Willimantic Willi Whammer

Brewed by Willimantic Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Willimantic, Connecticut USA

Consumed December 09, VINTAGE 08: Pours a murky medium brown tea like color with a thin dissapating head. The aroma is candied sugar and caramel. The alcohol is moderately masked well for 10.9 abv

Tea coloured and hazy with a rind of nice head. Light, light chocolate. Rich sherry/brandy and fruits. Dark cherries and dried apricots. Slight vanilla essence (the cheap stuff). Rich and sweet on the tongue. Deep and fruity with dark cringes deep in the throat. Light and crisp bitterness. Thick with light carbonated tingles. A lovely mix of flavours and textures. Sweet and woody. Rustic and chocolatey.

2008 version on tap at the brewpub. Deep amber beer with a thin head. Aroma is quite lovely. Soft rich sweetness, caramel and a sweet crystal malt note as well. Sweetish flavour, caramel and a bit of toffee sweetness over the crackery base malt. Fruity and a little bit vineous. Some sweet cherry fruitiness. I find the beer to be quite underhopped really. Sticky and sweet and a little bit fruity.

Growler at miketds tasting ** Summary ** - I am not sure who brought this but it was good to try another northeastern beer. I am assuming it was the most recent vintage as it seemed pretty fresh. ** Aroma / Appearance ** - Transparent and coppery it had less whiskey notes than I would have expected. Cereal, wheat, and a trace of wood wrap up a solid but average experience. ** Flavor / Palate ** - Wheat with a hint of hops to go. Carbonated it transitions to a stronger bitterness as it washes across the tongue. Fresh off the tap I think it would be better as it still seemed flat by the end.

12 oz serving at the brewpub. They wont do growlers of Willi so dont drive there thinking you will get one. Copper in color with some reddish amber highlights. Aroma still has a decent amount of citrus in it considering it was a 2007 vintage, also alot of molasses, caramel, toasted malts, and some mild alcohol. Taste has alot of caramel, some earthy citrus hops, nice and full bodied... coats the palate well and finishes with a pleasant piney lasting bitterness as well as a touch of alcohol. some light dark fruits in the taste as well. A really god barleywine for sure.

Growler, 2008 vintage, generously provided by Dave. Thanks!! Pours a clear, bright amber-brown color; thin off-white head; some oiliness and solid viscosity in the glass. Loads of intense dried candy sugar, earthiness and sweet brown sugar in the aroma; solid, oily sugary malts; great nose. Relaxed carbonation, and served at room temperature. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: loads of candy sugar, oily dried fruits, and chewy earthiness; gorgeous, oily, dense mouthfeel: good balance of earthy and citrus bitterness; really solid, generous, refined barley wine. Excellent stuff. Lengthy finish: earthiness, dried dark fruits, and candy sugar; nicely reserved sweetness at the far end.

2007 vintage: Pours a transparent dark copper amber with a nicely-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramely malt with a touch of grapefruity hops. Body starts rich and caramely sweet with some light fruity esters and grapefruity hops toward a slightly warming finish. A good barleywine that should age well.

’05 vintage, aged at the brewery. Wow, I wasn’t expecting the brillinant tart cherry flavor. Great tasting, thoroughly enjoyable.