Big Beer Series: Barleywine Style Ale
Smuttynose Brewing Company in Hampton, New Hampshire, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
7.19
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Smuttynose Barleywine straddles these two branches of the barleywine tree. When you taste it, you’ll notice deep, rich caramel malt flavors, balanced with hop bitterness. Fruity hop flavors act as a garnish for its amped-up but classic flavor. For a more refined experience, tuck a few bottles away for a year or two. The alcohol will mellow and the hop aromas will fade into the background, leaving the luscious malt to shine on its own.
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Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 17
Wasn’t totally impressed with last year’s version when I first had it, but after letting a bottle sit for 8 months or so, this one is growing on me. A really rich caramel malt nose on an orangey-brown body. Full-bodied malt with rich caramel and plummy dark fruit round out the thick caramel malt taste profile. A touch of citrus and complementary hops make this a winner, with a little aging.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Sample from 2009 bottle during Blarney Wine Festival 2019 on 03/16/2019. Hazy amber-orange color with a medium off-white head that dissipates quickly to an outer ring. Small patches of lace. Aroma of malt, fruit, caramel and hops. Full-bodied with flavors of caramel malt, dried fruit and earthy hop. The finish is sweet with a fig and malt aftertaste. Pretty good overall.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
2013 bottle.
This was poured into a snifter.
The appearance was a rugged burnt dark orange/muddy brown color. A finger’s worth of white foamy head sat atop of the beer for a good minute. Gentle messy lace.
The aroma brings forth sweet and bitter grassy and tobacco leafy hops. Bold and up front, oddly enough, I thought those would have died off given the bottle date. Semi-sweet caramel and toffee malts play with the balance. Citrus hops seem to underscore the aroma.
The flavor balances nicely between the hops and the malts. Tobacco leafiness still holds quite strong. Grassy to tobacco leafy to smooth caramel malty aftertaste rubbing against the finish nicely.
On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a nice sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt fine, fairly mild (but it’s an old bottle, so I’m okay with that).
Overall, this one aged phenomenally. Only the citrusy hops have died off. Wouldn’t mind trying to get this again to try fresh.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle from Systembolaget. (bought in 2014) Clear reddish/amber with a large tan head. Sweet with malt, toffee, some hops, grapefruit and apricot. Similar taste. The body was full and the finish was long with warming alcohol.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Sample at tasting. Smooth malts, light spicy alcohol, some honey. Strong bitterness with a pretty harsh alcoholic vodka-esque note. Good, but...
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle shared at the return of Old Spice tasting. Pours clear amber with a small off white head. Aroma of caramel, toffee, sweet malt. Flavour is moderate to heavy sweet light moderate bitter. Above medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle at THT. Clear copper, almost amber with off white head. Syrup, marzipan, orange, light green leaves, bitter grass and alcohol. Quite sweet too. Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
65cl bottle courtesy of JMGreenUK shared at December THT. thin creamy white head. Hazy light amber pour. Pretty decent
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Bottle at the Return of Old Spice tasting, Dec 2015, Den Haag. Poured a clear medium amber with a thin white head. The aroma is toffee, caramel, orange citrus. The flavour is moderate sweet with a light but smooth rich, alcoholic palate. Medium bodied with average carbonation.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Well done and easy drinking for style. Pours cloudy brown with good head. Citrus and some tang in finish. Some booze. Well done, and my kind of barley wine. Tap at Churchkey.