North Coast Brewing Company Class of '88

Class of '88

 

North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California, United States 🇺🇸

Collab with: Rogue Ales & Spirits / Deschutes Brewery
  Barley Wine - Barley Rotating Out of Production
Score
7.10
ABV: 10.0% IBU: 75 Ticks: 53
North Coast Brewing’s Class of ’88 Barleywine is a collaboration with Rogue Ales and Deschutes Brewery to celebrate their shared 25th anniversary of brewing craft ales. The three breweries teamed up at all three locations to create their own distinctive versions of a barleywine ale based on the original guidelines in Fred Eckhardt’s The Essentials of Beer Style. The results are three delicious variations on a theme and a strong sense of partnership and camaraderie among the brewers and breweries. The brewers are Pat Broderick and Ken Kelley from North Coast, John C. Maier from Rogue and Cam O’Connor from Deschutes.
 

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7.9/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle shared at the CBC big bottle share. 7/7/2016. Many thanks to Kenny for this one. A hazed dark orange coloured pour with a lasting halo of white head. Aroma is fresh lemon pez sweet, strawberry jammy fruits. Flavour is composed of nutty sweet grains, strawberry, pale us medium sweet, sticky, moderate carbonation, . Nice jammy fruits.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Jul 2016 at 16:37

6.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Bottle at RB London Meet. Amber color, small off-white head. Aroma has malts, toffee and fruits. Medium-bodied. Very fruity, a bit toffeish. Easy bw. Probably somewhat aged for this easy sippable bw.
Tried from Bottle on 07 Jul 2016 at 15:21

8/10
Tried on 07 Jul 2016 at 14:57

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle thanks to Chow. Pours a cloudy brown with small beige head that diminishes to nothing. The aroma is candy sugar, toffee, booze. Medium mouth, similar flavors to nose, nice dark fruit, boozy finish, very good.
Tried from Bottle on 08 Jun 2016 at 18:16

7.9/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle from Brewery Creek, Vancouver, corked
if it was released in March 2013, it’s 2 years old

Hazy amber color with creamy and persistent head. The aroma is very nice, more fruity than the usual American Barley Wine, adding a dimension; there is also a delicate Bourbon vanilla touch. Good body strength, moderate sweetness, but expect less thickness and sugars than usual; instead this Barley Wine has a remarkable spicy character, like rye; good bitterness level, the hop participates with some fruity resins, more was expected.
Even if it’s a Barley Wine, I suspect it was better when fresher; good brew, a bit different, but not mind blowing.
Tried from Bottle on 19 Apr 2016 at 02:17

6.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 5.5
Bottle - pours orange gold white head - nose/taste of old hops, orange peel, toffee, metallic notes and resin - medium body.
Tried from Bottle on 13 Apr 2016 at 23:27

7.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
750 bottle, thanks Adrien! Amber color, mild traces of sediment floating around, no head. Aroma is toffee, pine needles, dough malts, and booze.

The flavor still has plenty of bitterness, more bitterness then should be here for a three year old bottle. Plenty of pine, floral hop hints. Tobacco leaves, earthy notes. Body is damn near syrupy. Carbonation is still here. No oxidation can be found.
Tried from Bottle on 17 Mar 2016 at 20:21

7.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Bottle. Pours hazy orange, small beige head, decent residual and lacing. Aroma is caramel, toffee, pine. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter, hints of orange zest, caramel and toffee with piney hops adding bitterness on the finish. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel. Pretty much right down the middle of the American barleywine fairway on this one.
Tried from Bottle on 04 Feb 2016 at 00:05

5.9/10 Appearance 4 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Light amber color. Also very thin palate like widmer. More hops, bitter, and lightly sweet. Dry finish.
Tried on 14 Nov 2015 at 20:01

7.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
Bottle shared at a tasting. Thanks Tim! Pours a fairly clear copper with a small off-white head. Fruit-filled aroma with some peach, pineapple and grape along with some honey and biscuits. Super clean for a barley wine with good fruitiness. Feels kind of light and dangerously drinkable. Finish is rather fruit forward and lingers for a bit. Enjoyable. --- Beer merged from original tick of Class of '88 Barleywine Style Ale on 17 Oct 2015 at 21:54 - Score: 8
Tried from Bottle on 19 Oct 2015 at 09:12