Big Worse Barley Wine
(has 3 batches)
Mikkeller in Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark 🇩🇰
Brewed at/by: De ProefbrouwerijBarley Wine - Barley Regular
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Score
7.55
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9.2/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
2018-12-02, bottle, plastic cork, 5-2-6-2-10=25
bb 18/03/14, bottled 4 years earlier, 9 years old
Flat, oxidized, moderately sweet, nutty. Way too old.
2013-08-07, bottle, plastic cork, 7-3-9-4-17=40
bb 02/07/2012, bottled 4 years earlier, 5 years old
Cloudy brown color, no head just a few bubbles. The aroma is nice but mild, caramel, malt, light fudge, light rubber, light sweaty hops. Full bodied, lean, sweet without being cloying, caramel flavor with correct bitterness; there is not much hop character, therefore it starts being similar to a British Barley Wine (O'Hanlon's Thomas Hardy's Ale…); vanilla fudge; the final is a bit nutty.
Very good.
2013-03-23, bottle, plastic cork, 7-3-7-2-13=32
bb 18/03/2014, bottled 4 years earlier, 3 years old
The color is muddy brown, strange, with no carbonation, and basically no head, just some big bubbles. Aroma of malt, caramel, some dust, alcohol, light tobacco. The mouthfeel, without carbonation, is quite oily; some malt and caramel flavor, still semi-sweet but not as it used to be, with punching alcohol presence, and a dusty feeling; the bitterness is quite strong but not excessive.
Didn't age with grace.
2009-05-11, draught at Plan B, Copenhagen, 9-5-9-5-18=46
Cloudy brown color. Still a very powerful yet balanced Barley Wine, round, mature, with a good share of fruity American hops, extremely sweet and bitter, can drink on and on…
2008-10-17, draught at Ølbaren, 9-5-10-5-18=47
Red mahogany color. Huge creamy head. Wonderful hoppy aroma, with delicate fruits, malty. Extremely sweet, syrupy, strong caramel flavor, powerful, with the necessary strong bitterness; getting nutty at the end. Very well hiding the alcohol. One of my favorites.
2008-09-30, bottle, 9-5-9-5-18=46
Beautiful hazy amber color, huge head, reducing to a short cap but persistent. Very nice malty aroma, perfumy, positively soapy, creamy, hoppy. Good body, full malt and caramel flavor, not sticky but very sweet, and perfectly complemented by the good hopping; almost fruity. Where were we? Better than I remembered. It has been bottled 3 months ago, so the improvement is not due to the maturation. Excellent.
2008-02-14, corked bottle, plastic cork, 37.5 cl, bottled 2007-08-14, 7-4-7-4-14=36
Pours a chestnut color, with a medium creamy head. Even the plastic cork smells of noble hops; the aroma highlights immediately malt, caramel, some vanilla. It has a good caramel flavor, that is sweeter in the front and darker at the end; powerful hopping, but difficult to distinguish Cascade or Centennial); at the end it's well bitter, mainly with burnt sugar and hops, not much malt or sweetness left. Many elements (reduced sweetness, medium body strength, fiery warming perception) make me believe that this beer should have stopped earlier its fermentation. A good beer, but I enjoyed more the Big Bad.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Feb 2008
at 02:57
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
This looks a little scary. First pours from the 12.7 oz bottle which looks like a demented champagne bottle a nearly transparent, although slightly hazy deep ruby brown with a slim ring of slightly off white head and no visible carbonation. Smells real boozy, with heavy alcohol, pine tar, turpentine (not as bad as you’d think) all at the front of the nose with caramel and sugar malt at the back. Initial flavor is sticky sweet, caramelized malts, dark sugar almost like rum, hints of citrus fruits round it out. Finish is slightly sour and tart, with heat from the alcohol that goes to the stomach. Mikkeller set the bar so high for themselves with some of their other beers that I expected more out of this. This was a good barleywine, but missed the mark in terms of the complexity that the best barleywines have.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Jan 2008
at 10:37
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
A very nice English style barleywine, but more hops than most of that style. Mildly sweet and very little carbonation. High abv is well hidden by the aroma and flavor. A good balance of hop bitterness and malt sweetness, and a smooth palate. Thick and rich.
Tried
on 12 Jan 2008
at 15:05
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Thus ends my New Year’s weekend - 12.7 ounce, corked and caged bottled - ruby-colored beer with just the hint of a lacing - tangy, nearly tart, citric aroma at first, but a long draw of air up the nose reveals cherries, fig, caramel, sherry, alcohol/rum - some dry sherry notes at first, followed by bright citrus notes, some mildly tart cherries - a sweeter, caramel aspect arrives later, bringing with it darker fruits (raisins) and heavier liquor flavors (rum and brandy) - there are some good things happening, but the flavors are not entirely well-integrated, and it’s a little hot - it seems designed to age, but has been released too young.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jan 2008
at 19:25
7.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. Clear medium amber color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly diminishing, beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, fruity, moderate to heavy hoppy, grapefruit, sugar, dark fruits / berry ala plum, alcohol. Flavor is moderate sweet and moderate to light heavy bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. I find it to young and simple now - I think it needs some years in the cellar to mature. (181107)
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Dec 2007
at 09:28
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottled. Deep ambery ruby colour with small beige head. Aroma is dark dry fruits, caramel and really much both fruity and flowery hops. Some mild alcohol is also showing, but not in a disturbing way. Flavour is spices, fruits and quite a lot of hops. Sticky palate. Still wellbalanced, and hides the alcohol really well.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Dec 2007
at 00:14
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6
Courtesy of Degarth, thanks. Pours clear copper with tan head. The aroma is grainy, alcohol, pale fruity esters and a bit uninspired. It isn’t rich and inviting as a lot of barleywines tend to be. The flavor is herbal, hoppy, alcohol and some mild sweet malts. The hops are pine and grass. There’s pale malts followed by a decent dose of an alcohol tingle near the finish. I will re-rate this beer with several years of age.
Tried
on 12 Dec 2007
at 21:37
8.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Bottle. Creamy off-white fair mostly lasting head. Amber colour. Moderate malty fantastic hoppy aroma. Powerfull outstanding flavor. Long long finish. Very v´creamy palate. Really fantastic beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Dec 2007
at 12:23
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle pours a medium tawney amber witha small skin of a light tan head and traces of lacing. Aroma is sweet brown sugary malts with some alcohol and bitter woody hops. rather bright hoppy flavor for a BW and plenty of thick malty goodness. ABV is up there but does not dominate. Nice. Thanks Harlequin
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Nov 2007
at 10:57
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle: Poured a nice deep copper with a modest beige head. Aromatic with maltiness and citrus, some dark fruits as well. Taste is very balanced with citrus hops, fruit, and malts. Fruity and caramel, nice. Thanks Chad.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Nov 2007
at 08:21