numbers say this is better than decent, but I’m unlikely to want to drink anything that strongly reminds me of Jack Daniel’s ever again.

Reddish copper with a thin dense off white head. A little bit too much head on this barleywine. The nose is strongly oaky and cherry wood with a bit of a caramel sweetness to round it out. Still, the wood is too big, some alcohol shows up. Not too thick in the mouth or fizzy with a bit of a slick viscosity and some alcohol warming, though not bad for the ABV. The flavors are out of balance too, though not terrible. Sweet oaky to cherry acidity beneath a subdued malt bill. Alcohol pops out with very little hops. Cloying wood lingers with alcohol and a tannic somewhat redwine grapiness. There should be less oak, more caramel and less toast. Also, less alcohol unless the malt is made bigger.

Bomber -- Poured with a nice ruby reddish woodsy color and a pleasantly active but thin top of light foam. Nice bright red light reflects thru there ... The aroma is woodsy, bourbon whiskey and oak. The flavor is dominated by the bourbon burn, burning on the way down the gullet. Not too overpowering that a guy who doesn’t like whiskey couldn’t handle it, yet stringently strong. Slow sipper. (#2998, 7/1/2007)

22 oz bomber shared with willblake. Poured a reddish/amber with hardly any head. Lots of wood notes some alcohol that reminded me of sherry. Flavor was nice and smooth with wood and some alcohol noticable and a slightly bitter finish. Good beer but nothing fantastic.

I didnt take any notes when I sampled this, but I do remember this being a bit of a surprise. I dont like beer from bourbon casks but this one was quite subtle. Nice sipper

Perhaps the best Weyerbacher I have had. Lots of oak in the aroma. Flavor is sweet with raisins and brown sugar. Very little carbonation. Light brown, unimpressive appearance.

Bottle via JB175. Dark, reddish amber color. Smell of malt, cinnamon, clove, pepper, hops, red wine, orange zest, prunes, raisins, alcohol and a touch of vanilla and oak. As it warms up bourbon, vanilla and oak dominate in the smell. Taste of bourbon, oak, vanilla, dark fruit, pepper, hops, clove, candy raisins, copper, alcohol, nuts, minor citrus peal, cinnamon and caramel. What a surprise! I need to get my hands on some more!

Sweet light bourbon nose. Dark amber color with no head. Sweet barlywine taste with lots of bourbon. Bourbon is mild and does not overly dominate the beer.