Weyerbacher Insanity

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

Heresy impressed me. When I heard about Insanity, I couldn’t wait to try it. At 68 bucks a case, I was slightly hesitant to buy this case. Let me tell you that it is worth every penny. All other spiced and holiday beers are the dog-collared bitch of Insanity. Just popped the cap and what a friggin aroma! Huge hops, malt, bourbon, scotch, fruit, oak, vanilla, peppermint, toffee, even shellac, for God’s sake! Definite 10 for aroma. Color is as ruby red as my wife’s toenails, with medium off-white head and superb lace. The taste...Holy shit the taste...tons of fruit, malt, berries, vanilla, oak, with a finish of bourbon, scotch, smoke, and hops. This may be the most complex, intense beer I’ve ever had. The balance is not earth shattering, but the intensity of flavor and aroma is mind boggling. You must try this. It’s not perfect, the alcohol does show up as it warms and it needs a tad more balance, but it is as close to perfect as you can get, and I believe my first 4.9 rating. This is the chain smoking, three input, Britney Spears-looking call girl of the beer world, and you’ll go insane if you don’t get to try it. This is the kind of beer that grizzled beer veterans like myself get up in the morning and go to work to make money to buy. It’s as simple as that. I was excited when I bought this, I was excited as I was popping the cap, and I’m even more excited knowing I have 20 more bottles left after trades.

Awesome, very awesome, on draft at the Drafting Room in Exton, it was like drinking the offspring of all that was heavenly, I really don’t care that much for Blithering Idiot by itself, but with the aging in the bourbon barrell this was something extraordinary, nose was full of fruits like a fine port, full-bodied but yet very drinkable & smooth, alcohol flavor was subtle yet noticable, notes of toffee, chocolate, vanilla & caramel, very complex & satisfying, awesome, just plain awesome

This beer was awesome... plenty of vanilla extracted from the whiskey barrles, mellows out the Blithering Idiot quite a bit... bitterness is present, but subdued, alcohol is also toned down

I feel like a bad person for drinking this with a slight headcold, as I won’t be able to get the full effect from this. Anyhow it poured a murky dark red almost brownish color with no head on it. The aroma is oh so good and deep. It smells heavily of chocolate, malt, sweet fruits, bourbon and earthy tones. The more I sniff this the more I get out of it, definately impressive. The flavor is right up there with this one. It is initally a bit crisp and bitter, then the barrel aging takes affect and it smooths out the rest of the taste with cherry-like sweetness and a thick malty back bone. This is a hell of a beer, definately one of my all time favorites.

Lingering bourbony after-goodness allows you to savor a bottle of Insanity over the course of an hour, and it’s one of the few beers I prefer at room temperature. Much, much better than Blithering Idiot. Essentially perfect on draft, but bottles are not always consistent. $7.50/13oz

I am honored to be the 10th rating for Insanity. From the label it looks as if the jolly figure on the blithering idiot label has been imbued with unholy demonic power and is screaming his insane ramblings to the sky before he searches out his victims. Those victims being you and I. First off, pours a deep reddish brown with a head that fades quickly yet sticks to the sides of the glass (in this case an ommegang chalice). Smells like alcohol and fruit. Tastes like....the same delicious barleywine as it was before but now a little more full and mellow. Also has gained the flavor from the bourbon casks. Going to the store tommorrow for another bottle to cellar. Stupendous. Everything I hoped it would be. Update, 4/30/05: Six months later, six months in my cellar...this has....matured...into an amazing beast. I want to rate it higher, but it almost seems impossible to do so....the palate is so much more refined...not nearly as sharp in its alcohol taste...six months later this is an even more amazing beer.

Bottle at LV brewfest 04. Seemed as if the whole fest was about unveiling this beer. Orange and slightly cloudy. Massive sherried malt aroma. Thick and chewy perfect aged barleywine flavor. This one tastes like a barleywine aged under ideal conditions for many years. I think it is a prize that should be sought.

Bananas and dark fruit w/ an alcohol sweetness on the nose... Caramel, dark fruit sweetness w/ bananas and citrus notes in the mouth. This beer poured a deep brown w/ orange highlights, thin head and thin lace. Minor effervescence w/ full body and well-rounded mouthfeel. Ah, yeah. Thanks to IDrinkAle for this one.