Barley Wine Bourbon Barrel
Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro, California, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
7.35
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle, drunk 4/23/16.
Another sad casualty of my great desire to cellar everything. Thankfully these masterfully brewed/produced beers held up well and are still worth drinking/rating.
Dark violet-tinged mahogany, with ample clarity and a deep beige head that fades to a ring.
Bourbon in the nose is quite reserved yet identifiable and enjoyable, providing spice and very light fruit. Figs, raisins, prunes and strong caramel are all behind it, with tons of vinous characteristics and a touch of sourdough. Oxidation, obviously present, isn’t obnoxious, nor does it present any cardboard character, but mostly just soy and vanilla. Alcohol wonderfully integrate/concealed.
Marzipan, prunes, vanilla, toffee-caramel and light soy in the flavor allow just a touch of spicy bourbon, with a still-chewy texture and light carbonation. Grapes, figs, and more such flavors abound, with just a light sourdough-like sourness and sweet, fruit-laced caramel notes lingering. I can see why this beer was so acclaimed in its time. Obviously past its prime now, but the fact that it’s still aged gracefully in these tiny bottles is a real testament. Furthermore, any problems with too much sweetness are very much gone.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 8.5
26th January 2013
Almost opaque dark brown beer, no real head. Zero carbonation in the otherwise neutral palate. Slightly sour wood with mild coconut, not too sweet. Mellow bourbon. Simple stuff but beautifully mellow.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Wenig süßlicher, sehr malziger Antrunk mit leichten Röstkomponenten. Süffig trotz der drückenden und sehr starken Malzigkeit, ausgewogen, die besonderen Fassnoten kommen aber nicht wirklich hervor. Würzig, natürlich weiterhin stark süß-malzig und alkoholisch. Gutes, aber nicht übermäßiges Bier. /11/11/12/13/11
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Mini 7oz bottle pours a hazy brown with zero head. Nose is sweet, boozy, rum, woody, light vanilla, oak, cognac, figs. A touch oxidized. Flavor is sweet, boozy, rum, whiskey, chocolate, caramel, apple. Full bodied. Finish is still hot.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle. Brown. Flat. Aroma. Caramel. Taste. Caramel. Some. Vanilla. Pretty. Straightforward. Stuff. Not. Bad.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle shared by Sean, thanks! Poured a near clear dark mahogany brown with a opaque edges and no head whatsoever. Aroma had a strong bourbon note with caramel and sweet grains backing. Flavor started with sweet grain, biscuit and caramel with a growing bourbon note that lead to a boozy finish.
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Deep brown coloured body, like cola, with no head at all and a few soapy bubbles. Lightish on top, only a light watery look to the top. Aroma of super strong alcohol, malt, oak, liquor, vanilla and potent figs and prunes. Full-bodied; No carbonation, deep roasty flavour with caramel, figs, raisins, plums and brown sugar on top of oaked and vanilla molasses - crazy. Aftertaste is potent, strong, flavourful, roasty and oaky and mild at the end - nice. Overall, a good and flavourful barley wine that probably tasted a bit better a few years ago - no carbonation and a more subtle finish tend to make me think that I aged it a bit too long. I sampled this small 6 ounce bottle aged in a cellar for a few years (4 maybe?!?) sampled at home in Washington on 14-December-2009.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle from Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas; barrel aged for 12 months
Despite the promises on the bottle, the bottle fermentation was not effective and it pours completely still and with no head; dark brown, almost black color. It has a very interesting aroma, with light phenol, caramel, oak and vanilla, chocolate, toffee, walnuts; fantastic! Oily mouthfeel, full bodied; strong caramel flavor, a bit sweet syrupy, with notes of vanilla and leather, very light sweet liquorice in the end; the final sees a mix of strong bitterness, with alcohol warming feeling, and caramel. Complex and excellent.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Brown with tiny beige head. Sweet aroma with roasted malt, port, caramel and overripe fruits. Sweet flavour with roasted malt, overripe fruits, caramel and warming alcohol notes.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Interesting bottle, batch 4 thanks to bu11zeye. One side says 11.1% ABV, but the other side says 10.37%...go figure... Pours with no head or lacing and a deep, clear brown body. Aroma of maple, vanilla, bourbon, and degraded hops. Taste is brown sugar, molassas, banilla bourbon, and some raisins. Syrupy mouthfeel and quite warming.