 willblake (1932), Long Branch, New Jersey, USA
May 17, 2008
20080517 Bomber. When this came out the word was that it needed time. i tried it at a gathering or two and agreed wholeheartedly. Well, it’s had a little time at this point and I can only sum it up with one word - yuck. Looks fine, a medium amber with little to no head and what is there is a clingy white ring. Aroma is metallic, bubblegum, and plastic with strong notes of my citrus scented dish soap. There’s nothing inviting about the way this smells and it is with some hesitation that I take the first sips. Oh man. A cloying, alcoholic, meritless mess. Up front it’s sweet and oxidized, waning to an apple juice and oxidized middle, and with a creamy mouthfeel carrying a coating, tenacious jolt of sugary, ethanol-laden golden raisin and apple juice concentrate nonsense. There is a late bitterness that is barely perceptible but I recall this being more bitter when fresh. Overall it reminds of a weird concoction of apple jelly and cheap alcohol. Anything more than a couple ounces is far too much. What a trainwreck - you’ve got to be kidding me.
badlizard (1473), San Diego, California, USA
Sep 7, 2008 Bottle from VA. Copper orange with a foamy white head. Aroma of earthy spice and caramel taste with an herbal finish.
jsquire (1880), St. Marys, Ohio, USA
Sep 6, 2008 Thin copper color with a short lived off white head that did leave some lacing. The initial aroma was of cat pee, but it settled down to an alcoholic grain nose. This is a pretty boozy barley wine, with some cereal grain notes, apricot, pineapple sweetness, hair spray harshness, and a really alcoholic finish.
waolsen (963), Littleton, Colorado, USA
Sep 6, 2008 bottle. copper pour with thin white meraigne head. lacing. light aroma for a barley wine. I suspect the rye plays a roll. light grain and fruit and subtle hops in aroma. Malts suprisingly mellow in aroma. Body is strange. Hints of malt liquor with this one. strong offensive alcohol and metallic bitterness. this is a confused beer at best. The strong alcohol provides a medicinal aspect and heavy warming. this could use a lot of aging. In 5 years it won’t be much better but it will probably be slightly more palatable.
Flyer (108), Hartland, Wisconsin, USA
Sep 2, 2008 Maybe I’ve become a sucker for 10% ABV, but I’m stunned by the low ratings on this beer. It has a beautiful golden orange color, although the head is minimal, and there seems to be limited carbonation. Aroma of faintly peachy hops. More peach in the flavor, followed by some nice rye notes and a decent hoppiness, and ending with a nice, lingering alcohol warming. Overall, the flavor is very mild, for a craft beer in general and a barleywine in particular, and I’ll admit that’s not normally a plus for me, but I love the rich, creamy mouthfeel and the boozy finish.
radagast83 (1049), Springfield, Virginia, USA
Sep 2, 2008 12 oz bottle. Pours a semi-golden amber color with an extremely small white head. Aroma is sweet with minimal notes of fruit. Flavor is, well sweet. It’s not bad at all, and the alcohol is masked quite well. I have a 22 oz aging a bit longer to see how it develops down the road.
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